Parents meet imprisoned sons

Parents have met their sons held in Penitentiary no.2 in Lipcani town during a family reunion organized by the International Society for Human Rights – Moldovan Section (ISHR-MS). For the first time in months more than half of the 35 imprisoned adolescents were able to hug their folks, the organization said in a press release. The event was planned to coincide with a gala concert of two music festivals: Evantai Cultural, which is dedicated to the memory of Ion and Doina Aldea-Teodorovici, and the international inter-penitentiary festival Chervona Kalina. For over a month teenagers have been practicing singing, dancing and preparing theater performances. Many will perform on stage for the first time in their lives. “Because the penitentiary for juveniles is located very remotely, 260 kilometers north of Chisinau, most families cannot afford traveling there. Many boys do not see their relatives for years and lose support of the family, which is the key factor in successful reintegration”, explained Ina Vutcariov, psychologist of the ISHR-MS. This visit was organized in the framework of the project "Strengthening Moldova civil society organizations in HIV/AIDS prevention and care for women and juvenile prisoners" funded by the European Union.