Mothers of torture victims urge authorities to take action

The mothers and relatives of victims of torture and ill-treatment urge authorities to put an end to the phenomenon on both sides of the Nistru River and punish those responsible, Info-Prim Neo reports. “I tried to keep my child home on April 7, 2009, but he thought this was a democratic state and went in the center of the city to see what happened. When returning home, he was arrested, taken to the police station, tortured and obliged to say what they wanted. Then, my child understood this wasn’t a free or democratic country, as he got ill after the torture”, said Ana Batrancea, a young man’s mother, during a press conference. “I’ve knocked at so many doors, I’ve walked so many roads and all in vain. Authorities must guarantee our rights. If they weren’t able to do so, let them at least defend our children, who are being tortured”, said Stela Surchicean, mother of Ilie Cazac, sentenced by self-proclaimed Transnistrian authorities to 14 years in jail for state treason and espionage for Moldova. The relatives of victims of torture and inhumane treatment from the Transnistrian region request the creation of a group of professionals- prosecutors, lawyers, experts and judges, who would have access to files and the right to present reports accepted by any court. The group could also include representatives of the 5+2 countries and of the civil society. Another request is to provide access in jails and civil society members to monitor the detention conditions and the respecting of human rights. The obligatory medical exam for inmates is also one of the demands. The petitioners want temporary detention centers to be withdrawn from the police’s jurisdiction and the interrogatory to take place only in the presence of lawyers. They also want to be able to contest the detentions longer than 24 hours and the sentences ruled by the courts of the self-proclaimed Transnistrian republic at any other court from the countries participating in 5+2 negotiations. Ludmila Popovici, head of the Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture “Memoria”, mentioned that this phenomenon had to be fought by all law institutions. They should take action and cooperate between themselves to prevent torture. The International UN Day in Support of Victims of Torture is marked on June 26.