The police use torture and inhuman treatment, investigate such cases defectively, while the conviction takes place based on “evidence” obtained as a result of maltreatment. Appropriate medical assistance is not offered to persons in detention, said the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe that during September 19-21 checked the measures taken by Moldova to combat maltreatment, IPN reports, quoting a press release issued by the Legal Resources Center from Moldova (CRJM).

As a result of the checks, the Committee expressed its concern about the extremely low number of criminal cases initiated and transmitted to court over cases of maltreatment. According to the CRJM, this fact can point to problems related to the efficiency and quality of investigations, even if a slight decline in the number of such complaints was witnessed.

This way, Moldova will have to present information about the motives for the reduction in the number of investigations and cases transmitted to court, the institutional structure for investigating cases of maltreatment, including the skills of anti-torture prosecutors and the sufficiency of human resources allocated for investigating these.

The Committee of Ministers recommends promoting the policy of zero tolerance to the use of ill-treatment by ensuring the courts of law impose discouraging penalties in cases of maltreatment, and presenting clear information about the measures taken with regard to persons who are suspected of applying maltreatment.

The Legal Resources Center from Moldova on July 26, 2023 and Promo-LEX Association on August 3, 2023 transmitted their communications to the Committee of Ministers by which they were informed about the existence of such problems and noted the absence of a tangible impact of reforms and measures done and taken by the authorities so far to fight maltreatment. To assess the progress and overdue problems, the Government must provide the Committee of Ministers with relevant information until October 31, 2024. The next session to examine the execution of the decisions in the group of cases Levința will take place in 2025.