Romanian detainees from 11 prisons around the country rose up against the poor sanitary and humane conditions in Romanian prisons
Only three months ago, the European Court of Human Rights (CEDO), again condemned Romania (already the fourth time) to a fine of 80 million euros for the inhumane conditions of the prisons in the country.
The protests have begun in the prison of the Eastern Romanian city of Iasi, where more than 100 detainees started a hunger strike, and have spread like wildfires across the whole country. In some prisons, such as Botosani, Bistrita or Tulcea, some detainees even climbed to the roofs of the respective prisons and set their belongings on fire, as well as other things at their disposal in solidarity for the protest of their fellow detainees from allover the country.
The main reasons for the protests is the fact that within their cells, sometimes 10 people are to be found on 40 square meters, some of them are not allowed to attend sport and leisure or economic activities. Moreover, the Romanian prisoners are also demanding better medical services.
So far, all of the country's prisons have joined the protest, many prisoners are still on hunger strike. In Tulcea, prisoners set their towels and blankets on fire and trowed them through the windows together with crumbs of bread from their ration. At the Miercurea Ciuc prison, local police forces even used tear gas to subdue the situation temporarily. There seem to be at least 700 prisoners who have refused to eat anything throughout the country up to this evening. In Aiud prison, one detainee has died, the official version that has been released to the Romanian press was that he committed suicide.
The "Worker's Romania" Association strongly believes that detainees in Romanian prisons should enjoy normal rights to medical assistance and sport and leisure and we are therefore expressing our full solidarity with this protest.
Ciprian Pop
Secretary General of the Worker's Romania Association
Bucharest,
14th July 2016
