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).

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PROJECT NEWS

Back New General Cognitive Behavioural Treatment Programme and Specialised Module for treatment of prisoners serving long-term sentences in Moldova

New General Cognitive Behavioural Treatment Programme and Specialised Module for treatment of prisoners serving long-term sentences in Moldova

20 representatives from 6 prisons and the National Administration of Penitentiaries (NAP) of the Republic of Moldova participated in the Evaluation Workshop on piloting the General Cognitive Behavioural Treatment (CBT) Programme in selected prisons. The Workshop took place in Chisinau on 26 June 2023, following the piloting of the Programme for over six months in six prisons.

Apart from assessing the results of the pilot, the event allowed for an exchange of experience on testing the Programme and the challenges encountered by prison staff when conducting practical sessions with detainees. The participants further discussed the applicability of the Programme in the penitentiaries of the Republic of Moldova.

Further on, on 27 June 2023, the participants followed an induction training with the view to piloting a CBT Specialised Programme for treatment of detainees serving long-term sentences for the next six months in the same prisons.

The CBT Programme is based on general theories of offending and is designed to ensure a better rehabilitation of detainees. Its aim is to address the factors that contribute to the commission of crimes by conducting sessions on problematic and alternative thinking styles, core beliefs and regulation of emotions, among other things.

The activities were organised under the auspices of the Project “Strengthening the prison and probation reforms, provision of health care and the treatment of patients in closed institutions in the Republic of Moldova”, financed through the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova (2021-2024) and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Republic of Moldova 5 July 2023