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Press Release

Visit by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture to Moldova

STRASBOURG, 27.10.98 - A delegation of the COUNCIL OF EUROPE Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has recently carried out an eleven-day visit to Moldova. The visit began on 11 October 1998 and was organised within the framework of the CPT's programme of periodic visits for 1998. It was the Committee's first periodic visit to Moldova.

The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT:

- Pierre SCHMIT, Head of the Delegation (Luxemburger)

- Vitaliano ESPOSITO (Italian)

- Arnold OEHRY (Liechtensteiner)

- Pieter Reinhard STOFFELEN (Dutch).

They were assisted by two experts – Dominique BERTRAND (Head of the Prison Medecine Division, University Institute of Forensic Medecine, Geneva, Switzerland) and Jean SABATINI (Psychiatrist, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Medecine, Forensic Medical Laboratory, "Laennec" Faculty of Medecine, Lyon, France) - as well as by Geneviève MAYER (Deputy Secretary), Fabrice KELLENS and Florence CALLOT-DURING of the CPT’s Secretariat.

The delegation visited the following places:

Balti :

• District Police Headquarters and Pre-trial Prison, Stefan cel Mare Street

Chisinau :

• Centre for vagrants, Maria Cibotaru Street

• Ciocana Police Station, M. Dragan Street

• Department for the fight against organised crime and corruption

• Pre-trial Prison, Tighina Street

Criuleni :

• District Police Headquarters and Pre-trial Prison, 31 August Street

• Prison n° 3, Bernardazzi Street, Chisinau

• Psychiatric Hospital n° 2, Churchi (Orhei)

• Ward for arrested persons under forensic assessment and Ward for compulsory treatment, Chisinau Psychiatric Hospital, Costujeni Street

Moreover, the delegation interviewed a number of patients at the Pruncul Republican Prison Hospital.

In accordance with Article 11 of the European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the information gathered by the CPT in relation to its visit to Moldova and its consultations with the Moldovan authorities are confidential.

The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. To date, 39 member States of the Council of Europe are bound by the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The CPT is composed of persons from a variety of backgrounds: lawyers, medical doctors, prison experts, persons with parliamentary experience, etc. The Committee's task is to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. For this purpose, it is entitled to visit any place where such persons are held by a public authority. The Committee may formulate recommendations to strengthen, if necessary, their protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The CPT organises periodic visits as well as any other visits which appear to it to be required in the circumstances.

Further information may be obtained from:

• the CPT's Internet Site: www.cpt.coe.int

• the Council of Europe Press Department:
  Sabine ZIMMER, tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 25 97; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 90; e-mail pressunit@coe.fr

• the CPT’s Secretariat:
  tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 23 88; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 72; e-mail cptdoc@coe.int