 To obtain systematic and impartial information on criminal trials from the perspective of compliance with international fair trial standards;  To monitor the use of language and the use of the assistance of interpreters in court proceedings;  To monitor legal procedures, behaviours, and practices by all the participants in the courtroom that affect victim-witness safety and defendant accountability, focusing on adherence to human rights standards;  To identify accurately areas and patterns of non-observance of international fair trial standards and to assist the national authorities to improve compliance with these standards;  To raise awareness of the right to a fair trial and violations thereof among relevant officials and the general population;  To provide relevant trial participants and national authorities with information on and analysis of fair trial violations to be used as a tool for advocating the relevant structures to bring about any necessary and appropriate changes in law and practice;  To build the capacity of local civil society to monitor trials in a professional manner and in accordance with international standards and to report such monitoring accurately to relevant national and international bodies. 1.5. Procedure and Time-line The Trial Monitoring Programme was developed by the OSCE Mission to Moldova in partnership with ODIHR. Trial Monitoring Programme concept development began on 17 July 2005 and the Programme was launched on 21 March 2006. ������������������������� M������������������������ onitoring started on 19 April 2006 in the following courts in the municipality of Chişinău: Botanica, Buiucani, Centru, Ciocana and Rîşcani District Courts; the Chişinău Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Justice. All of these courts were monitored for the duration of the programme, i.e., ��������������� ��������� until 30 November 2008. Starting in September 2007 the Trial Monitoring Programme was extended for the duration of the project to three District Courts in the Southeast of the country��������� : Anenii ������� Noi, Căuşeni and Ştefan Vodă����������������������������������� ;���������������������������������� and the Bender Court of Appeals. To ensure successful implementation of the Trial Monitoring Programme the OSCE Mission to Moldova concluded Memoranda of Understanding with both the Superior Council of Magistrates and the General Prosecutor’s Office. These bodies were important partners in the implementation of the Programme. The OSCE Mission concluded a Memorandum of Co-operation with the Căuşeni Law Center which was the implementing partner for programme monitoring in the Southeast of the country. Soon after the launch of the Programme, the Superior Council of Magistrates issued an informative note to all courts located in Chişinău informing them of the launch of Programme and calling upon them to co-operate with the trial observers. In an effort to secure cooperation, Trial Monitoring Programme staff visited the chairpersons of all Chişinău District Courts and of the Chişinău Court of Appeals to discuss the practicalities of programme implementation. The Trial Monitoring Programme presented each court president with a list of crimes to be monitored, a list of monitors who would attend hearings, and a brochure explaining the 16