Media NGOs are concerned and indignant about the actions taken to repress the freedom of speech on Tuesday, March 27. A joint statement signed by media organisations says that the law enforcement bodies’ actions concerning the arrest of the reporting crews of PRO TV Chisinau and DTV channels, the act of erasing the video tape of DTV, as well as the arrest of the Liberal Party members and “Hyde-Park” NGO representatives are a serious abuse. According to the statement, the actions taken by police were illegal and inadmissible in a state governed by the rule of law. “We qualify these actions as an attempt to intimidate the press, to hinder journalists from doing their job, as well as an attempt to silence critical voices”, the document says. As the actions to intimidate the media and journalists are common occurrence in recent years, without authorities taking a stand on this issue, media NGOs believe it is key to amend the Penal Code in order to punish the persons who intentionally obstruct media and intimidate citizen critics. The statement was signed by the Independent Journalism Centre, the Independent Press Association, Media IMPACT Agency, Committee for Freedom of Press, Electronic Media Association “APEL”, Centre of Investigative Journalism, Journalists’ Union of Moldova, and “Acces-info” Centre.