Publication highlights Report on the periodic visit to Moldova in September 2007 and response of the Moldovan authorities (treatment of persons in police custody, in prisons and in psychiatric/ social welfare facilities) 62. In its report, the CPT concludes that the phenomenon of ill-treatment by the police remains of serious proportions, despite the clear efforts made by the Moldovan authorities in recent years to overcome this problem. The Committee makes a series of recommendations to address this issue, one of which concerns the way in which prosecutors should handle cases involving allegations of police ill-treatment. In their response, the Moldovan authorities state that guidelines have been drawn up for prosecutors on the carrying out of investigations into such cases. 63. The CPT’s delegation found that conditions of detention in police temporary detention facilities continued to render them unsuitable for holding remand prisoners for prolonged periods of time. The Committee has called upon the Moldovan authorities to give a high priority to the implementation of the policy decision already taken to transfer the responsibility for persons remanded in custody to the Ministry of Justice. 64. The CPT’s delegation did not receive any allegations of recent physical illtreatment by staff in the prisons visited, with the notable exception of Penitentiary establishment No. 18 in Brăneşti; the Committee has made specific recommendations in relation to that establishment. The CPT has also expressed concern about the proportionality of the force used to deal with a mass disobedience by inmates at Penitentiary establishment No. 13 in Chişinău. In response, the Moldovan authorities refer, inter alia, to the setting up of ethics committees in each prison establishment aimed at fostering an attitude among staff that views resort to ill-treatment as unacceptable. Prison overcrowding remained a problem, there being an average of only 2 m2 of living space per prisoner in the establishments visited. In its report, the CPT stresses the need for policies designed to limit or modulate the number of persons sent to prison. 65. At Chişinău Psychiatric Hospital, patients interviewed by the CPT’s delegation spoke positively of the attitude of health-care staff. In contrast, many allegations of illtreatment of residents by orderlies were heard in the Psycho-neurological Home in Cocieri. The Committee has recommended that the selection procedures for orderlies be reviewed and a comprehensive training programme developed for them. In their response, the Moldovan authorities stress that steps have been taken to improve the training of orderlies and to employ more staff. Report and response published December 2008, CPT/Inf (2008) 39 and CPT/Inf (2008) 40 31