A woman with disabilities staying at a placement center was exploited through forced labor, verbally abused and subjected to degrading treatment. The Ombudsman examined personally this case, asking for the investigation of those responsible, IPN reports.
Information about this abuse reached the Ombudsman’s Office in December 2024, following a journalistic investigation. In order to verify the situation, the institution's representatives made visits to the placement center, where they interviewed both the victim and other beneficiaries and employees of the institution. The findings confirmed the suspicions of labor exploitation, abuse and violation of the woman's fundamental rights.
Following the investigation, the Ombudsman notified the Prosecutor General's Office, asking for the initiation of a criminal investigation.
Subsequently, the Prosecutor's Office started a criminal case over trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labor exploitation, and the victim was recognized as an injured party in the trial.
The Ombudsman noted that such cases are possible due to poor management of placement centers and weak monitoring mechanisms.
The Ombudsman called on the authorities to act to prevent such violations of fundamental rights.
