Witnesses to benefit of protection guaranteed through new law
- 05.04.2008 09:06
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- 2 minute(s)
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Moldovan witnesses will benefit of protection guaranteed by a new law adopted by the Parliament in the first reading on Friday, April 4, Info-Prim Neo reports.
The bill provides for insuring the safety of participants in a criminal trial, whose corporeal integrity, freedom or property are menaced because they have data they accept to disclose and thus contribute with evidence concerning the commitment of felonies.
Now Moldova has a Law on the state protection of the damaged party, of witnesses and other people helping to a criminal trial. Deputy Minister of Interior, Andrei Pogurschi, reasoned the necessity for a new law by the fact that the current law does not correspond to aspects of the new criminal and procedural legislation, EU and international standards.
Compared with the law in force, the new bill is based on the principles of the person’s cooperation and agreement. Thus, protection will be granted to people accepting to lay evidence only on their agreement. In case of finding a possible danger, the prosecutor or the court will be obliged to propose protection to the witness.
In accordance with a resolution of the EU Council, the bill provides for protection before filing the trial, during and after it, and, in case of necessity, for an indefinite term and even for life.
At the same time the draft provides for instituting a single organ dealing with protecting witnesses, compared with the current law which provides for several ones. The body – the Direction for Witness Protection – will be a subdivision within the Interior Ministry.
According to the Interior deputy minister, protection has been granted to 189 Moldovan residents since 2000. They benefited of body guard or home guard. The new law provides for new measures as changing ID documents or residence. The deputy minister says international bodies are ready to provide assistance because of these additional expenses, as the bill provides that the goods owned by the protected witness can also be used in this regard.
