This Department is concerned with the defense of individual, political and social rights protected by the Constitution by international agreements or by national law. Specifically, it deals with cases regarding: violations of personal freedom, freedom of religious belief and worship; discrimination on grounds of nationality or ethnic origin; violations of the rights of immigrants; equal access to public education; recognition of foreign academic titles; protection of professional rights; infringements of the right to appeal to the administrative authorities and access to judicial protection, as well as the right to political asylum and aliens’ rights to entry and residence. This Department also has the coordination of the Ombudsman’s special mandates as an equality body, a national preventive mechanism against torture and ill-treatment (OPCAT) and a monitoring body of third country nationals return procedures.

Deputy Ombudsman: George P. Nikolopoulos