§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have about present conditions in psychiatric hospitals in Romania; and in particular whether some persons are still detained there on account of their political or religious views.
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The Earl of CaithnessWe are aware of reports from a number of individual and charitable organisations which describe the conditions in Romanian psychiatric hospitals as appalling.
In late 1990, following reports in the media that certain individuals, imprisoned for political offences under the communist regime, were still being detained, we, with our European Community partners, pressed the Romanian Government to investigate. Subsequently an official enquiry concluded that those still in hospital were there for legitimate medical reasons. We understand that two of the individuals concerned have since been discharged.
We continue to monitor the situation in Romania, and recently supported the visit to the United Kingdom of two independent psychiatrists to participate in a meeting convened to discuss "Romania's Psychiatric Prison Hospitals" and organised by the Jubilee Campaign and the Parliamentary Human Rights Group. A parliamentary sub group will be visiting Romania in the near future.
§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have about progress since 1989 in releasing all those detained in Romania because of their political or religious opinions; and whether help, direct or multilateral, has been given from Western Europe to assist the process of release and after-care.
The Earl of CaithnessIn January 1990 the Romanian authorities announced an amnesty for all political offences committed under the communist regime. Those still serving sentences were released. With our European partners, we raised with the Romanian Government in late 1990 several cases of individuals still being detained in psychiatric hospitals, allegedly for political offences. An official Romanian enquiry concluded that there were medical grounds for their continued hospitalisation.
Though we have provided general humanitarian assistance for Romania, we have not given any help specifically for the purposes of rehabilitation of those released from prison or psychiatric hospitals.