During the activities of monitoring the conditions in penitentiary institutions across the country and on-site review of the complaints submitted by inmates, the Ombudsperson’s staff visited Penitentiary No 13 from the capital city. The staff of Ombudsperson’s Institution checked the signals received from some inmates and had the intention to meet with the former Prime Minister Vlad Filat, in order to control the accuracy of the information presented in the media regarding the inhuman and degrading conditions, which the Member of Parliament is allegedly subjected to. However, the members of the Ombudsperson’s staff could not enter the cell where Vlad Filat is detained. The penitentiary staff restricted their access and followed the verbal indications of prosecutor Adriana Betisor who investigates the case of the former Prime Minister. The restrictions imposed by the prosecutor on the access to the cell where Vlad Filat is detained cover several categories of people, so that even the MPs could not visit him in the penitentiary.  

The Ombudsperson classifies this incident as inadmissible and worrisome. In a message sent to the General Prosecutor Corneliu Gurin, the Ombudsperson asked him to provide explanations in this respect and take appropriate measures in order not to admit similar situations in the future.

Mihail Cotorobai reminds that according to Article 11(j) of Law No 52, the Ombudsperson has  unlimited and immediate access, at any time of the day, to any sector of detention facilities, to any information on the treatment and conditions of detention of people deprived of their freedom. The restrictions imposed by prosecutor Adriana Betisor are illegal and exaggerated, regardless of the aim of these restrictions. The core principles of the rule of law are ensuring the fundamental human rights and fair justice for each citizen. It is inconceivable that the persons involved in ensuring the justice are defying these principles, declared the Ombudsperson.