Social Democratic Party of Moldova Requests the Unconditional Release of the Pro TV Chisinau Employee

The abusive arrest of the Pro TV Chisinau television channel employee by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) represents an attempt by the government to intimidate and consequently, to subdue the independent television channel, which, through its fair, impartial and professional editorial policy has won the credibility of the audience, a declaration of the Social Democratic Party of Moldova (SDPM) states, forwarded to the press for broadcast. The SDPM characterize the MIA actions as a premeditated attack against a private television channel, which is part of a campaign to subdue the free press in the R. Moldova. The attempts of the authorities to privatize “Euro TV Chisinau” and “Antena C” stations, and after their failure, the attempts to affiliate the respective stations to the “Teleradio Moldova” Company can be included in the same context. “Pro TV is the only television channel with partial coverage in the country that broadcasts news without the censorship of the government, unlike the so called “public” Moldova 1 channel and the private NIT channel, both of which are affiliated to the government. The authors declare that the accusations brought to the Pro TV Chisinau employee are aberrations, and the methods of judicial research – inadequate, which proves that the justice system in the R. Moldova is not independent and that it only acts on the political commands of the government. The SDPM requests the unconditional release of the Pro TV Chisinau employee and his investigation at large. At the same time, the formation notifies the international structures, the embassies accredited in Chisinau and the civil society of the fact that, in spite of all the democratization declarations, the government is violating the legislation and continues to promote a policy of subordination and liquidation of the free press in the R. Moldova. The sales manager of Pro TV Chisinau, Ghenadie Braghis, was arrested for 10 days on Sunday, on the basis of a decision of the Court of the Rascani Sector. 3 days since his arrest under the accusation of taking bribe from an economical agent, who informed the authorities, Ghenadie Braghis has been kept in the detention isolator, without the right to defend himself.