Dmitri Marshan

Dmitri Marshan is the current Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of Abkhazia.

Early life
Marshan was born in 1980. In 2002, he graduated from the Law Faculty of the Adyghe State University. Between January and December 2003, Marshan served as a conscript in the Abkhazian army. In 2006, Marshan completed the graduate school of the Department of State (Constitutional) Law of the Rostov State University.

Career
Between 2006 and 2009, Marshan lectured at the Law Faculty of the Rostov State University, renamed into Southern Federal University. In 2008, he defended his PhD thesis. In 2010, he became assistant to Commissioner for Human Rights under the President of Abkhazia Gueorgui Otyrba.

On 11 February 2016, the People's Assembly adopted a law which instituted a new, independent office of Ombudsman, elected by Parliament. On 22 November, Marshan was elected as the new Ombudsman with eighteen votes in favour, one against and one abstention, out of 28 deputies present, after having been nominated by a group of 26 deputies.