Media nongovernmental organizations condemn the restrictions imposed by Tiraspol on photojournalist Elena Covalenco, describing them as illegal. In a public statement, the NGOs say that Tiraspol continues applying abusive and illegal practice towards journalists and call on the constitutional authorities of the Republic of Moldova to ensure the citizens enjoy the rights and freedoms that are guaranteed by law, IPN reports.

On September 21, photojournalist Elena Covalenco was informed that she was banned entry into the Transnistria region. The unconstitutional authorities from the left side of the Nistru declared her “undesirable” for a period of three years following a trip she made to the Transnistria region in the middle of June. She then accompanied a journalist who was producing an article for Deutsche Welle.

The signatories of the statement warn the legitimate authorities of the Republic of Moldova about the gravity of the limitations of the human rights and freedoms by violating the individual freedoms and the safety of persons and the special rights guaranteed to journalists.

“The signatory organizations vehemently condemn the abusive and illegal actions of the separatist forces from Tiraspol, which are aimed against journalists, and warn that such serous violations cannot be tolerated. We call on the legitimate authorities of the Republic of Moldova to take note of these defying practices and to take the required measures to ensure the observance of the rights and freedoms guaranteed by law to the press,” runs the statement.

The signatories are the Independent Journalism Center, the Association of Independent Press, the Electronic Press Association, the Journalistic Investigations Center, the Committee for the Freedom of the Press, Media Guard Association, “Acces-Info” Center, RISE Moldova, and the Association of Environmental and EcoTourism Journalists.