Lawyer Ala Raevschi claimed that her son-in-law and client, Oleg Pruteanu, who is accused of drug trafficking, is being held in preventive detention for 25 months, based on the same accusation, without criminal prosecution, while being tortured. Additionally, the lawyer accuses the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases of spreading false information related to Oleg Pruteanu in order to mislead the public.
In an IPN press conference, Ala Raevschi said that a piece of fake information regarding her client is that the criminal file that targets Oleg Pruteanu was recently transmitted by the Russian Federation. According to the defense lawyer, the criminal file was sent to Moldova in October 2018. Much of it, which does not concern Oleg Pruteanu, is already under judicial review.
"This indictment is included in the file that is under criminal prosecution, for which Pruteanu was detained for 12 months, then for an additional 12 month period. The prosecutor cannot claim that the case has arrived just now”, the lawyer said.
Ala Raevschi presented images with ordinances, requests, complaints and video images of the release of Oleg Pruteanu from Penitentiary 13 and his immediate detention. Ala Raevschi insists that Oleg Pruteanu was not released in 2018, as prosecutors claim, but is in continuous 25-month detention, without being sentenced. On September 20, Pruteanu was supposed to be released, because the prosecutor's request was not extended. However, he was handcuffed the moment he went through the prison's exit door.
“Moldovan justice system is in shambles. The fact that prosecutors lie with impunity in order to mislead public opinion shows a well-defined purpose: mimicking the fight with drug trafficking and protecting real drug dealers”, said Ala Raevschi. According to her, the system wants to make Oleg Pruteanu a scapegoat.
The lawyer added that law enforcement does not work and that "all the claims regarding the establishment of the rule of law, respect for human rights, as well as a fair, transparent and independent justice, are only declarative". According to her, "those who served the previous regime, now successfully serve the new government." "The rule of law is disregarded, while the corrupt officials laugh while engaging in horrible activity", said Ala Raevschi.
The defense appealed to the country's president and prime minister to take a stand on this case, otherwise, nothing will change.
