Statement on the increase in the number of cases of assault and intimidation of journalists

Against the backdrop of an increase in the number of cases of intimidation of journalists, the Independent Journalism Center, together with co-signing organizations, calls on the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to strengthen, as a matter of priority, legal guarantees regarding the safety and protection of journalists in order to address emerging threats to the press and counteract the culture of impunity.

In recent months, we have witnessed with deep concern an alarming escalation of attacks against media representatives, manifested in physical harm, offensive harassment, and intimidation of reporters covering protests or approaching politicians to obtain answers.

In the last two weeks alone, at least five reporters have been intimidated, assaulted, and/or harassed. At the PSRM rally on June 23, reporters from the Fără Filtre media project, Constantin Niculae and Veronica Gherbovețchi, were targeted with intimidation and physical aggression by some of the participants in the demonstration. Nadejda Roșcovanu, a photojournalist for Jurnal.md, was also assaulted last week, on June 27, inside the capital’s City Hall, by municipal councilor Ludmila Polodiuc, vice president of the MAN faction. On July 1, during a court hearing on the criminal case of the Gagauzia governor, journalist Măriuța Nistor from Ziarul de Gardă was intimidated and threatened by Alexei Lungu, president of the “Șansă” party, affiliated with Ilan Șor. On July 3, TV8 journalist Andrei Captarenco also became the target of aggression. He was struck on the head with a flag by a protester who had come to support Bashkan Evghenia Guțul at a new court hearing.

The signatory organizations strongly condemn these cases, emphasizing that the actions of the attackers and harassers constitute a violation of the right to physical integrity, individual freedom, and safety, as well as an interference with the special rights guaranteed to journalists.

According to the Law on Freedom of Expression, the state guarantees freedom of expression of the press, and the illegal obstruction of media activity is a criminal offense. We emphasize that bodily harm or injury to health, insults, and offensive accosting of persons in public places are acts criminalized by law.

The undersigned organizations strongly condemn the illegal actions of the perpetrators against the press and point out that such violations cannot be tolerated.

We note with regret that the special guarantees for the protection of the media currently enshrined in the national legal framework – specifically, Article 180/1 of the Criminal Code, which criminalises actions that intentionally obstruct the work of the media or intimidate journalists for their criticism – are insufficient and ineffective. This finding is supported both by the lack of cases of practical application of this mechanism and by the proliferation of impunity, especially among certain categories of politicized perpetrators with hostile attitudes towards the press.

We call on the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to treat the reported problem as a priority and to ensure:

• The perpetrators are held accountable.
• The revision and strengthening of the legal framework for the protection of journalists, including by improving regulations establishing criminal liability for attacks and intimidation against the press.
• The creation of a monitoring, alert, and rapid response mechanism to document cases of aggression against journalists and ensure a prompt and effective response.
• Training the relevant authorities, in particular the police and the prosecution service, on the specificities of investigating cases of violence or intimidation against the press, and allocating the necessary resources for effective law enforcement.
• Ensuring the safety of journalists by the General Police Inspectorate during protests and public events, as well as prompt intervention whenever their physical or moral integrity is endangered.

Independent Journalism Center

Organizations that have joined the statement:

• Association of Independent Press
• RISE Moldova
• Association of Electronic Press
• Association of Environmental and EcoTourism Journalists of Moldova
• Press Freedom Committee
• Access-Info Center
• Media-Guard Association
• Center for Investigative Journalism