The criminal case started after a policeman from Florești was kidnapped while in the yard of his house in Camenca town by employees of the Transnistrian militia was transmitted for continuing the investigation to the Prosecutor’s Office to Organized Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS), IPN reports, quoting a press release of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

There was formed a criminal investigation group that, besides specialized prosecutors, includes prosecutors of the Florești Prosecutor’s Office, investigation officers of the Ministry of the Interior and the Security and Intelligence Service. The group is to ensure the investigation into this case so as to identify those to blame. The criminal case was started over kidnapping of a person and usurpation of the official position that carry a penalty of up to ten years in jail.

In a press release, the Government notes that these concerted efforts of the de facto forces of the region are an incontestable violation of the basic human rights and a challenge to state security and the law. To elucidate all the circumstances of this case, the Government mobilized all its forces so as to identify the whereabouts of the person, to communicate with family members and close persons and offer them support, to inform the participants in the 5+2 format, the development partners and the international human rights organizations. In the meeting of the OSCE PA Standing Committee held in Vienna today, Moldova’s delegation will raise the issue of constant violation of human rights and will inform all the OSCE member states about the human rights violations.

“The Government and the constitutional authorities will not tolerate the abuses against Moldovan citizens and will activate all the legal, political and institutional instruments to counteract the violations of the constitutional rights and the destabilization of the situation in the country amid the events related to elections. We call on the national and local partners to make common cause with the Government of the Republic of Moldova so as to remedy the human rights situation.”

For its part, the Ministry of the Interior said the evidence collected yesterday shows the police officer was kidnapped and taken to Tiraspol. Measures are being taken to determine where he is now. A similar case occurred in Camenca on October 7. A man from the town was also seized by the forces from Tiraspol on suspicion that he was involved in alleged illegalities.