Penitentiary Dept. denies rise in torture in Moldovan jails

The Department of Correctional Institutions (DIP) said Friday in a communique it dismisses reports by the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Moldova (CHDOM) that the number of cases of torture and inhumane treatment has rose alarmingly lately in Moldovan penal facilities, and one of the factors is the ongoing parliamentary race, labeling the allegations as “absurd, unsubstantiated and speculative”, Info-Prim Neo reports. The Department issued the communique in response to the statements made Thursday by CHDOM representatives at a news conference. In the communique, the Department also accused CHDOM executive director Teodor Carnat of having distorted the case of two inmates, who allegedly suffered severe injuries inflicted by the police during their detention. DIP claims there was no beating at all, noting that the inmates underwent repeated medical examination. At the same time, the Department said that “appraising the level of danger for the prisoners should not be CHDOM's concern, but of the relevant bodies”, underlining that one of the two inmates that CHDOM director tried to defend “was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for murder”. “In connection with the statements by the CHDOM executive director, Mr. Teodor Cirnat, that the inmates are not adequately fed, the DIP recalls that the budget for the alimentation of prisoners was raised by 1.5 times from last year, which will allow to considerably improve their nutrition and provide them with meat and fish at 100 percent”, the communique adds. As concerns the right to vote of the prisoners, the DIP said “it cannot be ensured by the penitentiary system for all the prisoners”, because it would contradict the electoral legislation.