On September 15 the Parliament unanimously approved human rights activist and journalist Sozar Subeliani as Georgia?s new Public Defender (Ombudsman).
Sozar Subeliani currently leads the human rights Liberty Institute?s ?Rule of Law” direction and is a long-time journalist with Radio Liberty.
The position of the Public Defender has been vacant for a year. Former Public Defender Nana Devdariani was appointed by ex-President Shevardnadze as Chairperson of the Central Election Commission last September and resigned following the “Rose Revolution” in November 2003.
Sozar Subeliani vowed that his office ?will be working around-the-clock? and will remain watchful over human rights violations, which still take place, especially in the law enforcement agencies.