The minors in Penitentiary No. 13 situated in Chisinau, where those arrested are held until a sentence is passed, stay in cells together with adults. Experts of the Center for Human Rights warn that this is serious as the minors are influenced by the behavior of grownups and can learn habits that will prevent them from integrating into society in the future.

Tatiana Crestenko, head of the Center’s Child Rights Protection Service, told a news conference at IPN that the international standards provide that the detained minors should study at public schools, if this is possible. In Moldova, schools are opened in penitentiaries. But the detainees’ right to study the high school program is sometimes violated, especially in the period before judgment is passed.

Iuliana Adam, of the Department of Penitentiary Institutions, said the number of imprisoned minors decreased from 250 in 2004 to 28 at present. This is due to the fact that the legislation was modified and only the minors who committed serious crimes, such as murders and rapes, are now jailed.

The 28 convicted minors are held at Penitentiary No. 10 in Goian. Thirty-five minors are waiting for their trial at Penitentiary No. 13. When they get to jail, it becomes known that they completed only five-six grades, but some of them don’t even know to read or write. Iuliana Adam said they designed a project to renovate a block in Goian to hold minors waiting for their trial separately from adult criminals and delinquents.

Head of Penitentiary No. 10 Liuba Ghinea told the journalists that the prison pays special attention to education and training. Only two of the 28 detainees are illiterate and individual work is done with them. The other children study the high school program. The minors are involved in many extracurricular activities and learn such jobs as cook, barber and shoemaker. The Open Doors Day will be staged at the penitentiary on May 30. The children will be visited by relatives.

The news conference formed part of the events organized by the Center for Human Rights of Moldova within the week for promoting children’s rights entitled “Different but Equal”. The activities will continue until June 2.