The Government of Moldova considers that the decision to sentence journalist Ernest Vardanyan to 15 years in jail taken by the Transnistrian authorities is illegal and unfounded and represents a defiance of the human rights and the calls made by the public and the international community. “We firmly condemn the behavior of the Transnistrian administration, which groundlessly opened legal cases against Ilie Cazac and Ernest Vardanyan, by violating the rights to access to qualified legal aid and a legal and independent court,” the Government says in a statement, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. According to the Government of Moldova, these actions run counter to the measures aimed at building confidence between the two banks of the Nistru River. They affect mainly the interests of the Transnistrian population and go against the positions expressed by the partners in the Transnistrian conflict settlement talks in the 5+2 format. The Government calls on the mediators and observers and the international organizations to intervene. “The Government hopes a correct solution is still possible and announces it will continue to take all the possible measures to release Ernest Vardanyan and Ilie Cazac and will support the families of the two citizens of Moldova,” says the statement. On December 16, a court in Tiraspol sentenced Ernest Vardanyan to 15 years’ imprisonment for treason and espionage for Moldova. Ilie Cazac’s case is still being examined. He faces punishment on the same charges.