Rights Group Urges Investigation Into Suspected CIA Prison in Romania

Romanian authorities have an obligation to conduct an effective investigation into the existence of a CIA "black site" in Romania,according to the executive director of the Helsinki Committee Association for the defense of human rights in Romania Maria-Nicoleta Andreescu.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Romanian authorities should conduct a comprehensive investigation into the existence of a CIA "black site" in Romania, the executive director of the Helsinki Committee Association for the defense of human rights in Romania told Sputnik Thursday.

The plea came after former Romanian President Ion Iliescu revealed on Tuesday that he had approved CIA requests to set up at least one secret prison in Romania, where prisoners were subject to torture. Iliescu admitted that he deeply regretted that decision.

"We still believe that the authorities have an obligation to conduct an effective investigation, which they have not done so far," Maria-Nicoleta Andreescu said.

She added that a parliamentary investigation into the matter proved to be ineffective, while a criminal case is still pending after being opened three years ago by the prosecutor's office.

Andreescu also said that no conclusions should be made before the investigation is completed despite the gravity of former President Iliescu's revelations.

She stressed that Poland, Lithuania and now Romania are all known to have hosted US secret detention facilities used by the CIA in the so-called War on Terror, initiated by the United States following the September 11, 2011 attacks.