Media NGOs condemn the aggressive and unacceptable behaviour of the members of the People’s Assembly of ATU Gagauzia against journalists

Media NGOs express their concern about the actions of the People’s Assembly of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia (ATUG) that undermine the freedom of expression of the press and call for the immediate intervention of law enforcement bodies to hold accountable the members and employees of the People’s Assembly for obstructing the work of the media.

On 5 July 2022, the Nokta journalist Slava Radulov became the target of insults and other aggressive behaviour by members of UTAG People’s Assembly, and was physically forced to leave the authority’s public meeting.

We stress that, according to the law, Gagauzia is administered under the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, other national laws and ‘regulatory acts of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, which do not contradict the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of Moldova’.

We inform members of the ATUG People’s Assembly that Article 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova guarantees every citizen freedom of thought, opinion and expression in public by any possible means. Article 111 of the Supreme Law stipulates that all rights and freedoms provided for in the Constitution and legislation of the Republic of Moldova are guaranteed on the territory of the ATUG. At the same time, according to Law on Freedom of Expression, the state guarantees the freedom of expression of the media and no one may prohibit or prevent the media from disseminating information except under the law. On the same note, we recall that, according to the provisions of the Regulations of Gagauzia, ‘plenary sessions of the People’s Assembly are open to the public. Any interested person may attend a People’ s Assembly meeting, unless the law provides otherwise’.

The signatory organisations express their indignation at the illegal actions of members of People’s Assembly of Gagauzia, stressing that they are contrary not only to the generally accepted rules of conduct in a democratic society, but also to the provisions of the Moldovan law.

The actions of the person who physically restrained the Nokta journalist are a violation of the person’s right to bodily integrity, personal liberty and safety, as well as interference with the special rights guaranteed to journalists. We emphasize that deliberate obstruction of media or journalistic activity, as well as intimidation of the media or of a journalist for criticism, is an offence under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova.

We remind that this is not the only attempt by the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia to obstruct the constitutional right to free expression of the media.

We demand that the members of the People’s Assembly use decent language and behaviour, and that they refrain in the future from behaving in any way that is intolerant in relation to journalists and media outlets.

We ask the law enforcement bodies of the Republic of Moldova, by virtue of their legal powers, to take note of the deeds committed and to initiate the procedures provided for by law in order to hold accountable the persons who, defying the principle of transparency in the decision-making process and the freedom of the press, resort to violent and unacceptable actions in a democratic society.

Independent Journalism Center

Media Guard Association 

Association of Electronic Press

Association of Independent Press

Access-Info Center

RISE Moldova