Vera Cebotari, a hearing-impaired woman who communicates exclusively in sign language, could not plead her cause in court for the reason that she didn’t benefit from the services of a sign language interpreter in the trial. As a result, she can lose her home. Her case was presented in a news conference at IPN by specialists of the Center of Legal Assistance for Persons with Disabilities. These said that such violations are often.
According to jurist Elena Stajila, the woman was one day visited by a bailiff, who told her that she has to leave her apartment as this will be put up for sale in order to clear a debt. It started from the signing of documents whose content Vera Cebotari didn’t understand very well. The notary, who saw that the woman does not hear, had to ensure the presence of an authorized sign language interpreter so as to exclude any conflict of interest or abuse, but didn’t do it, accepting to act as an intermediary in the communication with the person who had a power of attorney for pledging the apartment and who knew the sign language.
The woman didn’t benefit from the services of a sing language interpreter at any of the stages of the trial. Lawyer Alexandru Cebanas said that an irrevocable decision was issued in 2014 by which the woman is dispossessed of apartment. A number of applications were submitted, including to the Prosecutor’s Office, to have the legality of the actions taken by the players involved in this case determined. They also filed a request to review the decision of 2014 so that the woman regained her ownership rights. This was rejected and the Appeals Court is yet to pronounce.
“The court decision execution took place also without a sign language interpreter. The auctioning procedure was ultimately annulled also owing to the absence of an interpreter. We filed a lawsuit and demanded to annul a number of documents and to examine the actions of a number of players involved in this case,” stated Alexandru Cebanas.
Ala Bargan, specialist of the Association of the Deaf of the Republic of Moldova, said the persons with hearing impairments often have their right to justice violated by the non-provision of a sing language interpreter in the trial. To read and understand a legal document, the hearing-impaired persons need the services of sign language interpreters, but this is not always ensured. As a result, the rights of these persons are violated.
