Human rights situation worsens in Moldova: Amnesty International

The human rights situation in Moldova has worsened, especially after the April events this year, find representatives of Amnesty International (AI) Moldova. The statements were made at a news conference on Friday at which they launched the 2009 Annual Report on human rights in the world, compiled by AI. The report highlights two cases of breaching the human rights in Moldova in terms of torture. The question is about the cases of brothers Vasiliu and Petru Livadari, who were beaten by guards of the Cricova prison, after complaining of their being treated in detention. Another case refers to Viorica Plate, harassed by the police in May 2007. “In Moldova, reports on torture and other cases of ill-treatment go on appearing and the offenders are not punished,” said Veaceslav Turcan, a coordinator with AI Moldova. “The country's leadership should explain the police that applying torture is punishable.” Referring to the law on the freedom of assembly, in force since 22 April 2008, Yevgeny Goloshchapov, AIM's executive manager, believes the practice and the adopted attitude do not match the law. “The apex of violating the rights to free assembly was attained after the April elections. The events highlighted the issues the human rights defenders talk for years. I saw what can happen to the people expressing their disagreement publicly,” Goloshchapov said. He asks the Moldovan leadership to publicly recognize the committed breaches and to punish the guilty. Not to draft new laws, but to enforce the existing ones. “Another phenomenon, not characteristic of Moldova until not long ago, is threatening the civil society. Immediately after the April events, the Justice Ministry asked NGOs to explain why they had not intervened to halt the acts of vandalism in the capital's downtown,” Goloshchapov said. According to him, those NGOs were accused of having participated in staging the protests. “Our headquarters have been verified by tax inspectors, we were asked for the list of our members, and since April 9 we were tapped by unknown people in the premises and in the street,” he said. Igor Grosu, the president of AIM's board, says governments focus on the economic crisis and solutions to it, leaving aside the human rights situation, which continues to worsen. “In 2007, 26% of the Moldovans lives below the absolute poverty threshold. In 2009 things have not changed for better. Maternal death rate is getting a big problem for Moldova. The Government shall invest in human rights as consistently as in economy,” Igor Grosu said. Irene Khan, the secretary general of Amnesty International, stated at the launch of the report in London that “the world needs a New Way in the human rights sector – not only written promises, but committing to concrete actions on the part of governments to prevent the “blast” of the human rights bomb.” In its report for 2009, Amnesty International mirrors the situation in the human rights sector from January to December 2008 in 157 countries. The report is to be also presented in Balti, on June 2.