Brief description:

The Project has provided extensive support in the area of prevention and combating of torture and ill-treatment by facilitating discussions among relevant national institutions on legislative and regulatory issues pertaining to the proper documentation, as well as effective investigation of torture and ill-treatment cases.

Following the adoption of the new PPS law, related legislation, as well as the development of the new institutional set-up of the PPS, expert discussions were organised regarding the internal regulations and requirements on the documentation of indications of torture and ill-treatment and effective investigation of such cases with the involvement of several law enforcement institutions. Practical recommendations have been provided to the GPO and SPO following the analysis of the new legislative and institutional changes related to the effective investigation of torture and ill-treatment cases.

Furthermore, with the Project support, the DPI was equipped with necessary technical equipment to be used for proper documentation of indications on torture and ill-treatment, as well as enhancing human rights protection and security in prisons. 

Project’s achievements as for end 2016:

• Relevant legislative provisions and institutional solutions regarding the investigation of torture/ill-treatment have been analysed and relevant findings and recommendations have been transmitted to the authorities;
• Professional skills and capacities of the staff of penitentiary institutions and its medical personnel were enhanced with respect to the topic of prevention of ill-treatment;
• Technical equipment of all penitentiary institutions from Moldova to assure efficient registration, documentation of ill-treatment cases was enhanced.

How these have been achieved:

• A round table discussion and two expert meetings were organised with relevant authorities (PPS, MoJ, MIA, DPI) to discuss issues on the proper documentation of indications of torture and ill-treatment and effective investigation of such cases;
• Training of trainers’ sessions were organised for the representatives of the DPI and MIA on the issues related to prevention and combating of torture and ill-treatment, resulted in the establishment of pool of 20 trainers (80% male and 20% female) under DPI, and around 80 staff members (74% male and 26% female) of the DPI system were already trained by their peers on the relevant topics;
• Medical personnel of the penitentiary establishments were trained on the Istanbul protocol and standards of documentation of evidence of ill-treatment.
• More than 100 devices and technical equipment which included photo/video cameras, surveillance devises, scanners, printers, etc., to document cases of ill-treatment or torture were donated by the project to 17 penitentiaries of Moldova to enhance human rights protection and security in prisons.