Penitentiary No. 13 of Chisinau is overcrowded. The cells are not ventilated and do not have access to daylight and there is dampness and smells unpleasantly inside sanitary facilities. There are parasites in cells and the walking areas are laid out inappropriately, said employees of the Ombudsperson’s Office, who paid a visit to the jail, IPN reports.

In a press release, the Office said 860 persons were held in the penitentiary when the visit was made, but the upper limit is of 570 places. Among those held were 19 minors and 46 women. The minors were placed in different cells, being separated from the adults. They didn’t complain about abuse on the part of employees. “Apparently, there are tendencies for assimilating the culture of informal crime of minors, which is hard to be persecuted in such a type of penitentiary,” runs the press release.

Some of the cells were renovated primarily on account of detainees, while others are under repair. The detention conditions continue to be improper yet.

Another problem is the holding of persons in remand detention for long periods, of three to seven months. The minors in the jail are held for several days to six months. Most of them said the examination of their cases is intentionally delayed by prosecutors and courts. The Ombudsperson’s Office reminds the prosecution service and courts of law to more often apply alternative detention measures.