The UN Committee against Torture recommends the Moldovan authorities to take measures when they speak about the necessity of combating the use of torture and inhuman treatment, Info-Prim Neo reports. The recommendations were made during the 43rd session of the UN Committee against Torture, where there was presented a report on the situation of torture in Moldova during 2003-2009, prepared by the Moldovan authorities. A number of human rights organizations, including the Resource Center for Human Rights (CreDO), the Moldova Institute for Human Rights (IDOM), the National Roma Center (CNR) and the Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims “Memoria”, submitted alternative reports. “The Committee against Torture highlighted the constructive and responsible attitude of the Moldovan delegation, pointed to certain shortcomings and urged us to take appropriate steps,” Sergiu Ostaf, the executive director of CreDO, said during a news conferee at “Info-Prim Neo” on November 30. Speaking about the major recommendations made by the UN Committee, Sergiu Ostaf said they concern the detention conditions, the prisoners' restricted access to lawyer and doctor, the quality of the inquiry, the investigation of the employees that use torture and the payment of compensations to the victims of torture by the state. Ion Guzun, jurist at IDOM, said the UN committee expressed concern about the functioning of the legal system, especially after the April events, saying the basic principles on the independence of the judiciary must be observed. “I consider that this observation was very tough,” the jurist said. Ion Guzun also said that the number of legal cases mentioned in the authorities' report differed from that indicated in the civil society's reports. “Only 30 legal cases were sent to court after the April events. According to IDOM's information, there have been investigated more than 700 cases,” he said. Nicoale Radita, the president of the National Roma Center, said that the authorities were recommended to allow members of the National Torture Prevention Mechanism to visit the prisons. The representatives of the civil society also said that during discussions with representatives of the UN Committee, the experts said they are disappointed at the lack of progress in Moldova despite political stability and GDP growth during 2003-2009. The UN Committee against Torture will reassess the situation of torture in Moldova in November next year, while in 2011 there will be assessed the general human rights situation in Moldova.