MOSCOW, December 19 (RAPSI) – The federal law on Russia’s High Commissioner for Human Rights must be amended, chairman of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights Mikhail Fedotov said at the book exhibition celebrating the 20th anniversary of the law adoption.

According to Fedotov, legislators turned the ombudsman institution into a considerable legal entity. In 20 years of the institution’s development it managed to be formed in regions of Russia as well. At the same time there is a need for amendment of certain provisions, for example current penalty for obstructing the ombudsman’s work is extremely low, Fedotov believes.

High Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatiana Moskalkova, added that currently ombudsman has a right to visit a penal colony or detention center but can’t delegate the same power to an authorized person.