Discussion Procedure Launched Regarding Soldier's Death: Ombudsman

Today, immediately after the publication of information regarding the contracted soldier who died from a gunshot wound, a discussion procedure has been initiated at the Office of the Human Rights Defender. Letters have been sent to the relevant state authorities to obtain clarifications on the incident.

The Ombudsman emphasizes that such incidents in the Armed Forces are unacceptable and are a serious concern. To protect the right to life within the armed forces, the state is obliged to take necessary and sufficient measures aimed at safeguarding soldiers' rights to life and, in cases of soldiers' deaths, to conduct an effective investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding such events.

The Human Rights Defender once again underscores that a systematic approach is necessary to address the issue, stressing the importance of developing and implementing a unified framework (program, sequence of actions, etc.) aimed at preventing deaths and self-harm within the military.

Any issues related to human rights in the armed forces are under the direct attention of the Human Rights Defender. The Defender is committed to addressing existing problems in the sector and implementing measures aimed at their resolution.

In the annual report for 2023, the Human Rights Defender also provided a detailed examination of the issues related to the protection of soldiers' rights and presented a series of recommendations for addressing these concerns.