UN Publishes Rights Report On Transdniester

Thomas Hammarberg

The United Nations has made public its first report on the human rights situation in Moldova's breakaway Transdniester region.

In the document published on February 14, independent expert Thomas Hammarberg calls for a reform of Transdniester’s penitentiary system and urges the authorities to give high priority to measures against human trafficking.

The report follows three visits to the region by Hammarberg between May and November 2012.

In a statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay welcomed the full cooperation of the authorities and the access given to Hammarberg in Transdniester.

She also called on the authorities “to address the deeply rooted problems identified in the report” and to develop “a plan of action for human rights.”

Moscow-backed Transdniester declared its independence from Moldova in 1990 but was never recognized internationally.