Attorney General Ahmed Usham has affirmed his commitment to review and resolve the cases submitted to the Ombudsperson's Office for Transitional Justice (OTJ), which was established during the previous tenure.
Established on December 17, 2020, the OTJ functions as an autonomous legal identity vested with powers to communicate, file a lawsuit or receive court charges under the Transitional Justice Act. The act sanctions investigations into past wrongdoings by state authorities, heads of agencies, or individuals in power, which resulted in human rights violations. The eligibility timeframe for cases that were investigated runs from January 1, 1953, until November 17, 2018.
Speaking at a press conference held at the President's Office, Attorney General Usham stressed that OTJ failed to review and investigate cases effectively, noting that several cases remained pending. He revealed that the President's Office provided recommendations on how to deal with the cases submitted to the OTJ until the current government assumed office. Following this, Usham stated that these recommendations will be taken into consideration, and reaffirmed the government's commitment to investigate and resolve the cases.
Despite OTJ being established with an aim of resolving all the cases lodged within a two-year timeframe, the deadline was extended to November 17, 2023, due to a substantial caseload and delays in hearings. After that, the OTJ was abolished. The office reported receiving a total of 489 cases, with 453 cases resolved and the remainder still pending. It also stated that a report had been submitted to the President's Office on November 17, regarding 30 cases which were required to be compensated.