The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found Moldova guilty of use of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment, violation of the private and family life and discriminatory in the case of Eremia and others versus Moldova.
According to a communiqué from Promo-LEX Association, Lilia Eremia alleged that the authorities had ignored the domestic abuse to which she and her daughters had been subjected and failed to enforce the binding court order designed to protect them. Her daughters complained that they had been verbally abused and witnessed their mother being assaulted without being able to help. The applicants further complained that the authorities had failed to apply domestic legislation intended to protect them against domestic violence, as a result of preconceived ideas concerning the role of women in the family.
The ECHR ruled that the authorities had failed to take effective measures against Ms Eremia’s husband and to protect his wife from further domestic violence. It also considered that, despite the detrimental psychological effects of her daughters witnessing their father’s violence against their mother in the family home, little or no action had been taken to prevent the recurrence of such behaviour. Finally, the Court found that the authorities’ attitude had amounted to condoning violence and had been discriminatory towards Ms Eremia as a woman.
The court held that the Republic of Moldova was to pay Ms Eremia €15,000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage and €2,150 for costs and expenses.
Promo-LEX said this case is the first showing that domestic violence represents discrimination on grounds of gender. Another three similar cases are pending at the ECHR.
