Reporters Without Borders is very disturbed that the Moldovan authorities have been arresting journalists and even using violence against them amid angry protests and rioting about the results of last weekend’s parliamentary elections. Both Moldovan and Romanian journalists have been affected.
“We appeal to the authorities to act with care and restraint,” Reporters Without Borders said. “They have a duty to ensure that the detained journalists are released without delay and that media are able to work freely and safely. Moreover, the stigmatisation of Romania and Romanian journalists is a dangerous strategy. Both the Moldovan authorities and foreign governments must refrain from stirring up violence, especially ethnic violence.”
The press freedom organisation added : “We appeal to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe to take a firm position. The protection of journalists and civil rights is an essential part of the OSCE mandate.”
Oleg Brega, a journalist with the Internet TV station Jurnaltv.md and free speech activist involved in organising peaceful demonstrations, was attacked by five men, some wearing uniforms, while filming on 8 April in Chisinau. Brega and another journalist, Vasile Costiuc, were arrested yesterday. Costiuc was released but Brega is still being held. His apartment was searched today.
The editor of the Jurnal de Chisinau newspaper, Rodica Mahu, was arrested this morning by four men in plain clothes from the Department of Special Missions who claimed she was “gathering and evaluating information in order to attack a government building.” She was freed this afternoon. Cameraman Constantin Rogodantev of the ProTV Chisinau television station was attacked last night by masked policemen who smashed his camera.
Among the many Romanian journalists to be targeted was Doru Dendiu of the Romanian public television channel TvR, who was arrested today as he was about to introduce a report live for the 1pm news programme. A crew with the Romanian TV station Realitatae was detained for several hours last night.
Interior ministry officials threatened to jail or shoot Romanian journalists Evgenia Kironaki, Mihai Valentin Buzduga and Gabriel Colac. In the end, they were deported. Peru Terguta, a journalist who is the Romanian correspondent for Romania’s Antena 3 TV station and who also works for Moldova’s TV 7, was forced to leave the country under OSCE escort after receiving phone calls announcing his imminent arrest.
Meanwhile, the protests in the Republic of Moldova are continuing, as the harassment of journalists and the surrender of people suspected of being against the regime. A huge gathering of the opposition is scheduled for Sunday.
See also:
09.04.09/ Declaration of media NGOs from Moldova on the situation of the press, violations of the right to access to information and attacks on journalists.
Media NGOs are expressing serious concern about the recent deterioration of the media situation in Moldova, violations against the public right to access information and recent incidences of journalists' harassment by law enforcement officials.
Several reporters from the investigative newspaper "Ziarul de Garda," were harassed by police officers on the evening of April 8, 2009. The journalists' arms were physically assaulted and were told that their cameras would be destroyed. On the same day, while doing his job, Oleg Brega, a cameraman for the Internet news channel Jurnal TV, was beaten by several individuals wearing plain clothes who then seized two of his video cameras. Ziarul de Garda and Jurnal TV have gathered evidence from both incidents which could identify the perpetrators, and are willing to provide this evidence to law enforcement officials.
On Thursday, April 9, the social networking websites, Facebook.com and Odnoklassniki. ru were blocked for users in Moldova. The day before, administrators discovered that the server of the information portal Unimedia.md had been attacked several times. A number of online resources have been blocked for Moldovan users over the past 3 days. TV stations Realitatea TV and TVR 1 have been taken off the list of cable operators in Moldova. These stations disappeared on Tuesday night, at around 21.00. Cable operators have cited technical difficulties as the cause, but the rebroadcasting have yet to be restored. Consequently, Moldovans are being denied access to vital international sources of information.
The signatory organizations contributing to this statement vehemently protest the attacks made on working journalists by Moldovan law enforcement officials and demand an immediate end to these abusive and illegal practices. The victims' cases should be thoroughly investigated and those responsible for the attacks must be brought to justice.
In support of the constitutional right to access to information for all citizens through media, the signatory organizations call upon Moldovan authorities to ensure media freedom under the obligations incumbent to a member of the Council of Europe and to facilitate the public's access to information.
Independent Journalism Center
Association of Independent Press
Investigative Journalism Center
Young Journalist Center of Moldova
Union of Journalists of Moldova
Broadcast Media Association
"Acees-info" Center
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