GENEVA, May 13. /TASS/. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights announced that Mariana Katsarova (Bulgaria) started working as the first UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation.

The UN Human Rights Council made the decision to establish this role, which was strongly denounced by Moscow, on October 7, 2022.

"I hope the Russian Government authorities will extend their cooperation to my mandate and allow me to visit the country. The viewpoints of all stakeholders are important for a thorough assessment of the human rights situation in Russia," Mariana Katsarova said in the press release.

According to the statement, the Special Rapporteur will present her report in September 2023 to the 54th session of the Human Rights Council and to the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in October 2023.