We Condemn Tiraspol’s So-Called “Legislative” Initiative to Undermine Press Freedom and Urge Moldova’s Constitutional Authorities to Take Immediate Action
The Independent Journalism Center, alongside the undersigned media NGOs, strongly condemns the latest attempt by Tiraspol’s separatist forces to suppress press freedom. This time, they have introduced a so-called “legislative” initiative aimed at penalizing journalists who report from the Transnistrian region without accreditation.
On March 31, Tiraspol’s self-proclaimed “legislature” published a draft regulation proposing administrative fines for “foreign” journalists—including those from the right bank of the Dniester—who conduct journalistic activities in the region without prior approval from the separatist authorities.
According to the draft:
“Engaging in professional activities on the territory of the ‘Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic’ without accreditation by journalists of media outlets registered in foreign states, as well as engaging in journalistic activities by freelance media workers, shall result in an administrative fine of up to 10 RU MZP (approximately 160 MDL) for individuals, and between 20 (approximately 300 MDL) and 50 (approximately 800 MDL) RU MZP for persons with special liability.”
The so-called explanatory note accompanying the initiative states that fines will be imposed by the region’s “militia” and the “bodies responsible for press oversight and media supervision.” Tiraspol’s stated intention is to counteract the “spread of false information” and the publication of “negative materials” about life in the Transnistrian region.
The undersigned organizations vehemently condemn these illegal and abusive actions by the separatist forces in Tiraspol against journalists. We stress that such attempts to “legislate” additional[1] instruments to suppress press freedom are completely unacceptable.
This so-called “bill” is part of a broader series of unlawful and oppressive actions by the separatist regime in Tiraspol against media representatives. These actions include the illegal detention of Studio-L TV cameramen (November 15, 2024), journalist Timofei Iliușin (June 24, 2024), and TV8 journalist Viorica Tătaru (January 24, 2024), as well as the declaration of photojournalist Elena Covalenco as “undesirable” (September 21, 2023).
We call on Moldova’s constitutional authorities to take urgent and decisive action to ensure the immediate withdrawal of this so-called legislative initiative and to put an end to the ongoing repression of media freedom by Tiraspol’s separatist forces.
Furthermore, we urge the international community—particularly diplomatic actors engaging with the self-proclaimed authorities in Tiraspol, including the OSCE Mission in Moldova, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the EU Delegation, and embassies of EU member states—to strongly condemn this attack on press freedom. We call on them to raise this issue in diplomatic dialogues and to condition any international support for the region on the respect for fundamental human rights, including freedom of the press.
Independent Journalism Center
Organizations that have joined the statement:
- Association of Electronic Press
- Association of Independent Press
- Press Freedom Committee
- Association of Environmental and Ecological Tourism Journalists
- Access-Info Center
- Center for Investigative Journalism
- Media-Guard Association
[1] According to the so-called “Code of Administrative Offenses” of the region, any violation of the “access rules” to the region—including by journalists, such as bypassing illegal checkpoints—may result in fines of up to 1,600 MDL and/or detention in temporary holding facilities controlled by the so-called “Ministry of Security,” up to and including forced “expulsion” from the region.
