Former staff of Antena C qualifies the actions by police against journalists as harassment of free media

The old staff of “Antena C” radio station is indignant at the actions undertaken by police against the journalists from PRO TV Chisinau, DTV and TV-7, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a solidarity statement signed by the journalists “sacked from Antena C”, they express their deep indignation about the events which took place on March 27, when their colleagues were persecuted by police. The journalists qualify these events as abuses, intimidation and harassment of free media by the government. At the same time, the journalists from “Antena C” say that the freedom of media is an every-day target in Moldova. “It is attacked with bombs, eggs and police clubs”, this situation being confirmed by the fact that the journalists from “Antena C” and several journalists from “Euro TV Chisinau” were thrown out in the street, and the journalists from PRO TV Chisinau, DTV and TV-7 – were transported in police vans and were threatened by the law enforcement bodies. The statement also says that the events occurred on Tuesday confirm the wrong direction chosen by the government, which hinders the democratic process, throttles the freedom of speech and the freedom to information. These attempts have become a common occurrence on the eve of elections, the authors of the statement say, adding that because of this, media experiences difficulties in doing their main job – to inform fairly the public. The former team of the “Antena C” calls on the authorities in Moldova, international bodies, diplomatic representatives, civil society, institutions protecting journalists, to take up an attitude regarding the renewed attacks on the media and continuous degradation of the freedom of speech in Moldova. Several media organisations, as well as democratic political parties condemned the actions undertaken by police on Tuesday, March 27, qualifying them as a diversion from the declared aspirations of the government.