Amnesty International Moldova is requesting the Prosecutor General’s Office to start an investigation into the alleged use of teargas and other special measures by what appeared to be riot police against peaceful protesters outside the Orhei District Court today.

The human rights organization said footage available from the rally showed no manifest threat that could warrant such measures. Still, uniformed men without insignia used force to disperse the crowd, in a manner that by some protesters’ account was disproportionate and uncalled for.

The crowd had gathered to support Gheorghe Petic as he stood trial in the Orhei Court. The former border police colonel turned opposition politician rose to prominence after he exposed alleged cigarette schemes across the border with Romania. But he ended up being prosecuted himself, on what Petic says were trumped-up rape charges. The Friday trial eventually concluded with a 42 months’ imprisonment sentence for Petic.

The Moldovan Police, for its part, said an officer in the cordon outside the courtroom was forced to use teargas after being threatened and assaulted by one protester. The actions of the officer in question will be investigated by district prosecutors, the Police said, asking protest organizers to refrain in the future from “provocations, assaults, and attempts to impede police officers from doing their job”.