Romania
Capital city — Bucharest
Incarceration rate (per 100,000 inhabit…
i05/2022Country population
i2021/ EurostatType of government
Human Development Index
0.828(49/188)
iHomicide rate (per 100,000 inhabitants)
i2020Name of authority in charge of the pris…
Total number of prisoners
i03/05/2022Average length of imprisonment (in mont…
i2020/ Council of Europe, [SPACE I – Report 2021](Conseil de l’Europe, SPACE I – Rapport 2021, p. 125.), p. 125.Prison density
i22/03/2022Total number of prison facilities
i2021An NPM has been established
Female prisoners
i30/04/2022Incarcerated minors
i30/04/2022Percentage of untried prisoners
i30/04/2022Death penalty is abolished
yes, since 1989Romania abolished…
Health
Organisation of health care
Ministry in charge
Ministry of Justice
Every prison facility has a health care unit
Number of medical staff (FTE)
797
One hundred and sixty-seven (167) staff members are doctors. This figure only includes staff who are directly employed by the prison service and not specialists who occasionally intervene in prisons. In 2019, the number of medical personnel was 819.
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The CPT noted an insufficient number of nursing staff in the establishments visited.
At Craiova Prison (+750 prisoners), only one full-time equivalent general practitioner was working at the time of the visit; the chief medical officer and another general practitioner were on sick leave. Eight nurses (including two contract nurses) are employed full-time, including one on maternity leave. The number of health personnel specialized in the care of mental disorders is insufficient.
At Galaţi Prison (+450 prisoners), the only general practitioner was absent at the time of the CPT’s visit and the health service was managed by the prison dentist. A team of 10 full-time equivalent nurses work at the facility. Five full-time equivalent nursing positions were not filled.
At Giurgiu Prison (+1,500 prisoners), the health care team consists of three full-time equivalent general practitioners and nine full-time equivalent nurses. Five general practitioner and one nurse role were vacant.
The CPT noted a lack of general practitioners in the remand centres (Centrele de Reținere și Arestare Preventivă, CRAP). At its lowest staffing levels, one doctor and one nurse would be present on a working day. In the Giurgiu and Tậrgovişte establishments, some staff had not taken leave for 18 months. The doctor was also responsible for the care of serving and retired police officers and their families, which was contrary to the specific instructions of the Ministry of the Interior published in 2016 and undermined the continuity of care provided to prisoners.
Every prison facility must ensure it offers first aid to prisoners, and this must take place in an infirmary.
Emergencies are first attended to on-site before being referred to the nearest health centre. Most of the infirmaries do not have emergency equipment (defibrillator, oxygen, etc.).
Medical care is provided by a team of at least one doctor and two nurses.1 Specialists (dentists, psychiatrists, etc.) sometimes work on a full-time or part-time basis.
The CPT noted with regret the lack of sufficient personnel in most of the facilities during its visit in 2018. It stated that no dental care had been provided in Bacău prison since 2013. In this same prison, medical consultations had been drastically reduced to a mere 90 seconds per prisoner on average, due to lack of personnel.
At Iaşi prison, consultations with a medical doctor only take place on certain days. The number of daily consultations is therefore substantial, between 70 and 100. The CPT observed the absence of a secretary to manage medical consultations and appointments. The general practitioners are therefore charged with a heavy administrative load.2
During its visit in 2019, APADOR-CH observed there had been no head doctor at Miercurea Ciuc prison since 2014.3
Prison Service, “Annual activity report 2019”, p. 33 (in Romanian). ↩
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Romanian government on the visit from 7 to 19 February 2018”, 19 March 2019, pp. 65–67. ↩
APADOR-CH, “Report on the Visit to Miercurea Ciuc prison”, 8 July 2019. ↩
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The CPT’s delegation noted again in 2021 that prison health services were poorly equipped. None of them hade basic emergency medical equipment: defibrillator, nebuliser, electrocardiograph…
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None of the establishments visited by the CPT had an operational dental service, with the exception of Galaţi Prison. At Mărgineni prison, the management stated that an agreement had been reached with a local dentist for one day of consultations every two weeks. Prisoners complained, in all the institutions visited, that they were not able to benefit from any dental care, including urgent care. The supply of dental care seemed to have deteriorated further since the 2018 visit. Many prisoners would show poor oral hygiene, cavities and gum disease. Some prisoners had apparently pulled out their own teeth, while others reported having difficulty eating any food due to ongoing dental pain.
Access to health care
Health care is free
Prisoners are covered by the national health insurance scheme.
A medical examination is performed upon admission
New inmates are examined within 72 hours of their incarceration.1 Medical tests carried out depend on the prison facility.
Article 106, Prison Regulations (in Romanian). ↩
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All arrivals must be examined by a nurse upon arrival and then reviewed by a doctor within 72 hours. Due to the lack of medical staff in the prisons visited, the second medical examination was sometimes delayed by several days or even weeks. The CPT’s delegation notes, as in 2018, that there was still no specific screening for women upon entry into prison.
A medical file is opened upon admission
Prisoners can access health care units after
an oral request
Prisoners have to address their request to a prison guard.
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The CPT noted again in 2021 that access to health services in the prisons visited was managed by prison staff.
Medical examinations are carried out on a confidential basis
no
Prison guards are present during consultations.
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The confidentiality of medical examinations was not guaranteed. Medical examinations, in particular those concerning traumatic injuries, were carried out in the presence of prison staff. General trust in the health service was poor, according to the CPT.
The prison service is obliged to ensure continuity of care throughout the period of imprisonment.
Medication is administered by medical personnel. They must be present when prisoners consume medications.
The CPT observed during its visit to Bacău in 2018 that prisoners do not receive medical instructions. Prisoners do not know how often to take medications nor the dose prescribed. Medications meant to be injected (subcutaneously) are given to prisoners to be swallowed in cases of extreme pain. The CPT described this practices as ‘dangerous’. It noted that vials given to prisoners remain in cells and encourage a black market.1
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Romanian government on the visit from 7 to 19 February 2018”, 19 March 2019, p. 66. ↩
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Prisoners suffering from opioid dependence would be referred to a prison hospital for assessment and treatment, in accordance with the national programme. However, medical staff in those prisons visited were not qualified to initiate opioid agonist therapy (OAT), even in the event of a withdrawal emergency.
The CPT noted the total absence of preventative medical measures. Condoms were made available exclusively to prisoners receiving intimate visits.
In Romania, prisoners who had been married or in a relationship for a long time had the right to conjugal visits for two hours every three months. Cosmin Bumbut photographed the empty intimate cells.
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The working hours of medical staff in detention and pre-trial detention centres would not guarantee that medicine distribution could always be carried out by themselves or in their presence. The permanence of medical assistance was not ensured.
Physical health care
Most prisoners suffer from dental problems. Hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS are also quite prevalent in prison. APADOR-CH identified 300 prisoners suffering from Hepatitis and 29 HIV-positive prisoners during its 2019 visit to Giurgiu prison. There were also cases of tuberculosis.
Prisoners likely to transmit a contagious disease are placed in quarantine in a cell managed by medical personnel.
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The Romanian authorities informed the CPT of a number of measures to combat the spread of SARS-Cov-2. Anyone entering an establishment would have their temperature systematically checked. Both arriving and transferred prisoners would be tested. Protective equipment was distributed to prisoners. Arrivals would be placed in quarantine for three weeks in dedicated premises. Compensatory measures were being taken to make up for the temporary suspension of visits. As of 6 June 2021, more than 33% of the prison population, or 7,500 people, and about 30% of prison staff were fully vaccinated, and as of 27 September 2021, this figure has rose to 15,809 prisoners (68% of prisoners in Romania). Five prisons were reserved for Covid-19 positive prisoners, who would systematically be transferred there.
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The prison vaccination rate against Covid-19 reached 77% on 7th January (17,763 prisoners out of 22,993). Nearly 100 prisoners were under medical supervision having tested positive, compared to 450 in January 2021. The newest health measures plan included the mandatory use of personal protective equipment for all staff, distancing protocols, streamlining infection response procedures, taking into account immunization levels and procedures for early release to reduce the number of prisoners.
The CPT noted the absence of a global programme aimed at reducing risk for prisoners, which would ensure that condoms or syringes are readily available to prisoners1.
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Romanian government on the visit from 7 to 19 February 2018”, 19 March 2019, p. 67. ↩
In Bacău, Gherla and Iaşi prisons, all the files of persons suffering from contagious diseases are marked ‘CVMC’ (medically contagious vulnerable cases, Caz Vulnerabil Medico-Contagios). This abbreviation systematically appears on medical, disciplinary and legal files. The CPT noted the lack of medical discretion due to this practice and regrets the stigmatisation sick people may suffer from. It states that medical personnel can inform the guards of the medical condition of each prisoner on a case-by-case basis. The CPT recall that this information should only be transmitted when strictly necessary or must be done with the written consent of the relevant prisoner. It recommends that the practice of ‘CVMC’ be abolished with immediate effect.1
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Romanian government on the visit from 7 to 19 February 2018”, 19 March 2019, p. 70. ↩
Mental health care
Many prisoners suffer from mental disorders that require medical attention. They are most often placed together with the other prisoners. They do not all receive psychiatric care.
The CPT observed that in Iaşi prison, prisoners are given excessive medication. In 2018, at least 21% of this prison’s population regularly consumed at least one psychoactive drug. The CPT reports the case of an apathetic prisoner, apparently sedated and unresponsive to external stimuli. He was not taking the right medications.1
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Romanian government on the visit from 7 to 19 February 2018”, 19 March 2019, pp. 71. ↩
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The CPT’s delegation met many prisoners suffering from mental illness or personality disorder who did not receive appropriate care.
The number of specialised caregivers was insufficient. At Mărgineni Prison, 109 people received psychotropic treatment, but no psychiatrist visited the facility. In Giurgiu Prison, 398 people received psychotropic treatment; a psychiatrist was only present one day a week.
Most people with mental illnesses were held in large collective dormitories. Conflicts with other prisoners were difficult to avoid. As a result, they were regularly moved from one dormitory to another, which further affected their mental health.
The prison administration decided to create four units dedicated to the placement of prisoners suffering from severe mental illnesses. A ward for each category of regime was created in the prisons of Iași (open regime), Craiova (closed regime), Gherla (maximum security) and Bucharest-Jilava (semi-open regime). The CPT’s delegation noted the lack of a dedicated unit in Craiova. The 98 people identified as suffering from severe long-term mental illnesses were placed in cells with others in the closed-regime units.
Most prisons do not have psychiatrists or specialised infirmaries. The CPT confirmed the stigmatisation of persons suffering from mental disorders by prison guards and other prisoners.1
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Romanian government on the visit from 7 to 19 February 2018”, 19 March 2019, p. 71. ↩
No national strategy provides for substitution treatment in prison or the implementation of risk reduction programmes. Authorities deny the presence of drugs in prisons.1
APADOR-CH observed during its visit to Giurgiu prison in 2019 that ten people were completing methadone-based substitution treatment.2
The law provides that inmates imprisoned for crimes relating to drugs or alcohol should be obliged to undergo treatment.3
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Romanian government on the visit from 7 to 19 February 2018”, 19 March 2019, p. 72. ↩
APADOR-CH, “Report of the visit to Giurgiu prison”, 27 March 2019. ↩
Article 109, Penal code. ↩