Regime of Tiraspol arrests new opposition activists

The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Moldova (HCHRM) is worried about the recent arrests operated in Slobozia town by the unconstitutional regime from Tiraspol. According to a press-release, signed by the head of the Committee, Stefan Uratu, on August 18, Alexandru Macovenco, the member of the Transnistrian People’s Party and the leader of an initiative group of Slobozia’s People’s Party section. Between 17:00 and 18:00, a group of 5 armed persons, in a red VAZ truck, entered in the house of Macovenco, and identified themselves as employees of the criminal militia asking him to follow them. After about an hour, Albina Macovenco, his wife, telephoned to the militia and she was informed that her husband is not there. The arrest of Alexandru Macovenco happened a day after the arrest of Ghenadie Taran, the leader of “Dignitas” NGO, a member of which Macovenco is. 30 hours after the arrest of Ghenadie Taran, neither the family, either HCHRM do not know his location. The Helsinki Committee considers that the arrests justified by the investigations on the explosions occurred on July 5 and August 13, 2006 are used for political means by the FSB agents of the Russian Federation and by the intelligence services from Tiraspol aiming at maintaining the illegal regime which came to power through violence in 1992. According to HCHRM, these arrests aim at intimidating and liquidating opposition, on the eve of Transnistria’s independence referendum which will be organized in September and further presidential elections in the self-proclaimed separatist republic.