EU deeply concerned that Ernest Vardanyan has been denied basic rights

The EU Heads of Mission in Chisinau express their deep concern that the journalist Ernest Vardanyan, who was arrested by the Transnistrian security forces, has been denied the basic human rights and that representatives of the civil society have been recently interrogated in the Transnistrian region, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a statement issued by the European Union Delegation on behalf of the EU Heads of Mission in Chisinau. The EU Heads of Mission are following closely the case of the journalist Ernest Vardanyan, who was arrested on 7 April 2010 in Tiraspol. The EU Heads of Mission recall that human rights, and in particular the freedom of expression, as well as fundamental rights of detainees should be respected. It underlines in particular that these include the right of legal counsel of their own choosing; the right to be present or represented by a person of their own choosing at pre-trial detention hearings; and the right to contact their families. The EU Heads of Mission note with deep concern that Mr. Vardanyan has so far been denied these basic rights, the statement says. The EU Heads of Mission emphasize more generally that the detention of individuals on the basis that they are considered as undesirable by those exercising power constitutes a violation of human rights and that pre-trial detention should be only permissible in relation to specific and concrete offenses. At the same time, the EU Heads of Mission express their concern as several civil society representatives have been recently interrogated in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova. The EU Heads of Mission recall the key importance of civil society for socioeconomic development and underline that civil society must be able to work freely and without the fear of being subjected to arbitrary reprisal. The Council of Europe Office in Chisinau aligns itself with this statement.