Journalists in the Republic of Moldova make common cause with their counterparts who cover professionally the war in Ukraine, but are intimidated by the Russian authorities. In a flashmob event staged in front of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Chisinau, these carried placards saying “No to war” and “United for freedom of the press. Truth cannot be suppressed!”, IPN reports.

Nadine Gogu, executive director of the Independent Journalism Center, said that in over a year of the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, she ascertained with regret that the number of journalists who died in the line of duty has increased and in some of the cases it goes to execution or even war crimes.

In the Russian Federation, the number of journalists who are deprived of freedom because they try to say the truth has grown against a massive wave of propaganda and disinformation coming from Russia to other states, but which affects the minds of people there too. “This way, we make common cause with the journalist from The Wall Street Journal, Evan Gershkovich, and with counterparts from the Russian Federation who were arrested and even sentenced to jail because they covered the war in Ukraine,” stated Nadine Gogu.

Also today, the Independent Journalism Center, alongside other media NGOs, signed a memo on the freedom of the media in the Republic of Moldova (May 3, 2022 – May 3, 2023) in which they note that in 30 years of the institution of World Press Freedom Day, despite the ratification of international treaties and the constant signaling of the obstruction of the media’s access to information of public interest, the journalists continue to face abusive practices on the part of the authorities.