October 23, 2026, Chișinău – Improvements to healthcare in prisons and to the material conditions of detention are among the positive developments noted by the delegation from the Council of Europe’s European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) following their visit to the Republic of Moldova between October 13 and 23.
At the beginning of the meeting held at the Ministry of Justice, the CPT delegation expressed appreciation for the cooperation with the authorities of the Republic of Moldova and the openness they demonstrated. Over the course of ten days, CPT representatives visited seven penitentiaries in the country, where they spoke with staff and detained persons.
The members of the delegation noted the improvements made since the visit in June 2025, as well as in comparison to the situation observed during the 2023 monitoring visit—particularly regarding the quality of medical care, the renovation of detention facilities, and the absence of complaints from detainees concerning ill-treatment. At the same time, they emphasized the need to continue efforts to improve material detention conditions, reduce overcrowding in certain penitentiaries, diversify the activities available to detainees, address staff shortages, and effectively combat the criminal subculture within the prison system.
Since the CPT’s most recent visit, a policy document has been approved regarding the transfer of responsibility for medical services in penitentiaries to the Ministry of Health. This change will improve access to healthcare for persons deprived of their liberty and will help ensure standards of care comparable to those in the public health system. During this same period, the Ministry of Justice has also developed a new regulatory framework for implementing a progressive detention system within penitentiaries. The draft, which has completed the formal review process, includes provisions for the movement of inmates from one detention regime to another, based on their behavior and progress during the serving of their sentence.
Minister of Justice Vladislav Cojuhari emphasized the importance of the CPT’s recommendations for the continued reform of the penitentiary system. The Minister stated that the delegation’s observations and conclusions would be analyzed—including in the context of finalizing the new public policy document for the justice sector—to ensure that the planned measures address the identified needs.
Representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the leadership of the National Administration of Penitentiaries, and directors of penitentiary institutions participated in the meeting.
