Moldova to report on observance of human rights in Geneva

An official delegation of Moldova will present a report on the observance of the human rights in Moldova during 2003-2009 at the 97th session of the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva on October 13 and 14, Info-Prim Neo reports. An alternative report will be submitted by representatives of the Moldovan civil society. Vanu Jereghi, director of the Institute for Human Rights (IDOM), told a news conference on Monday that by signing and ratifying the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights, Moldova committed itself to periodically presenting reports on the situation of the human rights. Representatives of the Government render public reports during the sessions of the UN Human Rights Committee. Representatives of the civil society submit alternative reports in written form. During a week or two, the UN Human Rights Committee formulates conclusions and recommendations for the government. Moldova's last report was heard in 2002. According to the executive director of the Resource Center for Human Rights Sergiu Ostaf, at least five of the recommendations made by the Committee for Moldova in 2002 had not been implemented. The detention conditions have not been improved. The conditions for registering organizations, including religious, the right to nondiscrimination and the right to freedom and security continue to be violated. Ostaf said that the situation in Moldova this year is worse than in 2002. Therefore, the UN Human Rights committee will make tougher recommendations for Moldova. The representatives of the civil society say the rapporteurs of the official delegations usually speak only about the results achieved by the government, avoiding the failures and numerous cases of human rights violation. Therefore, the civil society is asked to present alternative reports. About 70% of the recommendations are based namely on these reports. “We do not know who forms part of the Moldovan delegation, but we suppose the report was formulated by the old administration and the new administration did not have time to modify it,” Ostaf said. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, spokeswoman for the Government Lilia Gurez said the Moldovan delegation will include Deputy Minister of Justice Nicolae Esanu and the head of the rights and constitutional interests protection division of the Prosecutor General's Office Eugen Rusu. The latter said that he does not know the content of the report in detail and that the report will be presented by Esanu, who participated in its preparation. The UN Human Rights committee will make public its recommendations for Moldova on October 20.