Russian rights activists see Pamfilova as good candidate for human rights commissioner
MOSCOW. Jan 18 (Interfax) - Veterans of the Russian human rights movement have supported the possible nomination of Ella Pamfilova, a former head of the presidential Human Rights Council, for Russian human rights commissioner to replace Vladimir Lukin in the office.
Kommersant reported on Saturday that Pamfilova is among the candidates for the position. Lukin's term in the office will expire in February.
"I still believe that Lukin should be left in the office, but Pamfilova is also the right person," Lev Ponomaryov, the leader of the organization For Human Rights, told Interfax on Saturday.
Ponomaryov mentioned Lukin, Pamfilova, and head of the presidential Human Rights Council Mikhail Fedotov as ideal candidates. "These three people have authority among human rights defenders, and the president trusts them," Ponomaryov said.
"If we talk about Pamfilova, she has good personal relations with the president, and this is important," he added.
Moscow Helsinki Group head Lyudmia Alexeyeva shares this view. "Pamfilova is okay, but I don't know whether she will agree," Alexeyeva told Interfax on Saturday.
"Pamfilova is a good candidate, she understands what human rights are, and it won't be necessary to spend a year to teach her to work," she said.
Earlier this week, a number of leading Russian human rights defenders forwarded a request to President Vladimir Putin to amend the law and leave Lukin federal human rights commissioner for the third term.
Meanwhile, State Duma deputy Pavel Krasheninnikov and Lyudmila Shvetsova have been named among possible candidates to replace Lukin.
Alexeyeva told Interfax that Shvetsova was unacceptable to her as a candidate for federal human rights commissioner, not to mention that she does not have any experience in human rights activities.
Lukin told Interfax on Friday that he was determined to comply with the law, which stipulates that the same person can hold the office for two terms. Lukin said the law is not going to be amended, and he will have to step down.
Pamfilova herself refrained from commenting on the reports that she might be offered the office of human rights commissioner.
