In Dialogue with the Republic of Moldova, Experts of the Human Rights Committee Commend Efforts to Combat Violence against Women, Raise Issues Concerning Journalistic Freedom in Transnistria and Corruption
The Human Rights Committee today concluded its consideration of the fourth periodic report of the Republic of Moldova on how it implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, with Committee Experts commending the State’s efforts to combat violence against women, and raising issues concerning restrictions on journalists’ activities in Transnistria and corruption.
One Committee Expert commended legal and institutional efforts by the State party to combat violence against women and domestic violence, including the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in 2022 and the adoption of law 114, which exempted victims of domestic violence from State tax and stamp duty, and law 252 on the criminalisation of digital violence.
A Committee Expert said the legal and political situation in Transnistria remained unresolved in many respects and the State party lacked effective control over the region. The Committee was concerned about reports of restrictions on journalists’ access to the region, seizure of media materials, and the application of “extremism laws” to arrest and detain members of independent media outlets. What concrete steps could the State party take to promote journalistic freedom?
Another Committee Expert cited reports of persistent risks of high-level corruption, including weak oversight of top officials; delays in proceedings for corruption cases; plea agreements with limited transparency; and questions regarding the consistency of sentencing. Had progress been made in resolving major high-level corruption scandals, including the unresolved “billion-dollar bank fraud” case linked to oligarchic networks?
Eduard Serbenco, Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova and head of the delegation, in opening remarks, said that since the submission of the national report, the Republic of Moldova had continued to pursue comprehensive and systemic reforms aimed at consolidating the rule of law, reinforcing democratic institutions, and ensuring the effective enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the Covenant.
Responding to questions on Transnistria, the delegation said State authorities did not have control of the region, but had allocated responsibilities for ministries and different agencies related to issues that the Moldovan population in the region encountered. The State would continue to raise concerns with authorities in the region regarding the rights of journalists and work to ensure that people detained on political grounds were released.
On efforts to address corruption, the delegation said there had been an increase in the number of corruption cases assessed by criminal courts in 2025, with courts handing down 128 convictions, sentencing 181 persons to imprisonment, and issuing 65 people with fines. For the “billion-dollar banking fraud” case, approximately 70 individuals, both public and private, had been charged and around 140 million United States dollars’ worth of frozen assets had been recovered by the State thus far.
In closing remarks, Mr. Serbenco said that, thanks to the existence of specialised bodies within the United Nations and other bodies at the European level, the level of protection in the State was steadily increasing. Once the Republic of Moldova joined the European Union, its human rights protections would further increase.
Changrok Soh, Committee Chairperson, in concluding remarks, said that during the dialogue, the Committee had noted several positive developments, including measures improving oversight of detention conditions and initiatives to protect victims of domestic violence and promote gender equality. However, it also noted ongoing human rights concerns in the Transnistrian region, concerns regarding freedom of expression, and continued discrimination addressing vulnerable groups.
The delegation of the Republic of Moldova was made up of representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ministry of Labour and Social Protection; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Justice; Prosecutor General's Office; and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Moldova to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Human Rights Committee’s one hundred and forty-fifth session is being held from 2 to 19 March 2026. All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet in public at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 17 March to hear the presentation of the progress report of its Special Rapporteur on concluding observations.
Report
The Committee has before it the fourth periodic report of the Republic of Moldova (CCPR/C/MDA/4).
Presentation of the Report
EDUARD SERBENCO, Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova and head of the delegation, said that since the submission of the national report, the Republic of Moldova had continued to pursue comprehensive and systemic reforms aimed at consolidating the rule of law, reinforcing democratic institutions, and ensuring the effective enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the Covenant. A defining element of this reform trajectory was the State’s European Union accession process. Following the granting of candidate status in June 2022, the country had intensified its efforts to align the national legislation with the European Union acquis.
A central pillar of judicial reform was an ambitious external evaluation process targeting the integrity and ethical standards of judges and prosecutors. Law 241/2025 further refined the framework for performance evaluation of judges and prosecutors, ensuring that integrity constituted a permanent professional standard. The reform of the Supreme Court of Justice had redefined its role, placing renewed emphasis on the unification of judicial practice and the strengthening of legal certainty. Moreover, law 192/2025 introduced an Anti-Corruption College within the District Court of Chișinău and specialised panels within the Court of Appeal Centru, ensuring timely examination of complex corruption cases.
Legislative amendments adopted in 2025 had also reinforced mechanisms for combatting electoral corruption and strengthened the regime of confiscation of assets derived from criminal activity. In addition, law 4/2026 established a legal framework for the redistribution and use of assets and funds confiscated from criminal activities to support social initiatives and public institutions. The legal framework governing the National Integrity Authority had also been consolidated through amendments enhancing its institutional independence, investigative capacity, and organizational structure.
A draft law was under preparation to align the national framework with recent European Union directives on equality bodies, with a view to strengthening the mandate and operational autonomy of the national Equality Council and ensuring full compliance with European standards on equality and non-discrimination. The Ministry of Justice had also initiated the process of amending law 52/2014 on the People’s Advocate entity, which was reaccredited in 2023 with “A” status to further consolidate the institutional independence, autonomy and effectiveness of the national human rights institution.
Significant progress had also been achieved in strengthening freedom of expression and the protection of journalists. Law 252/2025 introduced amendments to the Criminal Code and the Contravention Code which enhanced safeguards against obstruction, intimidation and violence targeting journalists, establishing clearer offenses and more severe sanctions. The Audiovisual Media Services Code had been revised to increase transparency of media ownership and advertising, counter disinformation, protect minors, and address hate speech. The State was also working on a new comprehensive law on mass media and an interinstitutional action plan for 2026–2027 to further enhance journalist safety and protection against undue interference.
Law 302/2025 on the organization and conduct of public events was adopted in December 2025, in response to the significant increase in the number of public events which extended beyond the scope of law 26/2008 on assemblies. This was a comprehensive procedural framework capable of effectively managing the risks associated with large-scale events, while also ensuring the effective protection of the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.
Important reforms had been undertaken in the field of civil status and citizenship. By Government decision 704/2025, new models of civil status documents, including electronic formats, had been introduced, and since November 2025, the “civil status acts” information system and the “medical certification of birth and death” system had been made interoperable to ensure comprehensive registration of births occurring in medical institutions. The new citizenship law 253/2025 guaranteed the right of every person to the citizenship of the Republic of Moldova and regulated its acquisition by birth.
The Republic of Moldova had acted with solidarity and responsibility in responding to the consequences of the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine, receiving over 674,000 refugees from Ukraine and more than 76,000 third-country nationals, with over 102,000 choosing to remain in the country. National and local authorities, together with civil society and ordinary citizens, mobilised to provide accommodation, healthcare, education, social protection and access to the labour market. In January 2025, amendments to the law on asylum entered into force, strengthening safeguards for vulnerable applicants.
In the field of labour rights, law 194/2025 amended the Labour Code to implement International Labour Organization Convention 190, reinforcing protection against workplace violence and harassment. Law 200/2025 transposed several European Union normative acts, ensuring equal treatment and non-discriminatory access to the labour market for citizens and their family members.
The State had undertaken comprehensive legislative and institutional measures to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. Law 231/2024 introduced the concept of femicide and broadened the understanding of psychological violence, including its digital dimension. Subsequently, law 252/2025 criminalised forced marriage and stalking, including digital stalking; extended the definition of domestic violence to encompass economic and digital forms; and strengthened sanctions for sexual harassment and enhanced victim protection.
In January 2026, the first national information resource dedicated to the prevention of digital violence and the support of women and girls online was launched. Direct complaints of violence could be made on the relevant online platform, the national Helpline for Women and Girls. A register of offenders in cases of violence against women and domestic violence had been developed to strengthen inter-institutional coordination and prevent recidivism. Further, the State Register “VioData” had been established for the collection, registration, analysis and reporting of disaggregated data on violence against women and domestic violence. The State was currently implementing the national programme for the prevention and combatting of violence against women and domestic violence for 2023–2027 and the programme for the promotion and assurance of gender equality in the Republic of Moldova for 2023–2027.
The legal framework on the prevention and combatting of sexual exploitation and abuse of minors had been amended to fully transpose the European Union Directive on combatting the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. These amendments established increased sanctions for offenses involving child sexual abuse materials, coercion and exploitation, and strengthened safeguards for minor victims.
The Republic of Moldova remained firmly committed to the full and effective implementation of the Covenant.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked how the National Council for Human Rights monitored human rights obligations, and how the Council’s activities related to the Minister of Justice’s role as coordinator for the implementation of the Covenant. Which of these institutions was responsible for data collection relating to human rights? The Committee commended the Republic of Moldova for including specific objectives and funding sources in the national programme on human rights enforcement 2024-2027. Were reports by ministries and public authorities made public, and how were they reviewed? Would the programme be renewed after it ended in 2027?
The legal and political situation in Transnistria remained unresolved in many respects and the State party lacked effective control over the region, the de facto authorities, or the individuals residing on the left bank of the Dniester and in the municipality of Bender. The Committee welcomed recent measures that aimed to ensure the protection of Covenant rights for individuals in Transnistria, such as the national human rights enforcement programme. How did the current national programme improve upon prior initiatives and what measures were being taken to effectively implement it? Transnistrian pensioners needed to provide proof of pensioner status, which de facto authorities did not consistently issue, to access State health insurance. Would the State party consider other ways of ensuring eligibility for health insurance and other social benefits?
What measures was the State party taking to ensure effective access to judicial remedies for residents of the Transnistrian region and to eliminate linguistic barriers in the judicial system? Inadequate protection mechanisms left individuals in Transnistria vulnerable to harassment and intimidation because of perceived association with the de facto authorities. What formal protections currently existed for human rights defenders and civil society organizations? The Committee was concerned by reports of restrictions on journalists’ access to the region, seizure of media materials, and the application of “extremism laws” to arrest and detain members of independent media outlets. What concrete steps could the State party take to promote journalistic freedom?
The Committee was also concerned by other laws, policies and practices adopted by the de facto authorities in the Transnistrian region, including the use of registration procedures to obstruct religious groups, and the designation of religious materials as “extremist”, in particular for Jehovah’s Witnesses; and forced conscription of young people, including Moldovan citizens. How was the State party addressing these restrictions on freedom of conscience and religion?
Another Committee Expert welcomed progress in the implementation of the national human rights action plan for 2018-2022, which appeared to be a step forward. However, financial resources allocated by the State party for the implementation of the 2018-2022 action plan were reportedly insufficient. What progress had been made in implementing the national programme for human rights enforcement 2024-2027, and what mechanisms were in place to ensure efficient monitoring, funding and implementation of the programme?
Both the People’s Advocate Office and the Equality Council were experiencing high staff turnover and had a significant number of vacancies, and both institutions’ budgets were dependent on the discretion of the Ministry of Finance and approval by Parliament. The Equality Council had not been granted the mandate to refer cases to the Constitutional Council and to be mandatorily informed on discrimination cases considered by courts and to submit amicus curae in such cases. How would the State strengthen the independence and effectiveness of the Equality Council and the People’s Advocate? How would the State party strengthen the coherence of the Child Rights Ombudsperson’s mandate and its operational efficiency, ensure proper allocation of financial and human resources to it, and increase its visibility?
Hate speech and hate crimes against several categories of the population in the State party continued to persist. How would the State party eliminate discriminatory practices and hate speech towards vulnerable groups, including in traditional and social media? Would it ensure special measures to create equal opportunities for Roma? There was no unified methodology for collecting and disaggregating data on hate crime incidents; would this be introduced? How would the State party effectively prosecute perpetrators of discrimination and prevent hate speech against women in politics?
A Committee Expert welcomed the legislative reforms adopted in 2023–2024, including the strengthening of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office, amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, the adoption of the whistleblower law 166/2023, and other measures aimed at strengthening the anti-corruption framework. The Committee also noted data indicating an increase in investigations involving “special subjects”, including members of Parliament, judges and senior officials.
However, there were reportedly persistent risks of high-level corruption, including weak oversight of top officials; delays in proceedings for corruption cases; plea agreements with limited transparency; and questions regarding the consistency of sentencing. How many final convictions in high-level corruption cases were secured between 2019 and 2024 and what sentences were imposed? What was the average duration of high-level corruption trials? Had progress been made in resolving major high-level corruption scandals, including the unresolved “billion-dollar bank fraud” case linked to oligarchic networks? How many whistleblower complaints had been filed since the adoption of the whistleblower law, and how many resulted in protective measures or remedies? What safeguards ensured that public procurement processes were transparent and subject to independent oversight? How would the State further strengthen anti-corruption and organised crime prosecution services?
The Committee welcomed the establishment of an electronic register of bodily injuries, the appointment of designated prosecutors, and legislative amendments enabling ex officio prosecution of violence in detention. However, there was reportedly persistent underreporting of such violence, fear of retaliation, and reluctance to qualify acts as torture rather than lesser offences. A significant number of convictions had resulted in suspended sentences or fines, and the Republic of Moldova had been found in violation by the European Court of Human Rights for its failure to provide adequate medical care to victims. How many torture cases had resulted in final convictions in 2023–2024? Were any senior officials held responsible at supervisory level? How many victims received compensation and rehabilitation, and what safeguards protected complainants from reprisals? What steps were being taken to ensure the institutional independence of detention healthcare?
One Committee Expert said a mandatory 40 per cent gender quota had been introduced for candidate lists in the State, and in parliamentary elections last year, women constituted 44 per cent of all candidates, including three out of four independent candidates. Women now comprised 39.6 per cent of members of Parliament, which was above the European average. However, during elections in 2025, only three of the 19 political entities were led by a woman, and heightened hate speech was recorded against female candidates. There were currently only four women among 17 members of the Cabinet of Ministers; in the State Protection and Guard Service, women occupied five per cent of management positions; and within the Police, around 14 per cent of leadership positions were held by women. Could temporary special measures be applied in public sectors to reach gender balance in leadership positions?
Some 55.7 per cent of all women aged 25-54 were economically inactive in the State party due to family responsibilities. What had been done to balance gender roles in family life and parenthood? Did the State party provide affordable childcare options?
There have been multiple legal and institutional efforts to combat violence against women and domestic violence, especially after the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in 2022. The Expert commended the adoption of law 114, which exempted victims of domestic violence from State tax and stamp duty, and law 252 on the criminalisation of digital violence. The Parliament had however stopped short of establishing a fully consent-based definition of “rape”; were there plans to do this?
The Expert also welcomed that the National Agency for the Prevention and Combatting of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, which was mandated to ensure the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, was institutionalised in 2023. What were the initial outcomes of the programme? Forty-nine cases of femicide were registered during 2023, and 926 people fell victim to domestic violence offenses in 2024, of which 70.5 per cent were women. Violence remained widely underreported, and the quality of investigations and sanctions for perpetrators remained inconsistent. Many services, including in the Transnistrian region, were provided by non-governmental organizations instead of the Government. What were the major obstacles to combatting gender-based violence against women and how would the State proactively tackle the issue?
Another Committee Expert said that certain challenges had been identified in the operation of the Commission for Emergency Situations. What was the legal framework governing public emergencies, and what procedures and criteria guided the decision-making processes of the Commission?
Concerns had been raised on the protection of the rights guaranteed under the Covenant after the state of emergency was declared on 24 February 2022. What was the legal basis, criteria and procedural framework governing decisions to postpone or suspend court proceedings? How was compliance with fair trial guarantees ensured? What was the legal basis for the suspension of media licenses during the state of emergency? How did the State assess whether a media outlet was disseminating disinformation or false information, and ensure that any measures taken were necessary, proportionate and subject to appropriate oversight?
The State had adopted the national programme on sexual and reproductive health and rights (2018–2022), which established youth-friendly health centres, equipped facilities to improve accessibility for women and girls with disabilities, and revised regulations providing free contraception for vulnerable groups. The latest iteration of the programme had been pending approval since December 2024; when would it be adopted? There was a lack of compulsory, age-appropriate sexuality education in school curricula and limited access to modern contraceptives, particularly for young persons and women with disabilities. How was the State addressing this? How did it ensure free, confidential and non-discriminatory access to a full range of contraceptive methods, including in rural areas? What measures had the State party taken to ensure confidential, non-discriminatory and adequate treatment of sex workers and drug user women when accessing sexual and reproductive health services and justice?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the implementation of the Covenant was a permanent process and the State party strived to do its best in this regard. The Republic of Moldova had a national mechanism for overseeing the implementation of international legal documents, which was led by the National Council for Human Rights. Data on implementation was collected by relevant ministries. The Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Justice referred to the Committee’s Views and general comments in their decisions. The 2025 law on the Constitutional Court was the legal basis for the functioning of the Court. The State had consulted the Venice Commission regarding this law, which increased the Court’s autonomy.
State authorities did not have control of Transnistria, but the State party had allocated responsibilities for ministries and different agencies responsible for the issues that the Moldovan population in the region encountered. Citizens in the region were documented by authorities and issued with passports; they benefited from the guarantees provided to all citizens. In 2025, more than 10,000 individuals from the Transnistria region had benefitted from social payments, a 200 per cent increase from 2024. Around 74,500 citizens in the region benefitted from medical insurance. The State was concerned about freedom of expression and the rights of journalists in Transnistria. It would continue to raise these concerns with authorities in the region through all available channels, and work to ensure that people who were detained on political grounds were released.
The Equality Council had the right to propose improvements in legislation; it did not need to submit appeals to the Constitutional Court to do this. However, it could submit a complaint to the Constitutional Court through the People’s Advocate as necessary. There had been some progress in the extension of the resources provided to the Equality Council. Efforts were being made to increase the salaries of staff of all independent agencies, including the People’s Advocate and the Equality Council; these had been recently increased by 30 per cent. A draft law seeking to increase the human and financial resources, independence, efficiency and institutional capacity of the Equality Council had been developed; it established a follow-up mechanism for assessing the implementation of the Council’s advisory opinions and a mechanism for settling cases related to acts of discrimination through mediation.
The State party was also amending the law on the People’s Advocate to consolidate the independence of the institution and allow it to exercise its mandate fully and efficiently in accordance with international standards.
There had been an increase in the number of corruption cases assessed by criminal courts in 2025, with courts handing down 128 convictions, sentencing 181 persons to imprisonment and issuing 65 people with fines. The State had also confiscated several million dollars’ worth of illegally gained assets. There were two independent commissions composed of international experts that were responsible for vetting judges and prosecutors. The Government did not have any influence on the functioning of these commissions. Judges and prosecutors who were vetted received higher salaries.
The State had mobile youth-friendly health centres that offered specialised sexual and reproductive health services, including in rural areas. These centres ensured access to sexual and reproductive health services without discrimination. The State party was in the process of developing a new national programme on sexual and reproductive health, which aimed to promote the health of the population and access to quality services, education and family planning.
The prison service was working to dismantle informal power structures which perpetuated violence in prisons. It developed action plans each year to align prison environments with European standards. The prison service had also developed a risk and needs assessment tool for prisons and a digital reporting system, which sent automatic notifications to the Prosecutor’s Office and the People’s Advocate. Records in the system could not be deleted or modified. Some 461 cases of physical force were recorded in the system in 2025.
Medical examinations were conducted in prisons primarily without the presence of security personnel. All medical units in prisons were accredited by the National Agency for Public Health. The State was looking to shift towards a mandatory health insurance system for prisons, which would allow prison facilities to buy medicines through the national health insurance company. The State was also in the process of digitising prison health records.
The state of emergency was regulated by law 248 of 2025, which mandated the powers of the State in exceptional situations and established the national crisis management system. The recent state of emergency had been established on national territory for 975 days until 13 February 2025. It was established due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and regional and national energy and security crises related to the war in Ukraine. From 4 March 2026, measures had been adopted to address the risks that had recently emerged due to increased oil prices related to the war in the Middle East.
The new draft law on transparency in decision making introduced a definition of “vulnerable groups” and obliged authorities to establish civic participation mechanisms and digital literacy training for these groups. The draft law was now in the adoption process.
The law on alternative childcare services provided for three types of childcare services for children up to age three. The Government was working to increase the enrolment rate of children in early education institutions and alternative childcare services. From 2023 to the present, more than 700 new childcare places had been created in public kindergartens. There were also awareness raising campaigns in place to address gender stereotypes and encourage greater participation of fathers in childcare and household responsibilities. The national programme for ensuring gender equality included specific measures promoting gender responsive policies and budgets.
The State party was implementing measures to promote reporting of domestic violence. A free national helpline for victims of domestic violence had been funded by the State since 2017 and there had been a steady increase in the use of this helpline recently. In January 2026, the State launched national guidelines on preventing digital violence. Since 2024, policies for the prevention of domestic violence were implemented by territorial social assistance agencies, which had contributed to increased reporting of domestic violence cases. In 2025, 10,000 reports of domestic violence were received, 850 criminal cases involving family violence were registered, and more than 6,000 emergency restraint measures were ordered. Police conducted awareness raising campaigns on domestic violence that had reached more than 115,000 citizens during 2025.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on specific Constitutional and Supreme Court decisions that referenced the Convention; whether the State party had worked to implement the Views of the Committee; whether detained journalists in Transnistria had been released; whether a review of the legal framework on transparency and consultations had been conducted based on the decision of the State Chancellery on transparency; the legal basis for the suspension of media licenses during the state of emergency; when the State party would adopt the national programme on sexual and reproductive health; how the State worked to bring perpetrators of psychological and economic violence to justice; the differences between the Equality Council and the People’s Advocate; and progress made in reaching final convictions in the “billion-dollar bank fraud” case.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the national programme on sexual and reproductive health was expected to be adopted this year.
The People’s Advocate was the national human rights institution that oversaw human rights legislation in the country, while the Equality Council was a sanctioning body. If a discrimination case occurred, a person could submit a complaint to the Council, which issued mandatory decisions on the case.
As of March this year, the Criminal Code expressly addressed psychological and economic violence, including control of the victim’s property and withdrawal of their funds. State authorities used tools to assess the risk of economic violence. Victims had access to specialised social services, including counselling, shelters, social assistance and economic empowerment programmes aimed at reducing the financial dependency of the perpetrator. The State party recognised the importance of ensuring non-discriminatory access to services for all victims of violence, including women who used drugs and other vulnerable groups. An assessment of the needs of victims was carried out within 24 hours after crimes were reported. Shelters for victims were accessible for persons with disabilities and older persons.
Under the draft law to implement the decision of the State Chancellery on transparency, authorities were obliged to identify groups that were affected by public decisions and involve those groups in decision-making processes.
The billion-dollar banking fraud case remained a major priority for the justice system. A criminal investigation into the case was initiated in December 2013. Approximately 70 individuals, both public and private, had been charged and currently, six related cases involving 17 individuals were before the courts. The interim president of one of the frauded banks had been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and another main figure in the case had been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Around 140 million United States dollars’ worth of frozen assets had been recovered by the State thus far.
The State party had a comprehensive legal framework to combat discrimination against persons with disabilities. The law on equality included strong safeguards against discrimination of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life. There were also national policies and programmes that aimed to strengthen inclusion and combat discrimination, including the human rights programme, the regional development strategy, and the national programme on preventing and combatting violence. The State promoted an individualised approach to providing services to persons with disabilities to promote autonomy and respect for fundamental rights.
In December 2022, the Commission for the Exceptional Situation had decided to suspend licences for six television channels that deliberately promoted war propaganda and legitimised Russian aggression. Control of those broadcasters was exercised by individuals who were subject to international sanctions. The Audiovisual Council had the authority to grant and withdraw licences to television channels in the country.
The People’s Advocate had competence to grant protection to whistle-blowers who requested it. It had received seven such requests in 2024 and six in 2025. Some requests had been rejected because they did not pertain to the field of whistle-blower protection. The Republic of Moldova was working to upgrade its law on whistle-blower protection.
There were four individual complaints submitted to the Committee between 2017 and 2025; one of these was rejected on the merits and the other three were rejected on the basis of inadmissibility. The State party was working to develop a formal mechanism to follow-up on the Committee’s Views, which were thoroughly examined by the Government.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert welcomed the proposal of an institutionalised process for considering the Committee’s Views. How would the State party address its reported lack of accommodations for persons with disabilities? What progress had been made in achieving de-institutionalisation? Frequent abuses reportedly still occurred in psychiatric institutions, including six cases registered in 2024 of ill-treatment and torture, and there was a persistent lack of resources and adequate training. What measures would the State party undertake to ensure the rights of persons in psychiatric institutions?
Could the delegation comment on the October 2022 incident in which a group of patients undergoing coerced treatment at the Clinical Psychiatric Hospital in Codru were beaten by the Fulger special police brigade? In the “V.I.” case, the European Court of Human Rights found that placement in a psychiatric hospital was the result of social stigma normalising the institutionalisation of persons with psychosocial disabilities. Had the State party taken measures to prevent similar violations? In “E.T. v. Moldova”, the Court ruled in favour of a child with psychosocial disabilities who was improperly removed from the community. Had the State party provided restitution to the applicant and addressed the systemic concerns raised?
The Committee appreciated the State party’s efforts to protect displaced and stateless persons, and to facilitate access to citizenship. Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova had generously given many Ukrainian refugees safe access to its territory and provided for their basic needs. It had also granted Ukrainian refugees temporary protection status until 1 March 2027. However, beneficiaries of temporary protection reportedly faced several structural obstacles, including difficulty obtaining the equivalence of professional qualifications, public health insurance, and entrepreneur licenses. What measures were being taken to remove these barriers? Did the State party intend to extend temporary protection beyond March 2027?
The Committee had received credible reports of poor conditions of detention and barriers to accessing asylum procedures at the Chisinau Airport, including time-limited interviews and inadequate translation services. Applicants who lodged asylum claims often waited more than six months before receiving a decision. How would the State party improve the detention conditions and the quality of procedures to ensure timely and fair review of asylum claims? Members of the Roma community were reportedly housed in temporary placement centres, with poor conditions and lack of access to medical care. What measures had the State party taken to address the exploitation and abuse of Roma asylum seekers?
The Committee welcomed the 2023 amendment to article 11 of the citizenship law, which granted nationality to children born to parents who were stateless or beneficiaries of international protection. Were children whose noncitizen parents did not have such protections also eligible for citizenship? A December 2025 amendment to the citizenship law introduced new criteria for obtaining Moldovan nationality, tightening income requirements and removing persons who had legally and habitually resided in Moldova since June 1990 from eligibility through recognition. This could deny persons at risk of statelessness following the dissolution of the Soviet Union a clear pathway to citizenship. How would the State party ensure that these groups had equal access to citizenship?
One Committee Expert welcomed the adoption of the 2024–2028 national programme on preventing and combatting trafficking in human beings, as well as the use of joint investigation teams. However, there had reportedly been fluctuations in trafficking cases, under-identification of victims, limited labour inspection capacity, and gaps in long-term support services. Only 37 victims were assisted in 2023 compared to 169 victims identified. Why was this? How many labour inspections specifically targeted risks of forced labour and trafficking for sexual exploitation? What percentage of identified victims received long-term assistance, and what annual budget was allocated to victim support services? How did the State ensure effective cross-border cooperation in trafficking cases? What preventive measures were being implemented to address the risk of online recruitment or grooming for trafficking purposes? What steps were being taken to strengthen the early identification of victims among migrant workers, seasonal labourers, and Moldovan nationals returning from abroad?
The Committee welcomed legislative initiatives to address prison overcrowding, including wider use of non-custodial measures and plans to construct new penitentiary facilities. However, overcrowding was persistent, and there were shortages of trained staff and risks related to informal prisoner hierarchies. How were these issues being addressed? Could data be provided on health complaints by detainees?
One Committee Expert welcomed the legislative framework guaranteeing the freedom of conscience and religious belief, notably, the abolishment of the requirement of proof of membership with organizations in order to be recognised as a conscientious objector. However, it was unclear how the law operated in practice. Which body examined applications for the exemption from military service, and how were applicants for alternative service assessed? In how many cases had recruits been denied the right to perform the alternative service throughout the reporting period and what were the grounds for rejection?
The Committee welcomed the adoption in 2023 of a legislative package regulating the activity of the Intelligence and Security Service, which introduced judicial authorisation for counter-informative measures and strengthened parliamentary oversight. However, there were concerns about the extent of the Service’s powers, the absence of an independent oversight or complaints mechanism, and allegations of excessive or unlawful surveillance of electronic communications and intimidation of journalists and civil society actors. Which legal safeguards governed the interception of mail, telephone and internet communications? How did the State party respond to reports on surveillance abuse, prevent recurrence, and ensure accountability?
The Committee welcomed the adoption of law 86/2020 on non-commercial organizations, which significantly streamlined the registration process for civil society, and the State’s efforts in eliminating registration fees for most organizations. However, formal legal improvements had reportedly not fully eliminated practical barriers to a safe and enabling environment for civil society. What measures were in place to protect non-governmental organizations and their members from intimidation by public authorities; and increase sanctions for illegal interference in the activities of non-governmental organizations? How would the State party establish a clear legal framework governing the status and protection of human rights defenders; investigate and prosecute instances of online and offline harassment; and ensure that State-owned or State-influenced media were not used as tools for discrediting human rights organizations?
Another Committee Expert said law 148/2023 on access to information of public interest was a very positive step which enhanced the transparency of public sector activities and improved civic space. However, there were still instances of harassment and intimidation against journalists in the Republic of Moldova, particularly in the autonomous region of Gagauzia. How did the Government ensure that the new law was respected and obeyed in all State territory, including Gagauzia?
In 2023 and 2024, the Audiovisual Council approved methodology on monitoring hate speech and disinformation in audiovisual content, and a regulation on audiovisual content. What outcomes had these measures achieved in detecting and tackling hate speech, disinformation and propaganda? In some cases, journalists practiced self-censorship to avoid conflicts with the sponsors or owners of media outlets, many of whom were politicians or oligarchs connected to political parties. How did the Audiovisual Council, and the Centre for Strategic Communication and Countering Disinformation and its Council work to promote journalistic freedom and combat disinformation and propaganda?
In October 2024, traffic police arbitrarily prevented farmers driving their agricultural vehicles to a demonstration against insufficient Government support. Could the delegation comment on this? Considering the restrictive context for the exercise of freedom of assembly in 2025, draft law 294/2025 on assemblies raised concerns for civil society and the public. What was the status of this draft law?
A Committee Expert welcomed measures taken to provide enhanced safeguards for children in conflict with the law, including unconditional legal aid and access to a diversion system. However, restorative justice and diversion systems remained underutilised, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds faced significant barriers in accessing justice and quality legal aid. How would the State strengthen and promote child-friendly non-judicial complaint mechanisms, ensure access to quality legal aid services to all children, and improve detention conditions for children?
Child neglect and violence persisted in the State party; there were 7,181 cases of violence against children during the 2020-21 academic year. What measures had been taken to protect children from all forms of violence and to prevent and prosecute cases of sexual abuse of children? Although the Family Code established the minimum age of marriage registration as 18 years old, reports indicated that, in practice, child marriage between the ages of 12 and 14 was prevalent in Roma communities. What measures were being taken to strengthen efforts to prevent early marriage, particularly in Roma communities?
What measures would be taken to ensure that national minorities were meaningfully involved in decision making processes and had equal access to public positions? There was a lack of robust legislation on ensuring linguistic rights, and there had been failures to ensure reasonable accommodation of language needs in the judicial system. How would the State party ensure linguistic rights and enhance access to public services for people who spoke minority languages? The national programme of support for the Roma population had not been allocated sufficient financial resources. How would the State ensure adequate and sustainable financial allocation for Roma inclusion policies?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said deinstitutionalisation continued to be a priority for the Republic of Moldova. The State was developing community-based services and promoting social inclusion of persons with disabilities. It was now drafting the latest iteration of the national programme for social inclusion, which would include measures promoting deinstitutionalisation. There were 29 protected housing units and 16 community home services for persons with disabilities established by the State party, and these services would be extended under the next national programme for social inclusion, which would also increase the budget for social inclusion measures. The programme sought to eliminate regional inequalities in social services and ensure that all vulnerable groups had access to quality services.
Significant funds had been invested in improving living conditions in residential institutions. Rooms had been redesigned to accommodate up to four persons and accessible ramps and recreational spaces had been installed.
Law 140 on child protection established important protection measures based on the best interests of the child. An intersectional cooperation mechanism had been established to support at-risk children, including through psychological assistance and rehabilitation.
In October 2022, around 60 patients barricaded themselves in a psychiatric hospital, set fire to a mattress and furniture, and destroyed supervision cameras. Special police officers were dispatched at the request of the Prosecutor’s Office to respond to this incident after negotiations with the patients failed, as firefighters were unable to enter the facility. A criminal process had been launched into this incident but had since been terminated.
In response to the two European Court of Human Rights cases mentioned by the Committee, the State party had developed law 114 of 2024 on mental health and wellbeing to prevent future violations. The law guaranteed protection of mental health and established an organization that ensured the highest quality of life for people with mental health issues.
In January 2025, the State party introduced a draft law that aligned the Republic of Moldova’s asylum legislation with European Union asylum directives. The law included measures supporting persons with special needs to apply for asylum and access medical services, and measures regulating the rights and obligations of foreigners in the country. It fast-tracked the examination of applications by persons allegedly posing a danger to national security and provided for the digitisation of application processes. The draft law was currently being examined in Parliament and was expected to be adopted in June.
The right of children born to non-citizens and stateless persons to obtain citizenship was enshrined in national legislation. The Republic of Moldova strived to prevent cases of statelessness, particularly those involving children. Studies had been conducted into the provision of citizenship to children who did not fit within current recognition rules.
Not all persons identified as victims of trafficking chose to accept assistance services from the State due to fear or a lack of trust in institutions. The State party conducted assessments of victims’ individual needs and referred them to the necessary services. It invested 900,000 euros per year in six shelters for victims of trafficking and violence, which provided victims with integrated services.
Accommodation could be provided for up to six months while criminal proceedings were ongoing, or up to one year for pregnant women. Victims of trafficking also benefitted from special employment measures and were eligible for State subsidies and free legal aid; last year, 72 victims benefitted from such aid. The Ministry of Justice was amending the law on the rehabilitation of victims of crimes to ensure access to psychological services and legal counselling even in the absence of a criminal complaint. Last year, 108 victims of trafficking were identified, including 25 child victims. In recent years, the court had handed down 125 sentences in trafficking cases against 161 defendants, including 48 prison sentences.
The Republic of Moldova had taken measures to improve conditions of detention in line with international human rights standards. It had made significant investments in the construction of two new prisons and new prison blocks, and in the refurbishment of existing facilities. There had been a 29 per cent decrease in prisoners between 2015 and 2025 thanks to measures promoting alternatives to detention.
Systematic measures were being introduced to prevent prison violence, including redistribution of detainees, improvements in detention conditions, and strengthened staffing and training. The prison service had established a working group to develop a staffing standard for prisons, which sought to ensure a more equitable distribution of personnel across institutions and strengthen operational capacity. Training was provided to staff on the practical application of the Mandela Rules.
The standard of healthcare provided to detainees needed to be equivalent to that provided to the general population. The State party had integrated the national mental health programme in prisons and was allowing access to community-based palliative care for terminally ill detainees.
Alternative service was provided for persons who did not wish to serve in the military. The body that decided on exemption or deferral of conscription was the Recruitment and Conscription Commission, which was a mixed military and civil service that was independent from the military hierarchy. Decisions were made based on medical, social and professional evidence. Any decisions made by the Commission could be contested in court, and decisions were suspended while being contested.
The State had consulted with the Venice Commission regarding law 179 of 2023 on counter information activity and had worked to implement the Commission’s recommendations. Persons could submit complaints under this law regarding surveillance activities by the Information and Security Service. Based on complaints, judges could declare surveillance activities illegal and request criminal investigations. The activity of the Service was overseen by a dedicated Sub-committee of the National Committee on Security of the Parliament. There had been no complaints of illegal activity by the Service recently. The Service could not conduct surveillance activities in relation to journalists’ sources.
The State party had in February 2026 revised the Criminal Code to criminalise intimidation and digital interference targeting journalists. Draft laws were also being developed that would address disinformation and threats against journalists, and introduce protection against strategic litigation. The State would also work to adopt an institutional action plan on journalistic security, which would include measures for the training of relevant actors and the protection of journalists at public gatherings.
A new law on public assemblies would come into force in July 2026; it would implement measures to prevent and combat illegal acts at public events and regulate the obligations of organisers and public authorities. The law would ensure balance between the exercise of freedom of assembly, protection of economic activities, and the need to ensure public safety.
The Republic of Moldova continued to strengthen its juvenile justice system to ensure that the deprivation of liberty of minors was used only as a last resort and for the shortest appropriate period. As of November 2025, 29 minors were held in detention, primarily accommodated in a specialised facility for minors. Individualised rehabilitation plans were developed for each minor in detention.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on data available on cases of hate speech, hate crimes and discrimination against persons with disabilities, the Roma and other vulnerable groups; measures to prevent online recruitment of persons for the purposes of trafficking; and whether political gatherings were regulated under the 2008 law on public assemblies.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said law 300 of 2025 on public assemblies was applicable for cultural, artistic and sports events and religious gatherings, but was not applicable for events regulated by the 2008 law on public assemblies. The new law clarified the obligations of the police to protect participants in peaceful gatherings, including in situations where there was a risk to public order.
The State party was implementing a child protection programme and carried out awareness raising campaigns on child safety. It operated a child helpline and was implementing the Barnahus model of child protection services. It had also approved a framework regulation on the organisation and functioning of child and psychological assistance and rehabilitation services, which contained measures for combatting violence against children.
The Labour Inspectorate provided oversight of private employment agencies involved in the placement of Moldovan citizens abroad. It had conducted 12 planned and six unannounced inspections as part of oversight activities. Inspections had uncovered cases of undeclared work.
There were currently 12 representatives of minority groups within local councils and three within the national Government. Persons needed to learn Romanian to be hired for public service roles, but the Government was offering courses to learn Romanian for minorities to help them access employment. In the Gagauzia region, if parties in judicial settings wished to conduct proceedings in another language, they could do so. Across the country, persons who did not speak Romanian had the right to access interpreters and translators in judicial proceedings. Recently, the budget for Roma mediators had been increased.
Under the law, detained children needed to be held in separate facilities from adults. There were alternatives to detention and probational programmes that could be provided for minor offenders. Minors were accompanied by psychologists in interviews with police, and the State party was working to establish facilities across the country where prosecutors could interview minors instead of police. The central authority for child protection was the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.
The State party had modified criminal legislation to increase penalties for crimes motivated by race, colour, ethnicity, citizenship, sex, gender and other characteristics. Under the national programme on respect for human rights, the State party would this year create a mechanism to monitor and collect data on discrimination and hate speech.
Closing Remarks
EDUARD SERBENCO, Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Moldova and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the constructive dialogue, which had been challenging. The protection and promotion of human rights was never ending. Thanks to the existence of specialised bodies within the United Nations and other bodies at the European level, the level of protection in the State was steadily increasing. This was a very noble task. Once the Republic of Moldova joined the European Union, its human rights protections would further increase.
CHANGROK SOH, Committee Chairperson, said that the Committee had engaged with the Republic of Moldova on a wide range of issues related to the implementation of the Covenant, and had noted several positive developments, including measures improving oversight of detention conditions and initiatives to protect victims of domestic violence and promote gender equality. However, it noted ongoing human rights concerns in the Transnistrian region, including difficulties in ensuring access to effective remedies and fundamental freedoms; concerns regarding freedom of expression; continued discrimination addressing vulnerable groups; and gaps in the implementation of recent legislative reforms. The Committee hoped that the exchange would assist the State in strengthening its implementation of the Covenant.
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CCPR26.006E