Chisinau, February 16 (Infotag). Activists of SIDO-SRM (Moldovan Section of the International Society of Human Rights) backed by the Ministry of Justice Penitentiary Department have called for the establishment of half-way community centers, rehabilitation facilities for ex-prisoners.

These hostels are meant to give ex-convicts a fresh start in life, SIDO Chairlady Liubov Nemchinova told a news conference in Infotag Wednesday.

“Upon their release, many of these people don’t know what to do. They have no family, no place to stay, no money and no documents. As a result, 40% of them eventually break the law and get back behind bars again,” she said.

As an alternative, Nemchinova proposed placing ex-cons for one-two months in rehabilitation centers so they could find a job and get the necessary documents.

In May 2003, the Department jointly with SIDO-SRM and Stels-Tera started realization of a project “Civil Aid for Social Integration of Ex-Prisoners” part of which became establishment of three psychological aid facilities for former inmates.

“45% of those ‘wearing stripes’ today, the total of 10,000, are people aged 20-30, and over 20% -- are those aged 30-40,” Veaceslav Tonkoglaz Head of the Penitentiary Dept advised.

“These rehabs will give a chance to those who have no relatives back home and no means to support themselves to get back to norm.”

Along with freedom ex-prisoners receive a lump sum benefit of 75% of their annual pay average, which is slightly above 800 lei.

In the course of the first nine months of 2005 employment agencies received 1,132 applications from ex-convicts including 908 women. Only 84 applicants (10 women) eventually succeeded in finding a job.

Established in 1972 in Frankfurt-on-Maine, Germany, SIDO had an office in Moldova in 1998. This year SIDO-SRM released a 3,000-copy issue of Social Reintegration: Questions and Answers Reference Book to be distributed among inmates free of charge.