Media nongovernmental organizations condemn the attempts to press and intimidate journalists in Gagauzia made by representatives of the local administration. In a statement, they demand that illegal threatening practices should be immediately ceased, IPN reports.

According to the signatories of the statement, on January 22, 2024, Laf.md informed that the journalists of this portal and their colleagues from Nokta.md have come under pressure from representatives of the local authorities, referring to statements made by Mikhail Vlah, adviser to Bashkan (Governor) Yevgenia Guțul, who is responsible for relations with the media.

In a video broadcast live on January 12 on the social networking website Facebook, Mikhail Vlah names the Nokta.md reporters “pseudo-journalists who can be bought” and in the text that accompanies the video threatens by saying “I think the time comes when we have to muzzle them!”

On January 16, in another live video published on the same website, Mikhail Vlah says that “in Gagauzia there is a grant-eater, the disrespected Mikhail Sirkeli who slanders local deputies and also the Bashkan.”

The signatory organizations vehemently condemn the unacceptable behavior of Mikhail Vlah, which is directed against media representatives and signal the unacceptance of such an attitude. The media NGOs recall that these are not the only attacks on inconvenient journalists in Gagauzia by representatives of the local administration and insist that these illegal intimidation practices be stopped.

According to the Law on the Freedom of Expression, the state guarantees the freedom of expression of the press. The illegal obstruction of the media activity entails criminal liability. Also, the signatory NGOs emphasize that the threat with murder or serious harm to the bodily integrity or health, including through an information system, are punishable in accordance with the criminal legislation.

“We ask the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Moldova, by virtue of their legal duties, to take note of the committed acts and to initiate the procedures provided by law in order to hold accountable the author of the threats,” reads the statement.

The signatories are the Center for Independent Journalism, the Association of Independent Press, RISE Moldova, the Investigative Journalism Center, the Association of Electronic Press, the Center “Acces-Info” and “Media Guard” Association.