Release

TheInternational Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has received new information on the following situation inthe Republic of Moldova/ Region of Transnistria.

New information

TheInternational Secretariat of OMCT hasbeen informed by a reliable source and Antenna International, a memberorganisation of OMCT SOS-Torture Network, about the release, on 31 October 2011, of Mr. Ilie Cazac,after being pardoned by the president of the unrecognizedTransnistrian authorities (PridnestrovianMoldavian Republic[1] or PMR, alsoknown as "Pridnestrovie").

Mr. IlieCazac, a 25-year-oldresident of Tighina (Bender), was arrested by members of the Ministry of StateSecurity (MGB) of the unrecognized Transnistrian authorities, on20 March 2010, allegedly tortured and ill-treatedin custody, and later sentenced to 14 years in prison“for grand treason and espionage in favour of the Republic of Moldova”.He was detained in Tiraspol Penitentiary no.2, without access to anindependent doctor.

Background information

OMCThad earlier been informed aboutthe arrest and detention of Mr. Ilie Cazac, an appointedinspector at the city’stax inspectorate, on 20 March 2010, on alleged charges of “state betrayal” and “espionage in favor ofthe Republic of Moldova” (according to the version of the Transnistrian authorities). Thedetails of the accusations remained unclear. After Mr. Ilie Cazac’s arrest, his home was also reportedly searched bymembers of the MGB.

Accordingto the information received, Mr.Ilie Cazac was arrested at home, in the city ofTighina, and first held incommunicado. His family was not informed abouthis arrest and fate for two weeks. Mr. Cazac allegedly suffered torture andill-treatment, including beatings and conditions of detention amounting tocruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, with a view of extracting a “confession”(see Urgent appeal MDA 240111).

According to the same information, Mr. Ilie Cazac was assisted in courtby a lawyer appointed by the de facto Transnistrian authorities after being refused a lawyer from outsidethe region. This lawyer allegedly never informed on the details of the case. On9February 2011, following a trial heldbehind closed doors, Mr. Ilie Cazac was sentenced by the Supreme Court of theTransnistrian region to 14 years in prison. Mr. Ilie Cazac was subsequently transferred to the Tiraspol Penitentiary no.2,where he was detained in poor health.

On22 April 2011, although Mr. Ilie Cazac was allowed to receive from his mothersome food and medicines as well as to have a daily phone call with his family,he was also forced to provide a written explanation to the prisonadministration on how his case became known at the international level.Furthermore, two criminal detainees, who had been previously detained alongwith Mr. Ilie Cazac in Penitentiary no. 1/ Glinaia in summer 2010, and who hadallegedly beaten and threatened him with death and rape, were reportedly transferredto Tiraspol Penitentiary no.2without any particular reason.

On the same day, on 22 April 2011, Mr. Ilie Cazac’smother was also informed that he would be allowed to “invite” a doctor to examine him, albeitonly a doctor practising in the Transnistrian region. Mr. Ilie Cazacwas later examined, on 26 and 27 April 2011, by a stomatologistfrom the prison’s medical unit with regard to his toothaches. The doctorreportedly suggested him to extract six to seven teeth as the prison’s medicalunit is not equipped to treat dental caries, which he refused. On 16 May 2011, after complaining about chest pain, Mr. Ilie Cazacwas again examined by a doctor from the medical unit and had anelectrocardiogram (ECG). However, he was reportedly not properly informed bythe doctor about the diagnosis and the medicines his mother would need to buyfor him. Mr. Ilie Cazac also suffered from digestive and gastric problems.

OMCT was informed that Mr.Ilie Cazac’s family wasrepeatedly harassed, intimidated and threatened since his arrest byrepresentatives of the de facto Transnistrian authorities, with the result thathis family was forced to leave its home in Tighina.

Remarks

OMCT wishes to thank all of the individuals and organisations that havetaking action as a response to the urgent appeals. No further action iscurrently required on your part concerning this case.

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Geneva, 1st November 2011

[1] The Transnistrianregion broke away from Moldova, declaringindependence unilaterally in 1990. The self proclaimed PridnestrovianMoldavian Republic (PMR) is not recognized by theinternational community. Tighina (Bender) is a town controlled by theauthorities of the Republic of Moldova and of theself-proclaimed Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. Since the Moldovan-Russian Agreement on 21 July 1992, Tighina (Bender) is under astrong Russian peacekeeping presence.