ECHR could soon pronounce a judgement on the case filed by Timpul newspaper

By the end of the year, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) could pronounce a judgement on the complaint lodged with the Court by “Timpul” newspaper, said lawyer Alexandru Tanase at the meeting of the Investigative Journalists Club, held Friday on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day. “I believe that the Court will rule in the plaintiff’s favour”, the lawyer said. “Timpul” appealed in ECHR the judgements of the domestic courts that ordered the newspaper to pay enormous libel damages to a Moldova-registered company. The weekly, which didn’t manage to find the money, was thereby forced to re-register as “Timpul de dimineata” to survive. In the context, Tanase said that the defamation suits in Moldova differ from those examined in other countries. First of all, the readers have an erroneous perception about the notion of reputation, and this should make journalists more careful about the way they approach certain issues; however, it must not degenerate into self-censorship. There is an unwritten rule obliging the judges to disfavour media institutions in court, the lawyer explained. To avoid situations that could entail penalty, Tanase says, reporters must make a clear distinction between value judgement and statements. It is also very useful to give the readers the second point of view, and to get informed from as many sources as possible. Lawyer Janet Hanganu told the same meeting that journalists should pay close attention to the sources and information they cite, mentioning that ECHR encourages critical reporting, but also appreciates professionalism. The annual report “Freedom of the Press” publicised in advance of the World Press Freedom Day by “Freedom House” shows that both state-run and private media in Moldova continue to promote self-censorship, and many journalists avoid controversial issues, like poverty and unemployment, that might cost them their jobs or draw libel suits. The report placed Moldova 144 out of 195, among the countries where the press in not free.