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Romania

Capital city — Bucharest

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Panorama

Latest updates

The prison service offers activities to prisoners

yes

Untried prisoners have access to fewer activities than sentenced prisoners. Daily walks are sometimes the only time they are outside of their cells.
Maximum security regimes include three hours of daily activities, counting a one-hour walk. The closed regime allows four hours of daily activities outside of cells.
Several prisoners from various facilities have complained about the limited number of proposed activities.

  • From 2012 onwards, the government launched various programmes and activities designed to support the social reintegration of prisoners. According to the prison service, the recidivism rate was 46%. By 2022, this figure fell to 36.9%.

    i
    10/10/2023
    / OHCHR (Nations Unies)

  • Nine prisoners from the Aiud maximum security facility participated in a religious service at the city’s monastery. This initiative is part of a broader rehabilitation project that provides prisoners with access to educational activities.

    i
    09/03/2023
    / Alba24

Prison density

121 %

i
15/11/2022
/ World Prison Brief, ICPR

  • In its 2022 periodic report to the Committee Against Torture, Romania’s prison service reported progress in addressing prison overcrowding. The national penitentiary occupancy rate, which stood at 127% in 2018, decreased to 113.5% by 2022. The government also signed a memorandum to provide 5,800 new prison spaces by 2025.

    i
    10/10/2023
    / OHCHR (Nations Unies)

  • During their visit to Rahova prison in January 2023, the Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Romania - Helsinki Committee (APADOR-CH) noted an occupancy rate of 121.4%.

    i
    01/03/2023
    / Europea Libera Romania

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.

  • The World Health Organisation reported that in 2020, 4.7% of the prison population was diagnosed with hepatitis C, 4% with COVID-19, 4.1 % with hepatitis B and 1.9% with HIV.

    i
    15/02/2023
    / Organisation mondiale de la santé

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. Les préservatifs sont exclusivement mis à disposition des personnes détenues recevant des visites conjugales.2

  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. 67. ↩

  2. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report on the ad hoc visit to Romania carried out by the CPT from 10 to 21 May 2021”. ↩

  • On 15 February 2023, the World Health Organisation published a report on healthcare services in European prisons based on the responses from the ministries responsible for prison healthcare. It states that all penitentiary institutions in Romania provide condoms, but none distribute syringes.

    i
    15/02/2023
    / Organisation mondiale de la santé

All the prisoners are provided with bedding

yes

The prison service is required to provide each prisoner with bed sheets and a mattress.
The CPT attested to the prisoners’ access to bedding but noted the deterioration and poor quality of mattresses and beds. Bucharest Cells No. 2 were infested with cockroaches and bedbugs.[^cptb] The loved ones of prisoners can provide them with bedding.
[^cptb]: European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report on the ad hoc visit to Romania carried out by the CPT from 10 to 21 May 2021”.

  • The Association for the Defence of Human Rights in Romania - Helsinki Committee (APADOR-CH) conducted a visit to the Rahova penitentiary facility in January 2023. During their visit, they noted the presence of cockroaches and bedbugs. A prisoner resorted to sleeping on a table with a plastic bag over their head to prevent insect bites.

    i
    01/03/2023
    / Europea Libera Romania

Vocational training is provided

yes

  • Gherla prison offers professional qualification courses in confectionery and manicure-pedicure. According to the administration’s report, as of December 31, 2022, there were 14 prisoners enrolled in these courses.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

Education is provided

in all facilities

Prisoners who wish to enrol in a university course or in any other type of training offered outside the prison facility will require the authorisation of the prison director. Prisoners take distance learning courses and are solely responsible for the fees.

  • Gherla prison offers educational programmes at the primary, secondary, and university levels. According to the administration’s report, as of December 31, 2022, a total of 81 incarcerated individuals were actively participating in these educational initiatives.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

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.
The CPT’s delegation again found, in 2021, that these infirmaries were poorly equipped. None of them had basic emergency medical equipment: defibrillator, nebuliser, electrocardiograph….1 Medical care is provided by a team of at least one doctor and two nurses.2 Specialists (dentists, psychiatrists, etc.) sometimes work on a full-time or part-time basis.
The CPT reported, in 2018, 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.3
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.3
During its visit in 2019, APADOR-CH observed there had been no head doctor at Miercurea Ciuc prison since 2014.4
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.1

  1. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report on the ad hoc visit to Romania carried out by the CPT from 10 to 21 May 2021”. ↩ ↩

  2. Prison Service, “Annual activity report 2019”, p. 33 (in Romanian). ↩

  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, pp. 65–67. ↩ ↩

  4. APADOR-CH, “Report on the Visit to Miercurea Ciuc prison”, 8 July 2019. ↩

  • In 2022, as reported by authorities, Gherla prison conducted 30,989 medical consultations, 723 dental check-ups, and had 139 infirmary hospitalisations.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

Prison facilities have a library

yes

There is a library in each facility. The one in Craiova prison has around 5,000 books.

  • The library at Gherla prison has a collection of 16,796 books. In 2022, prisoners borrowed a total of 3,815 books.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

Number of escapes

4

i
2021
/ Council of Europe, SPACE I - Report 2021, p. 119.

The number of escapes has not shown any significant change. It was 41 in 2020.

  1. Council of Europe, SPACE I, 2020 Report, p. 117. ↩

  • In 2022, the Gherla prison recorded 18 escape attempts.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

Number of deaths attributed to suicide

9

i
2020
/ Council of Europe, SPACE I – 2021 Report, p. 117.

  • In 2022, the Gherla prison reported two suicide attempts.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

Prisoners have access to video calls with external contacts

yes

Subject to the authorisation of the prison director, certain prisoners may be allowed by the prison service to communicate via email or video calls. The following persons are authorised:

  • persons staying in prisons that are far from their relatives
  • those taking part in social-educational activities, those working and those who show ‘good’ behaviour
  • minors
  • women Prisoners may make up to four video calls per months for a duration of 30 minutes. The conversation is confidential and takes place in a specially equipped area. It can be prolonged in case of exceptional family situations.1

  1. Articles 134 to 136 Prison Regulation (in Romanian). ↩

  • In 2022, the prisoners at the Gherla penitentiary facility made a total of 2,163 Skype calls.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

The phones are located

  • in the cells
  • in the yard
  • in the corridors

Phone locations depend on the prison facility.
Almost all the cells visited by the CPT in 2021 were equipped with a telephone. The telephone booths located in the corridors and in the exercise yards remain operational1.
Telephones are placed in cells in Galati, Giurgiu and Craiova prisons.2
In Miercurea Ciuc, phones are placed in the yard.3 In Târgu Jiu, they are placed in the corridors.4
Phones placed in the corridors can be used by prisoners until 6:30 p.m., while the ones in cells can be used until 9 p.m. Corridors and cells do not allow for privacy during phone calls.

  1. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report on the ad hoc visit to Romania carried out by the CPT from 10 to 21 May 2021”. ↩

  2. APADOR-CH, “Report on the Visit to Craiova prison”, 1 July 2019. ↩

  3. APADOR-CH, “Report on the Visit to Miercurea Ciuc prison”, 8 July 2019. ↩

  4. APADOR-CH, “Report on the Visit to Târgu Jiu prison”, 24 June 2019. ↩

  • In 2022, the Gherla prison had 173 telephone booths installed in the corridors.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

The prison service offers prisoners general work in the facilities: maintenance, agricultural activities or meal preparation.
It also offers companies the opportunity to employ prisoners. The work can be carried out on the outside, in prison workshops or in cells. The work primarily includes building construction and infrastructure, agriculture, forestry, metalwork, carpentry, landscaping, building and upkeep of hydraulic networks, manufacturing electronic components and packaging, handling, sewing and shoemaking.

  • Due to a staff shortage, a company employs prisoners from the Timisoara prison. To facilitate this, they have rented a building capable of accommodating 84 people, overseen by prison guards. Only individuals sentenced to a maximum of one year and placed in a semi-open regime can be hired. They receive 40% of the salary paid by the company. The remainder is used for training and rehabilitation programmes.

    i
    28/01/2023
    / Media Flux

  • Prisoners at the Aiud prison had a selection of 19 job types to choose from in 2022, an increase from just ten the previous year. These options include opportunities in sectors such as agriculture and construction.

    i
    22/02/2023
    / Alba24

Data collection about prisoners’ minority or indigenous background is allowed

no

Prisoners can, however, state that they belong to an ethnic minority. Romania recognises two such minorities: Hungarians (Székelys from Transylvania and Csangos from Moldavia) and Roma.

  • In February 2023, prisoners from the Roma minority at Aiud prison watched a play. This initiative was organised as part of a social inclusion project for Roma prisoners.

    i
    13/02/2023
    / Alba 24

Conjugal visits are allowed every three months. Intimate partners are allowed a visit of three hours. Married couples can stay up to 48 hours.
In 2019, APADOR-CH visited several areas meant for conjugal visits. Most of these areas were in good material and hygienic conditions. They are equipped with bathrooms, televisions, refrigerators and sometimes telephones.
However, the association states that among the five prisons visited, the beds and sheets in Giurgiu and Galati prisons were in poor condition.1

  1. APADOR-CH, “Report on the visit to Giurgiu prison”, 27 March 2019; “Report on the visit to Galati prison”, 14 June 2019. ↩

  • In 2022, prisoners at the Gherla prison received 6,976 visits, among which were 561 three-hour conjugal visits and 32 48-hour visits for married couples.

    i
    25/02/2023
    / Gherlainfo

  • Throughout 2022, the Aiud maximum security prison allowed 3,660 visits for its prisoners. This included 196 three-hour conjugal visits and nine extended 48-hour visits for married couples.

    i
    21/02/2023
    / Alba 24