Azerbaijan Changes Ombudsman Election Rules

Azerbaijan's parliament on May 26 gave its initial approval to legislation that would permit the re-election of the country's human rights ombudsman.

Prior legislation mandated that the ombudsman, the country's foremost human rights advocate, could serve only one seven-year term. The new legislation would allow the ombudsman to serve a second term, the Day.az news service reported.

The preliminary vote passed by a 100-8 margin in the 125-seat legislature. The bill faces a second vote in six months before it becomes law, the APA news agency reported. The term of the incumbent ombudsman, Elmira Suleimanova, expires in June.