First-time offenders accused of serious crimes: How many children are in Moldova's prisons?
There are 19 male children, aged between 15 and 18, currently in pretrial detention in Moldovan prisons. While most of them are first-time offenders, they are all being investigated for crimes that are classified as serious, particularly serious, or even exceptionally serious.
In the spring, 19 children, including one foreigner, were awaiting their sentences in three facilities: Penitentiary No. 5 in Cahul, Penitentiary No. 7 - Rusca in the Hâncești district, and Penitentiary No. 10 - Goian, located in the Ciorescu commune, a suburb of Chișinău.
Most of the offences committed involved crimes against individuals and property attacks, totalling 12 cases.
Among the minors, 11 had not graduated from high school, as they were still in 8th or 9th grade.
This year, 13 minors have been released from these facilities: one was released after completing his full sentence, while the other 12 had their preventive detention substituted with another form of preventive measure.
As of March 31, 2026, there were 16 minors convicted and imprisoned in the country. Of these, 10 are serving their first conviction, while 4 are on their third or subsequent convictions.
The majority, six of the minors, were convicted of less serious crimes, while four committed exceptionally serious offences.
The most common crimes include murder, rape, robbery, and theft.
Among the 16 convicted minors, six are serving sentences of between 5 and 10 years, and another six have sentences ranging from one to three years in prison.
Most of the convicted minors are aged between 17 and 18.
