Romania seen by the US Department of State

Corruption, part of the media subordinated to political interests, violence against women are some of the issues highlighted in the US Department of State report on human rights in Romania

Leyla Cheamil, 01.04.2021, 01:50

The US Department of State has released its annual report on the human rights situation in the world. The chapter dedicated to Romania in 2020 identifies issues related to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, widespread corruption, poor investigation of violence against women and violence against people with disabilities or members of ethnic minorities. According to the report, the judiciary has made efforts to officially prosecute and convict those who have committed abuses, but the authorities do not have effective mechanisms in place. Some of those who have committed human rights abuses continue to go unpunished.

Last year, the document also notes, numerous cases of corruption by authorities were reported. Bribery continues to be a common phenomenon in the public sector, especially in the health-care sector. The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) further investigated politicians and government officials. One of the cases mentioned in the report is the bribery case opened against the former Minister of Health and hospital manager Sorina Pintea, who, in February 2020, was caught red-handed by DNA prosecutors, after taking bribe for an alleged contract for the construction of some hospital wards.

According to the State Department Report, several police officers and gendarmes have been acquitted of charges of beating and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and Romanian citizens generally disrespect the police because they perceive them as corrupt and inefficient.The report also draws attention to the fact that, after the 2018 anti-corruption rallies in Bucharest, although some 770 complaints of excessive use of force against peaceful protesters were filed, so far, the culprits have not been punished. Violence against women and inconsistency of court decisions are also noted.

There are reports of non-governmental organizations showing numerous cases of police officers trying to discourage rape victims from filing a complaint, and sometimes even refusing to file such complaints. Another issue mentioned is that of anti-Semitism, as such behaviors were reported in Romania in 2020. The State Department document mentions the Elie Wiesel Institute for the Study of the Holocaust in Romania, according to which there were cases of naming streets, organizations, schools or libraries after people convicted of war crimes or crimes against humanity. Also according to the findings of the Elie Wiesel Institute, materials were promoted on the Internet to promote anti-Semitic ideas and glorify the Legion, the far right in the interwar period.

Regarding the press, the US Department of State notes that the opinions presented are varied, but a number of media outlets are owned or indirectly controlled by people with political ties. Frequently, the news or editorial policies of these media outlets reflect the views of the owner and target political opponents or other media channels. (MI)