International Community urges Moldova to fight torture

The International Community expresses concern over Moldova’s state of affairs in countering torture, urging the state to raise standards in this field, Igor Dolea, expert of the Penal Reforms Institute, says. The expert attends a conference, taking place from November 17 to 18, on “Moldova versus The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture”, organized by the OSCE Mission in Moldova, the Penal Reforms Institute and Amnesty International Moldova. The event has the aim of familiarizing the representatives of state institutions and civil society with methods of efficient implementation of the Optional Protocol (OPCAT). OPCAT provides a system of regular visits to places of imprisonment, paid by independent experts from international, national and complementary bodies. By ratifying or adhering to OPCAT, participant states accept that exerts will operate unannounced visits to detention centers. The Protocol establishes a broad definition of detention centre, which should include police stations; security force stations; prisons; all pre-trial centers; centers for juveniles; immigration centers; transit zones at international ports; centers for detained asylum seekers; psychiatric hospitals and places of administrative arrest. The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was adopted in New York on December 18, 2002. The R. Moldova signed the Protocol on September 16, 2005, and the Parliament ratified it on March 30, 2006. The ratification of the protocol is one of the provisions of the Republic of Moldova – European Union Action Plan.