Specialized Institutes for State Legal Protection

The paper aims to provide for the definition, characteristics, types, and prevailing issues related to the activities of specialized institutions responsible for state human rights protection. The author proposes a definition and develops a classification of the attributes and categories of this vital institution within state human rights activities. An analysis of normative legal acts and the practical activities of specialized authorized institutions, as well as the legislation of foreign states regarding specialized ombudspersons, has enabled the author to identify current trends in the development of this human rights protection mechanism and outline perspectives for its enhancement. Specialized institutions for governmental human rights protection play a crucial role among the entities involved in state human rights activities. They serve as supplementary means for the defense of human rights in relation to the fundamental mechanisms of government aimed at protecting rights and fundamental freedoms (such as the judiciary, prosecution, executive authorities, and human rights commissioners). This implies that their competencies are auxiliary in nature, activated when basic mechanisms encounter obstacles. They are also indispensable as a means of pre-trial dispute resolution.