As mentioned above, Chapter II section 2.2., the lack of special waiting rooms for victims and witnesses is a problematic situation in all courts in Chişinău and the Southeast. Special waiting rooms or different corridors would allow victims and witnesses to enter and leave the courtroom and/or wait until the hearing starts without having to see or sit together in a small space with the defendant and/or his or her relatives. Under current conditions victims are particularly vulnerable to pressures from the relatives of the defendant. Of particular concern was the practice in the Chişinău Court of Appeals of scheduling many hearings at one time and having all parties in a small space together. Similar issues related to the protection of victims and witnesses arose in cases in which hearings were held in tiny judges’ offices, the parties sitting next to each other with easy access to influence or threaten one another. Monitors did not note instance������������������������������������������������������������� s in which��������������������������������������������������� the identity of ���������������������������������� a��������������������������������� witness was withheld to protect his or her safety. Monitors did not note special means used to question witnesses in need of protection. Monitors did not note case���������������������������������������������� s in which������������������������������������ a���������������������������������� ����������������������������������� defendant was asked to leave the courtroom during a��������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� victim’s or witness’ testimony for the sake of protecting their security. 4.2. The Right to be Treated with Respect Judges and criminal investigative authorities are obliged to ensure the respect of the “dignity and honour” of persons involved in criminal proceedings and to take necessary measures when these are infringed upon.152 During a trial this right requires the judge to refrain from actions that could compromise the dignity or honour of victims or witnesses and to react appropriately to such actions by other participants. The Second TMP Report noted several cases in which victims and witnesses were treated insensitively. Such conduct violates the rights of victims and witnesses and negatively impacts the collection of evidence. ������������������������������������������������������� S������������������������������������������������������ uch incidents continued in Chişinău ������������������ during������������ the second monitoring period and also occurred in the Southeast courts. For example, in one case the prosecutor asked leading questions containing answer��� s��. The defence lawyer objected, but the judge did not stop the questioning. The prosecutor intimidating the witnesses��������������������������������������������������������������� to such an extent that one ����������������������������������� began to sweat��������������������� ; another witness, a lady�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ,������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� said that she had high blood pressure and did��������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� n������������������������������������� o������������������������������������ t understand why the prosecutor was repeating���������������������������������������� the questions she ������������������������� had already answered�. In a trafficking case, the judge repeatedly asked the victim about the number of clients she had had per night, how much time she had spent with each, how much she charged per hour, etc. In another case the judge asked the victim whether she had had sexual relations before leaving the country. These questions, in the context of the cases, seemed inappropriate and irrelevant. Monitors noted instances in which the victim or witness did not have his or her ID, forcing the judge to postpone taking testimony������������������������������������������������������� and to ����������������������������������������������� display irritation ���������������������������� with������������������������ the victim or witness. In some cases judges allowed victims or witnesses to give testimony without their IDs. 152 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� See Art. 15 of the Law on the Status of the Judge, No. 544-XIII, of 20 July 1995, which entered into force on 16 October 1995. 73