Promoting a human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova

The Programme ”Promoting a human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova” is in line with the strategic priorities for cooperation as formulated in the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova for 2017-2020, and is funded by the Norwegian government.

It is aimed to ensure a higher respect for human rights and the rule of law by assisting the national authorities in building up an efficiently functioning criminal justice system, in line with European human rights standards, and based on the principles of humanisation, resocialisation and restorative justice.

Main intervention areas will cover policy/legal framework, institutional and practical implementation levels, with the focus on:

Consolidation of criminal justice policy, legislation and judiciary practice in line with international standards with respect to the liberalization of criminal proceedings, including strengthening the application of non-custodial pre-trial preventive measures and sanctions, alternative sanctions in criminal cases, improvement of probation services and release on parole mechanisms
Better treatment and resocialisation of inmates by improving the regulatory and policy framework as well as prison staff capacities relevant to regime arrangements and management of prisons, implementation of treatment programmes and provision of health care services for inmates;
Support towards the development of the capacities of criminal justice stakeholders in the light of the implementation of the on-going reforms, including judiciary, prosecution service, as well as Ombudsperson’s institution and National Prevention Mechanism (NPM).

The Programme is expected to be implemented in 36 months (as of 1 March 2018).

Useful information

PROJECT NEWS

Back Revision of the Regulation on releasing seriously ill prisoners from execution of punishment

The second meeting of the Working Group (WG) on revising and further developing the “Regulation on releasing seriously ill persons serving a prison sentence from execution of punishment” was held in Chisinau, on 26 - 27 November 2018. The meeting was organised as part of the Council of Europe support to the National Administration of Penitentiaries of the Republic of Moldova in revising a set of Regulations on health care provision in prisons.

The WG further developed the provisions for improving the mechanism of considering seriously ill persons serving a prison sentence for an early release, and also the provisions for insuring independent medical decisions. Some progress has been achieved regarding the preparation of a full list of illnesses based on which affected persons serving a prison sentence can be subject to early release.

The WG session was attended by the representatives of specialised departments of the National Administration of Penitentiaries of the Republic of Moldova, the Deputy Head of the Prison Hospital (prison no. 16) and the Head of the Medical Service of Prison no. 15. The session was facilitated by three Council of Europe consultants.

The WG session was organised under the auspices of the programme “Promoting a human rights compliant criminal justice system in the Republic of Moldova”, funded by the Government of Norway and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Chisinau 26 - 27 November