Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna DOTTORATO DI RICERCA IN DIRITTO DELL’ECONOMIA E DELLE RELAZIONI INDUSTRIALI: INDIRIZZO “DIRITTO ED ECONOMIA – LAW AND ECONOMICS” Ciclo 24 Settore Concorsuale di afferenza: 12/E2 diritto comparato Settore Scientifico disciplinare: IUS/21 diritto pubblico comparato TITOLO TESI “BIRTH, DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSIVE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE OMBUDSMAN IN THE RUSSIAN LEGAL AND POLITICAL SYSTEM” Presentata da: Elena OSIPOVA Coordinatore Dottorato Relatore Prof. Riccardo LEONCINI Prof. Silvia NICODEMO Prof. Nicola DE LISO Esame finale anno 2013 Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................ 4 Chapter 1. Constitutional Framework of the Russian Federation .............. 11 1.1. Rights and their guarantees in the constitutional framework of the Russian Federation .................................................................................................... 12 1.2. The role of international instruments for human rights protection ................. 17 1.3. The complimentary function of the Ombudsman to other mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights ............................... 20 1.4. Legislation on Ombudsman in the subjects of the Russian Federation… .............................................................................................................. 22 Chapter 2. The ombudsman institution: historical origins and development ................................................................................................................ 31 2.1. Historical Origins of the Ombudsman ............................................................. 32 2.2. Contemporary development ............................................................................. 34 2.3. The Ombudsman institutions in post-authoritarian countries ......................... 37 2.4. Typologies of Ombudsman institutions ............................................................ 38 2.5. Relations with other mechanism for the protection and promotion of fundamental rights ................................................................................................. 48 Chapter 3. The Establishment of the Ombudsman in the Russian Federation ................................................................................................................... 52 3.1. The first phase of the establishment: from Peter the Great until the adoption of the Federal Constitutional Law (1997) .................................................. 53 3.2. Second phase of the establishment of the Ombudsman in the Russian Federation (1997-2004) ............................................................................... 62 3.3. Third phase of the establishment of the Ombudsman in the Russian Federation (2004-today) ........................................................................................... 67 3.4. The establishment of the Ombudsman in the subjects of the Russian Federation… .............................................................................................................. 71 Introduction Chapter 4. The process of institutionalization of the Ombudsman in the Russian Federation .......................................................................................... 79 4.1. Legislation on the Ombudsman of the Russian Federation ............................. 80 4.2. Relations of the Ombudsman of the Russian Federation with other mechanism for the protection and promotion of fundamental rights. ....................... 95 4.3 Analysis of the current status of the Ombudsman for human rights in the Russian Federation and evaluation of economic impact of its activities…… ........................................................................................................... 102 4.4. The most important initiatives of the Federal Ombudsman for Human Rights and the Government of the Russian Federation in the sphere of Human Rights .......................................................................................... 111 Chapter 5. The Role of International cooperation for Institution building in the institutionalization the Ombudsman office in the Russian Federation ................................................................................................... 113 5.1. International cooperation and international relations after World War II……… ............................................................................................................ 114 5.2. Establishment of the rule of law and the primary role of judicial reform……… ........................................................................................................... 115 5.3. The Russian Federation and its legal reform ................................................ 117 5.4. International Assistance towards the strengthening of the RF Ombudsman.. ........................................................................................................... 120 Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 124 Sources and bibliographic materials ............................................................ 129 1. Bibliography ..................................................................................................... 130 2. Normative Materials ........................................................................................ 140 3. Key Websites .................................................................................................... 142 3 Introduction Introduction Introduction One of the current trends in governance and legal development in Russia is aimed at establishing a modern, efficient and internationally harmonised system of safeguards of human rights and civil liberties. A fairly recent addition to this system has been the institution of ombudsman as a public authority specialising in exercising and protecting human rights and civil liberties. The introduction of this institution as well as its formalisation at the constitutional and legislative levels has been increasingly relevant and important, as it raises the dealings between the state and the individual to a new level. As an independent public institution resolving conflicts between citizens and government authorities, the ombudsman makes steps, within the scope of his jurisdiction, to restituting individual rights, and helps to enhance the reputation of government. However, so far the efficiency of the ombudsman’s institution in Russia has not been very high, which could be due to the relative “novelty” and insufficient practical experience of this institution, on the one hand, and the fact that this public mechanism to safeguard human rights and civil liberties have been borrowed from nations with “long-established democratic traditions” which belong to different legal systems: Nordic (Sweden, Finland) or Anglo-Saxon (UK, Canada and Australia). As a result, it cannot be fully integrated in the government mechanism unless appropriate changes are made in line with the established national and cultural traditions. Special laws on the ombudsman in these countries were approved in the times of radical changes in their economic as well as political and legal systems. However, despite all similarities in historic conditions or the state of the political system and civil society, Russia has evolved its own model for the domestic institution of ombudsman with certain unique features. It is very much appropriate today to take stock of some of the results following from the introduction and functioning of the ombudsman’s institution in Russia. The relevance of the research lies in the need to develop a systemic approach to legal 5 Introduction regulation of the ombudsman’s activity in Russia, as well as to outline common and specific trends in the evolution of this institution. Famous Russian scientist have dealt with the Ombudsman Institute – A.S. Avtonomov, M.S. Bashimov, V.V. Boitsova, L.V. Boitsova, R.G. Vagizov, T.A, Vasilieva, I.S, Vlasov, O.B. Vorobiev, V. G. Gladyshev, N.M. Kasatkina, S.A. Knyazkin, N.S. Kolesova, N.Yu. Khamaneva, I.A, Ledyakh, E.A. Lukasheva, A.G. Maiorov, E.G. Markelova, S.N. Matveev, O.O. Mironov (Federal Ombudsman for Human Rights in the Russian Federation in 1998-2004), A. Yu. Sungurov and other jurists. There is a remarkable amount of international scholarly literature on the issue of the development of the Ombudsman institution: Stanley V Anderson, Gerald Е. Caiden, Walter Gellhorn, Roy Gregory, Philip Giddings Donald Cameron Rowat. The main center of the research and publications is the International Ombudsman Institute in Canada, publishing the International Ombudsman Yearbook edited by the professor Linda Reif, and other specialized books. But until today there is no scientific works developing a systemic approach to the legal regulation of the ombudsman’s activity in Russia, outlining common and specific trends in the evolution of this institution and analysing of the role of International Cooperation for Institution Building in the institutionalization of the Ombudman in the Russian Federation. This is the raison d’être of this research, and the core of its actuality and scientific interest. The main sources of the information are following: The Declaration of Human rights and citizen in the Russian Federation 1991, Constitution of the Russian Federation 1993, Constitutions of the republics subjects of the Russian Federation, as well as Constitutions