HUMAN RIGHTS DEVELOPMENTS IN ROMANIA
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ROMANIAN HELSINKI COMMITTEE (APADOR-CH )
1996 REPORT

CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION

II. PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH LEGISLATION
1. The law on political parties
2. The law on the treatment of aliens in Romania
3. The Penal Code and Penal Procedure Code
4. Lobby for the role of Justice

III. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE MEDIA
1. "Media freedom and hate speech" program
2. "Freedom of expression, media freedom and democracy" program
3. Individual cases
Radu Mazare and Constantin Cumpana - the daily Telegraf (Constanta)
Valentin Popescu - the daily Cuget liber, Constanta
Sorin Rosca Stanescu and Tana Ardeleanu - the daily Ziua
Monitorul de Braila

IV. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POLICE AND INDIVIDUALS
1. Theoretical aspects
2. Individual cases
a) Cases investigated before 1996
Radu Daniel Achim (Bucharest, 1994) 94)
Tudorel Tanase and the Dragnea-Tanase family (Mihai-Voda village, municipality of Bolintin Deal, 1995)
Liviu-Petrisor Oprea (Campina, 1994)
Viorel Constantin (Tandarei - 1995)
b) Cases taken up in 1996:
Ioan Rosca (Bucharest)
CELROM S.A. trade company, Turnu Severin
Marius Cristian Palcu (Bucharest)
Gabriel Carabulea (Bucharest)
Andrei Mardare (Bucharest)
Kerim Asim and Dervis Givan (Medgidia)
Ionut Vlase (Mangalia)
Viorel and Marius Burueana Damian (Turceni)
Ion Laurentiu Corneliu Apostolescu (Bucharest)

V. THE SITUATION IN PENITENTIARIES
1. General aspects
a) Overcrowding
b) Inadequate funds
c) The mentality of penitentiary staff
d) Social rehabilitation
2. Aspects from several penitentiaries. Individual cases
a) Bucharest penitentiary (February 29, 1996)
b) The Bucharest penitentiary hospital (February 29, 1996)
c) Colibasi Penitentiary (March 8, 1996)
d) Poarta Alba penitentiary (November 14, 1996)

VI. MINORITIES IN ROMANIA
A. NATIONAL MINORITIES
1. General aspects
2. The Romanian-Hungarian Treaty
a) Analysis of the Treaty's consequences over the rights of the Hungarian minority in Romania
b) Endorsement of the Romanian-Hungarian Treaty
c) Monitoring Hungarian stands relating to the Treaty
3. The relationship between public authorities and Roma communities
a) The police
The Vlad family case (Targoviste)
b) Public guardians
Dumitru Margean (Buzau)
Coltau village (Sacalaseni)
c) Other institutions
4. APADOR-CH proposals relating to national minorities
B. SEXUAL MINORITIES
1. Theoretical background
2. Individual cases
The G.I and C.K. cases (Baia Mare)
The case of minors G.P. and R.V. (Iasi)
The Mihai Filip case
C. RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
1. General aspects
2. Jehovah's Witnesses
a) The campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses
b) The position adopted by APADOR-CH
3. The Movement for Spiritual Integration with the Absolute
a) The press campaign and repression of MISA members
b) The position of APADOR-CH

VII. REFUGEES IN ROMANIA
1. The legal framework
2. Asylum procedures
3. Legal assistance granted by APADOR-CH
a) Assistance granted during asylum procedures
b) assistance granted in other fields
c) assistance granted to asylum-seekers in the transit area of the Otopeni International Airport
d) legal assistance granted to asylum-seekers charged with misdemeneanours on the basis of Law no. 61/1991
e) assistance granted in criminal trials
4. Several particular cases
a) A.R.K.M. - Iran
b) G.S. - Iraq
c) S.F. - Sudan

VIII. 1996 ELECTIONS
1. Local elections (June 2 and 16, 1996)
a) Preparations for elections
b) The elections

IX. OTHER ACTIVITIES
1. The Centre for Human Rights
a) Documentation, information, databases
b) Assistance provided by the Centre for Human Rights
c) The Romanian Human Rights Quarterly
d) Publication of the volume "International Human Rights in a Nutshell"
2. Other cases monitored by APADOR-CH
Constanta Dramba (Bucharest)
Ilie Rotundu, Deia village (Frumosu)
Gheorghe Horj (Constanta)
Petre Mihalache, Zadariciu village (Vanatorii Mici)
3. "MOLDOVA 95/96" PROGRAM
4. "HUMAN RIGHTS AND REGIONAL SECURITY IN SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE" PROGRAM

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