Republic of Moldova

Members of the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture have been trained how to monitor places of detention

Chişinău, 15 September 2009 – Members of National Preventive Mechanism against Torture (NPMT), Advisory Council and civil society have been trained how to monitor places of detention to prevent torture and other inhuman, cruel and degradation treatment in the training "Paying monitoring and prevention of torture visits in places of detention", organized by the “Torture Prevention" project, on 14-15 September 2009.

The purpose of the training was to make effective the functionality of the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture by educating members and/or prospective members of the Advisory Council to conduct monitoring and torture prevention visits in places of detention, data collection and reporting.

Professor Dr. Manfred Nowak, President of Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Human Rights from Vienna, and Dr. Julia Kozma trained participants how to prepare for monitoring visits to institutions where persons are detained, the detainees interview techniques, how to assess conditions of detention and how to interview victims of torture. The participants also studied techniques for monitoring living conditions for vulnerable groups - women, children, people with disabilities, people who are in psychiatric hospitals, patients suffering from infectious diseases in detention facilities, etc.

During training participants paid a monitoring and prevention of torture visit in the penitentiary no. 13 in Chisinau, where they discussed with prison management, interviewed prisoners and examined the conditions of detention of the prison. Following the visit, were prepared reports on the results of monitoring. Later Ombudsman responsible for the work of the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture will issue an opinion with recommendations on the findings in the institution of detention.

National Preventive Mechanism against Torture is the body to prevent torture in places where people are detained, where the prevention is provided through sudden visits in any day and hour without preventing the institutions responsible personnel.

The event is the first in a series of activities of torture and other human rights violations prevention in Moldova organized in the framework of the project "Torture Prevention". This project is funded by the European Commission and co-financed and implemented by United Nations Development Program in Moldova. The project aims to contribute to progressive prevention of the prevalence/incidence of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by strengthening the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) in compliance with the UN Convention against Torture (CAT) / Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) requirements and under overall national human rights protection and promotion system. It will also help create and foster partnerships between NPM and specialized NGOs and public authorities, as well as among them, to ensure the effective response to the cases of torture.

For contact: Daniela Cotici, UNDP Moldova Project Manager, tel. 245079, e-mail: daniela.cotici@undp.org or Irina Lazur, Communication and Information Coordinator, tel. 232523, e-mail: irina.lazur@un.md

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