The Foundation For The Defense Of Citizens Against State Abuses (FACIAS) marked today, 10 December, Human Rights Day, the date on which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, one of the most important documents of contemporary history, was adopted.
FACIAS supports and defends human rights against abuses of authority and believes that respect for these rights is fundamental in a state built on democratic values.
In this regard, FACIAS representatives participated today, 10 December, in the event organized by the Ombudsman's Office, the institution that coordinates the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (NPM). In the framework of this program, FACIAS representatives participate together with the institution's employees in visits based on a cooperation protocol signed since 2016 to implement the legal provisions on carrying out torture prevention work in places of detention.
At the meeting with the representatives of the Ombudsman, important issues concerning irregularities detected during these visits to detention centres, arrest centres or psychiatric hospitals and homes for the elderly were discussed. The most common problems found were poor conditions and a lack of specialised staff to provide medical assistance.
FACIAS believes that a coherent plan of measures is needed to correct these shortcomings and that there is a need for close cooperation between state institutions and NGOs in order to transparently and correctly identify shortcomings in the prison system, adult residential centres or psychiatric hospitals.
On the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, FACIAS reaffirms its full support and willingness to participate in this monitoring process within the NPM and to work with state institutions in the spirit of the foundation's values of transparency, justice, integrity, competence and professionalism. FACIAS will also continue its work to defend the rights of Romanian citizens and will continue to fight for the remedy of abuses in all areas of human rights.