New Moldovan anti-torture body needs to be independent and effective – OSCE Mission Head

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Louis O’Neill, today urged Moldovan legislators to ensure that a mechanism that aims to prevent torture they plan to create is effective and becomes a significant part of the country’s fight against torture and inhuman treatment. The Moldovan Parliament is set to debate the National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on Friday, July 20. The mechanism aims to prevent torture and other inhuman treatment by establishing a system of regular visits to all places of detention, to be carried out by an independent national body. “We are concerned that a National Preventive Mechanism might be established that does not ensure adequate participation of civil society and independent experts and will thus not be effective,” the Head of Mission said. Ambassador O’Neill’s statement came in reaction to a decision yesterday by Parliament’s Human Rights Committee that deleted provisions from the draft law that regulates the mechanism. The deleted provisions would have governed the composition, institution and functioning of a watchdog Consultative Council, composed of civil society and independent experts. Ambassador O’Neill expressed his hope that Parliament will follow the recommendations made by international experts in this respect and will establish a National Preventive Mechanism which would correspond to best practices regarding independence and functionality, restoring the deleted provisions.