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Tatyana MoskalkovaRussian politician, lawyer
Date of Birth: 30.05.1955
Country:  Belarus |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Professional Career
- Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Political Career
- Controversial Proposals
- Uполномоченный по правам человека
- Tenure
Creation of Expert Council
Criticism and Response
Early Life and Education
Tatyana Nikolaevna Moskalkova was born on May 30, 1955, in Vitebsk, Belarus. Her father was a paratrooper, and her mother was a homemaker. She was the second child, and her older brother had a significant influence on her character. Moskalkova's father passed away when she was ten, and her family moved to Moscow.
Professional Career
Early CareerIn 1972, Moskalkova began working in the legal department for the Council for Issuing Certificates for Traveling Abroad, later working as a legal consultant and advisor in the Presidential Pardons Department of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR.
Ministry of Internal Affairs
In 1984, she joined the legal department of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, where she handled pardon issues and rose to the position of First Deputy Head of the department. However, she did not fully retire from law enforcement, instead choosing to remain in the reserves of the Ministry.
Political Career
State DumaIn 1999, Moskalkova ran for the State Duma as a member of the Yabloko party but was defeated. In 2007, she was elected as a deputy in the fifth convocation of the State Duma, representing the Fair Russia party. She became a deputy chairman of the Committee on CIS Affairs and Relations with Compatriots. She voiced her opposition to the formation of a single investigative committee and was involved in creating 119 draft laws.
Controversial Proposals
In 2012, Moskalkova proposed adding a new article to the Criminal Code that would punish "offenses against morality and gross violations of the rules of public conduct" with up to one year in prison. This proposal was not supported by her party members. Later that year, she co-proposed a draft law on compulsory military service for women. During the 2015 crisis, she suggested renaming the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission (VChK) and granting it enhanced powers.
Uполномоченный по правам человека
Appointment and ReceptionIn 2016, Moskalkova became the Uполномоченный по правам человека (Ombudsman for Human Rights) in Russia. Her appointment was met with both optimism and concern from human rights organizations.
Tenure
As Ombudswoman, Moskalkova has prioritized issues of labor rights, healthcare, education, housing and utilities, and migration. She has emphasized the importance of combating the use of human rights by foreign organizations to destabilize Russia. Despite criticism from some human rights activists, Moskalkova has also received support from others.
Support for the Criminalization of Repeated Violations at Protests
In January 2017, Moskalkova requested the Constitutional Court to uphold Article 212.1 of the Criminal Code, which criminalizes repeated violations of protest procedures. This request drew criticism from human rights advocates, but the court ultimately upheld the article while limiting its application.
Creation of Expert Council
In April 2017, an expert council was established under Moskalkova to address issues of protecting civil and political rights. This council includes prominent human rights activists such as Lyudmila Alekseyeva and Valery Borshchev.
Criticism and Response
Moskalkova has faced criticism for not reviewing most complaints "independently." She has also been criticized for issuing non-committal responses to complaints and for the actions of her staff, such as an "unhelpful" response to an inquiry about Maxim Panfilov, a political prisoner. Moskalkova has defended her approach, stating that her office is not responsible for intervening in the consideration of detainees' requests for bail.
