Amnesty International: No impunity for police officers

Amnesty International warned that torture and other ill-treatment by police officers should not be tolerated under any circumstances -- any such acts must not be left without proper investigation, Info-Prim Neo quotes a statement by the human rights watchdog. The organization is concerned about recent calls by the speaker of parliament, Marian Lupu, who stated to the Financial Times on 15 April that an amnesty must apply not only to the protesters, but also to the police who beat them in detention. The call followed a proposal by President Vladimir Voronin for an amnesty for all those who have been detained in connection with the protests which began on 6 April. The amnesty has not yet been adopted by the Parliament. Amnesty International has repeatedly called for high ranking officials to clearly and unequivocally condemn torture and other ill-treatment. The organization is concerned that the statement by the speaker of the parliament might be interpreted as actively encouraging impunity for such acts. Amnesty International opposes amnesties as this prevents the emergence of the truth and subsequent accountability before the law of people reasonably suspected of serious human rights abuses. The organization considers that amnesties for such abuses are inconsistent with international law and the state's duty to bring to justice those responsible for such abuses and to ensure reparation for the victims. Cases of police ill-treatment and other torture including degrading and humiliating treatment of both men and women have been widely documented in Moldova by international organizations and national and international NGOs. Amnesty International repeats its call to the Moldovan authorities to investigate all allegations of use of excessive force and of torture and ill-treatment by police officers and to ensure that any police officers reasonably suspected of such violations are brought to justice in fair proceedings, and that they are sanctioned appropriately. The Chisinau city hall has investigated three cases of deceased people, of which one is directly linked to the police's raid on the night from April 7 to 8 (Valeriu Boboc's case), three people are reported as missing and in 41 cases humiliating, degrading treatment and torture would allegedly have been applied.