National Human Rights System in the Republic of Moldova
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47078/2026.1.49-82Keywords:
Constitution, fundamental freedoms, human rights, human rights system, Republic of MoldovaAbstract
This paper analyses the national mechanism for the protection of human rights in the Republic of Moldova. It examines the constitutional provisions governing fundamental rights and freedoms and provides an in-depth analysis of the institutional framework for the protection of human rights established by the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova.
In a global context, the Republic of Moldova has ratified the most important human rights instruments. Its Constitution reiterates the list of fundamental human rights and freedoms adopted from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Human Rights Covenants. Following completion of the screening process for accession to the European Union (EU), Moldovan authorities have undergone both internal and external evaluations of the effectiveness of the national human rights protection mechanism. It generates continuous initiatives to align the national legal framework with the requirements of the EU’s acquis.
The research is based on a questionnaire containing clear guidelines for a comprehensive approach to the national human rights protection system. The article was developed to support a comparative analysis of national human rights protection systems by examining constitutional frameworks, the definition and implementation of fundamental rights, and the institutional and procedural mechanisms that ensure their protection.
Downloads
References
BMA (2022) Profilul Migrational extins al Republicii Moldova 2017-2021: Raport analitic. Chişinău: [Online]. Available at: https://igm.gov.md/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PME_RM_2017-2021.pdf (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Buga L., Bujor V., (2013) Caiet la disciplina Drept Constitutional pentru studentii anului I. Chişinău: IPÎ Institutul de Ştiinţe Penale şi Criminologie Aplicată (Online). Avalable at: https://old.criminology.md/suport/sup2.pdf (Accessed: 20 September 2024).
Carnat T., Panchiv, O. (2019) ‘Accesul liber la justitie in Republica Moldova: principiu fundamental absolut, aplicabil drepturilor si libertatilor constitutionale’ [Free Access To Justice In The Republic Of Moldova: An Absolute Fundamental Principle, Applicable to the Constitutional Rights and Freedoms], Instrumentul Bibliometric National (Online). Avalable at: https://ibn.idsi.md/sites/default/files/imag_file/204-211_2.pdf (Accessed: 29 October 2024).
Constitutional Court (2002) ‘Opinie Separată expusă în temeiul art. 27 alin. (5) din Legea cu privire la Curtea Constituţională şi art. 67 din Codul jurisdicţiei constituţionale (Mircea IUGA)’, constcourt.md, 21 November [Online] Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/ccdocview.php?l=ro&tip=hotariri&docid=167 (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Council of the European Union (2000a) Council of European Union Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 on implementing the principle of equal treatment regardless of racial or ethnic origin [Online]. Available at: https://www.eumonitor.eu/9353000/1/j9vvik7m1c3gyxp/vhckn6df1zzc#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20this%20Directive,the%20principle%20of%20equal%20treatment (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Council of the European Union (2000b) Council of European Union Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 on establishing the general framework regarding employment equal treatment [Online]. Available at: https://www.eumonitor.eu/9353000/1/j9vvik7m1c3gyxp/vhckn6dfxvy3#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20this%20Directive,the%20principle%20of%20equal%20treatment (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Council of the European Union (2004) Council of European Union Directive 2004/113/EC of 13 December 2004 on implementing the principle of equal treatment between women and men in the access to and supply of goods and services [Online]. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:373:0037:0043:en:PDF (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Curtea Constituţională a Republicii Moldova (n.d.) ‘Premise istorice’ [Online]. Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/pageview.php?l=ro&idc=11&t=/Prezentare-generala/Premise-istorice& (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Curtea Constituţională a Republicii Moldova (2016) ‘Ghid practic privind excepţia de neconstituţionalitate’, constcourt.md, 22 February [Online). Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/libview.php?l=ro&idc=9&id=744&t=/Media/Publicatii/Ghid-practic-privind-exceptia-de-neconstitutionalitate (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Guceac, I. (2017) ‘Constitutionalismul si statul de drept in Republica Moldova. Realitati si perspective’, Akademos, 2017/3, pp. 78-85 [Online]. Available at: https://ibn.idsi.md/sites/default/files/imag_file/78_85_Constitutionalismul%20si%20statul%20de%20drept%20in%20Republica%20Moldova.%20Realitati%20si%20perspective.pdf (Accessed: 23 November 2024).
Negru, B., et al. (2012) Comentariu la Constituția Republicii Moldova editata de Curtea Constitutionala a Moldovei. Chişinău: Fundaţia „Hanns Seidel“ din Germania [Online]. Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/public/files/file/informatie_utila/Comentariu_Constitutie.pdf (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Puscas, V. (2005) ‘Apararea demnitatii umane in practica curtii constitutionale’, Administrarea Publicr, 2005/1, pp. 44–50 [Online]. Available at: https://ibn.idsi.md/sites/default/files/imag_file/Apararea%20demnitatii%20umane%20in%20practica%20curtii%20constitutionale_0.pdf (Accessed: 23 October 2024).
Stamati, N. (2017) ‘Evolutia valorilor democratice in Republica Moldova. Realitati si perspective’, Revista de Studii Interdisciplinare „C. Stere”, pp. 55–64 [Online]. Available at: https://ibn.idsi.md/sites/default/files/imag_file/RSI_2017_3-4_pp55-64.pdf (Accessed: 12 September 2024).
Turcan, S. (2015) ‘Valorile constituţionale ale Republicii Moldova în raport cu valorile Uniunii Europene’ Ştiinţa juridică autohtonă prin prisma valorilor şi tradiţiilor europene 2015, pp. 25–32 [Online]. Available at: https://ibn.idsi.md/sites/default/files/imag_file/25-32_0.pdf (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Forms and Limits of Judicial Deference: The Case of Constitutional Courts
National Report: Republic of Moldova. XIXth Congress of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts [Online]. Available at: https://cecc.constcourt.md/pages/congress/questionnaire/Questionnaire_Republic%20of%20Moldova_EN.pdf (Accessed: 17 March 2026).
Questionnaire for the XVIIIth Congress of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts”, 2020 [Online]. Available at: https://www.cecc2017-2020.org/fileadmin/Dokumenty/Pdf/Questionnaire/National_Reports/English/Moldova_-_Questionnaire_XVIII_Congress_of_CECC_eng.pdf (Accessed 18 November 2024).
Report of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova to the XVIIth Congress of the Conference of European Constitutional Courts Role of the Constitutional Courts in Upholding and Applying the Constitutional Principles, 2017 [Online]. Available at: https://www.confeuconstco.org/reports/rep-xvii/moldova_EN.pdf (Accessed: 17 March 2026).
Legal Sources
Case of Ilaşcu and Others V. Moldova and Russia, Application No. 48787/99, Judgment 8 July 2004 [Online] Available at: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-61886 (Accessed: 20 September 2024).
Case of Mozer V. the Republic of Moldova and Russia, Application No. 11138/10, Judgment 23 February 2016 [Online]. Available at: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-161055 (Accessed: 20 September 2024)
Case of Pădureț v. Moldova and Russia, Application No. 26626/11, Judgment 13 November 2017.
Case of Pisari v. the Republic of Moldova and Russia, Application No. 42139/12, Judgment 21 April 2015 [Online]. Available at: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-153925 (Accessed: 20 September 2024).
Case of Turturica and Casian v. Moldova and Russia, Application Nos. 28648/06 and 18832/07, Judgment 30 January 2017.
Case of Catan and Others v. the Republic of Moldova and Russia, Application No. 43370/04 and others, Judgment 19 October 2012 [Online]. Available at: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre?i=001-114082 (Accessed:20 september 2024).
Constitutional Court Decision No. 2 of February 9 2016 regarding the interpretation of Article 135, para.1., lit. a) and lit. g) of the Constitution (Online). Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/public/ccdoc/hotariri/h_2_2016_55b_2015_rou.pdf (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Constitutional Court Decision No. 55 of 14 October 1999 concerning the interpretation of certain provisions of Article 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova [Online] Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/ccdocview.php?tip=hotariri&docid=273&l=ro (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Constitutional Court Decision No.14 of 15 November 2012 concerning the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Civil Procedure Code, para.66–69 [Online]. Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/public/ccdoc/hotariri/ro-h_14.2012.rom.pdf (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Constitutional Court Decision on the Approval of the Report Regarding the Exercise of Constitutional Jurisdiction in 2024 [Online]. Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/public/ccdoc/hotariri/h1_raport_2025_rou.pdf (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Constitutional Court Decision No. 5 of 11 February 2014 for the control of the constitutionality of the provisions of Article 4 letter e) of the Law on Administrative Litigation No. 793-XIV of 10 February 2000 [Online]. Available at https://www.constcourt.md/ccdocview.php?l=ro&tip=hotariri&docid=491 (Accessed: 4 August 2025).
Constitutional Court Decision No. 12 of 07.05.2020 on the constitutional review of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Government of the Russian Federation regarding the granting of a state financial loan to the Government of the Republic of Moldova, signed on April 17, 2020, Government Decisions No. 169 of March 13, 2020, and No. 252 of April 21, 2020, and Law No. 57 of April 23 2020 [Online]. Available at: https://www.constcourt.md/ccdocview.php?tip=hotariri&docid=733&l=ro (Accessed: 5 August 2025).
Council of the European Union (2000a) Council Directive 2000/43/EC of June 29 2000 on implementing the principle of equal treatment regardless of racial or ethnic origin [Online]. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32000L0043 (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Council of the European Union (2000b) Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 on establishing general framework regarding employment equal treatment [Online]. Available at : https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32000L0078 (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Council of the European Union (2004) Council Directive 2004/113/EC of 13 December 2004 on implementing the principle of equal treatment between women and men in the access to and supply of goods and services [Online]. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2004:373:0037:0043:en:PDF (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Civil Procedure Code of Republic of Moldova of 30 May 2003 [Online]. Available at: https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=145370&lang=ro# (Accessed: 11 December 2024).
Criminal Procedure Code of Republic of Moldova [Online]. Available at: https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=144824&lang=ro# (Accessed: 11 December 2024).
Constitution of Republic of Moldova on 29 July 1994 [Online]. Available at: https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=145723&lang=ro (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Law No. 116 of 19 July 2018 on approval the Administrative Code of Republic of Moldova [Online]. Available at: https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=146158&lang=ro# (Accessed: 3 Augusgt 2025).
Law No. 74 of 10 April 2025 on the Constitutional Court [Online]. Available at: https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=148069&lang=ro (Accessed: 5 August 2025).
Law No. 514 of 06 July 1995 on judicial organization, Monitorul Oficial, No. 58, Art. 641.
Law No. 64 of 30 March 2023 on the Supreme Court of Justice, Monitorul Oficial, No. 117–118 Art. 190.
Law No. 52/2014 on People’s Advocate (the Ombudsman) [Online]. Available at: https://ombudsman.md/en/good-governance/the-regulatory-framework-of-operation/ (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Law No. 121 of 25 May 2012 on equality [Online]. Available at: https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=135522&lang=ro (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Plenary Session of the Supreme Court of Justice Decision No. 3 of 9 June 2014 on the application by courts of law of certain provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms [Online]. Available at: https://jurisprudenta.csj.md/search_hot_expl.php?id=181 (Accessed: 31 December 2024).
Regulations on the Procedure for Examining Petitions Submitted to the Constitutional Court of 16 June 1995, Monitorul Oficial, No. 261-264.

