Romania, criticized by the U.S. State Department

Romania is criticized by the U.S. State Department, in its latest report on human rights, for mistreatment and harassment by police and gendarmes against detainees and gypsy people.

The report for 2012, presented on Friday, notes that three gypsy people died from such violence.

In addition, U.S. authorities say that corruption remains a widespread problem, present at the whole society and threats against press undermine its freedom.

The document reveals that last summer, PSD Senator Dan Sova and PNL MEP Norica Nicolai pressured Radio Romania to withdraw its correspondent in Brussels, on the grounds that journalist Carmen Valică would have misinformed the European Commission about the political situation in the country through the questions she would have asked the Commissioner for Justice.

In the chapter on Romania, the report notes that similar pressures have been made on other correspondents working for publications such as El Pais, The Economist, CNN, RFI, New York Times blog Deutsche Welle and Le Monde.

Among the criticisms against Romania, in the report there are also the poor prison conditions, lack of judicial independence and its vulnerability in the face of political influence.

Property restitution is still made very slow.

The Government agencies did not provide sufficient assistance to people with disabilities, and the government has taken hesitant steps to prosecute and punish officials who committed abuses.


Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University