Media organisations concerned about new police aggression against journalists

Mass media and human rights nongovernmental organisations are worried about the recent police attack on a Pro TV crew on duty. The organisations ask the authorities to investigate the case and punish the persons to blame because the uncivilized and aggressive behaviour of the police towards the journalists is encouraged by the lack of reaction on the part of the authorities in similar cases of aggression against journalists and when the access to information is denied. The NGOs call on the Moldovan authorities to make sure that the police in Moldova observe journalists’ right to get informed and to inform the others about public events. They also call on the international organisations and embassies in Moldova, on representatives of the civil society and mass media from the country and abroad to react to the violations of the fundamental human rights and of press freedom in Moldova. Two policemen with Kalashnikov rifles mistreated the reporter and cameraman of the television channel Pro TV Chisinau, Angela Gonta and Vlad Culiomza, who filmed how the police and the doctors were taking a man out of a Chisinau house by force on October 19. Among the subscribing organisations are the Independent Journalism Centre, the Association of Electronic Press, the Association of Independent Press, Acces-Info Centre, the Committee for the Freedom of the Press, the Union of Journalists of Moldova.