Civil society organizations of the Republic of Moldova made a call to the main state and international institutions, asking them to create efficient mechanisms for preventing and eradicating torture, inhuman or degrading treatment and to offer the victims efficient rehabilitations mechanisms, in accordance with the internationals treaties to which the Republic of Moldova is a party. The call was made in connection with the celebration of the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26, IPN reports.
According to the call, Moldova is frequently condemned by the European Court of Human Rights for the violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment). By June 1, 2021, the ECHR passed 107 conviction decisions by which it ascertained 149 violations of Article 3 of the Convention by Moldova. Most of these violations refer to ill-treatment and the improper investigation of such cases by representatives of the state (67), and also poor detention conditions (46).
The SCOs note the cases of inhuman or degrading treatment are not always examined efficiently. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) recommended transferring the medical service from detention centers under the subordination of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection. However, the new National Human Rights Action Plan for 2018-2022 does not stipulate measures for ensuring the independence of the medical personnel in detention places and for the rehabilitation of torture victims.
The call says the strategy for developing the penitentiary system for 2016-2020 hasn’t been yet worked out. The independence and capacities of the Council for Torture Prevention, as a National Torture Prevention Mechanism, should be strengthened so that it could efficiently fulfill the mission of carrying out unplanned inspections at detention centers.
Among the demands of the signatory organizations are: to efficiently implement all the measures to combat torture, inhuman or degrading treatment specified in the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2018-2022; to fulfill all the recommendations and assumed international commitments to prevent torture and support the victims of torture; to strengthen the independence and capacities of prosecutors in charge of cases of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The signatories are: the Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims “Memoria”, Amnesty International Moldova, Promo-LEX Association, Legal Resources Center from Moldova, Human Rights Embassy, the public association “Inițiativa Pozitivă” and the Moldovan Institute for Human Rights. The list is open for signature.
