Chisinau, March 22 (Infotag). Free juridical assistance will be rendered to the prisoners of 13 penitentiary institutions of Moldova, including those in Chisinau, Basarabeasca, Cahul, Leova, Balti, Lipcani. Chairman of the League for Protection of Human Rights (LADOM) Paul Strutescu said it on Thursday at a press conference in Infotag.

According to him, it will be made possible owing to setting up the Center of Juridical Assistance for Prisoners. It was set up in the frame of the pilot program and it will have its branch offices in Cahul, Comrat and Balti.

“Prisoners, who consider that their rights were violated can complain to the center. Its lawyers can come to the spot to investigate this matter and, if necessary, to defend the prisoners’ rights in the court”, Strutescu said.

He remarked that the most serious problems, Moldovan prisoners face, are the overpopulation of prisons, bad meals and poor hygienic conditions.

“We do not want to criticize the state for the conditions, but we want to help them defend their rights and to solve juridical issues, as for example, divorces, pension right, dwelling right”, - League for Human Rights Protection in Moldova (LADOM) Chairman said.

Strutescu remarked that the project is designed for 10 years, at the end of this period a report on observing the prisoners’ rights in Moldova will be presented.

“We hope that this project will be prolonged for an unlimited period, as the prisoners have their rights and irrespective from committed crimes these rights must be observed”, he said.

There are 21 penitentiary institutions in Moldova, where about 10 thousand people are kept. The special council evidences that 3-3.4 lei are spent daily for prisoners’ meals, it is three times less than the law prescribes.