The Parliamentary Ombudspersons can:
1. Investigate a potential violation of your human rights by a state institution or official
At the end of the investigation, the Parliamentary Ombudsperson will issue a decision on whether there has been a violation of your rights or not and what should be done to prevent that. Please note that the Parliamentary Ombudsperson cannot change or amend the decisions of courts or state institutions.
The decisions of the Parliamentary Ombudsperson are not binding on state institutions, but they must examine these recommendatory decisions and inform the Ombudsperson on their implementation. Courts can take the Ombudsperson’s decision into account when deciding on your compensation claim. For example, if the Ombudsperson has issued a decision that your human rights have been violated, you can claim compensation for such a violation in the courts.
2. Help to prevent future violations of a similar kind against you or other persons
If the Ombudsperson’s investigation reveals a problem in a law or the practice of state institutions, he/she can propose changes to them to prevent future violations.
3. Help to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in the places of deprivation of liberty
The Parliamentary Ombudsperson carries out the monitoring of human rights in the places of deprivation of liberty by visiting them.
A place of deprivation of liberty is any place that is under the jurisdiction of or controlled by Lithuania where the liberty of a person is or might be limited based on the decision of certain authority. Places of deprivation of liberty include not only prisons but also psychiatric institutions, orphanages or social care homes.
4. Help you to understand your human rights and explain how better to defend them
If you are not sure if your human rights have been violated or whether the Parliamentary Ombudsperson can investigate your case, you can email (ombuds@lrski.lt) or call (+370 5266 8105) the Ombudpersons' office before you make an application. The Ombudpersons' office can help you with various human rights related questions, but keep in mind that they cannot act as your lawyer, give unlimited free legal aid or represent you in court.
The Parliamentary Ombudsperson cannot:
Please note that the Parliamentary Ombudspersons do not investigate:
- actions of the President, Parliament members, Government, National audit office, judges, municipal councils
- legality and validity of decisions made by the prosecutors and investigation officers. However, they do investigate the actions of the officers, which violate human rights
- complaints arising from the labour legal relations
- legality and validity of court decisions, judgements and rulings
The Parliamentary Ombudspersons also cannot:
- revoke or change decisions of courts or state institutions
- examine the evidence in court cases
- punish state officials or private individuals
- give you compensation for a violation of your human rights
- provide legal advice not related to your human rights
- write applications to courts or state institutions or write other legal documents for you
- represent you in the European Court of Human Rights or other international body