Activist Domnica Cemortan expresses her dissatisfaction with a judgment passed by a judge of the Centru District Court of Chisinau concerning the use of her name for commercial purposes. The court ruled that her name and surname can be used by third persons for different purpose and she thus intends to challenge this decision in the Appeals Court.
In a news conference at IPN, the activist said that the lawsuit was filed two years ago when a person used her name and surname on a billboard. The advertisement was aimed at attracting Italian citizens to Moldova. “The case is very simple. My name was used for commercial purposes by a person and I went to court to punish this person,” stated Domnica Cemortan.
According to her, it’s not normal for her name and surname to be used for commercial or other kinds of purposes. The judge decided that her name or the name of any other Moldovan can be used as someone wants. “We witness a situation when the offensive and illegal things become a norm,” said the young woman.
The activist noted that during the trial that lasted for almost two years, she saw the judge only once, when the judgment was passed. In the period, the judge was on sick leave for five times and on vacation for three times. The judge also rejected the request to erase the information with her name posted on a number of webpages.
In the news conference, Domnica Cemortan presented an image showing the judge who tried her case with a mug of beer in his hand. She argued that the judge himself ruled that anyone can use the name and image of a person.
The activist’s lawyer Marin Postu said this case is an ordinary one that should have been judged by 2-3 hearings. He stated will dispute the decision in the Appeals Court and will follow how the judiciaries honor their obligations to the people.
