Media nongovernmental organizations express their concern about the threatening assertions applying to journalists made by the mayor of Orhei Ilan Shor, chairman of the Political Party “Shor Party”, which were published in the social media.

The organizations issued a statement whereby they make reference to a video where the politicians says that when he comes to power, he will apply a lustration law in relation to the journalists paid to write bad things about the people. According to the NGOs, Ilan Shor made such statements on July 20 in connection with a protest mounted by his supporters. “Stop writing bad things. I will get you!”, he said, referring to journalists.

The media organizations regret the inappropriate and insulting tone of the politician in relation to the representatives of the media. They call on the persons holding public posts to be calm, show common sense and not to use threats. “We remind that the persons who are not satisfied with the activity of a journalist or editorial staff can file complaints to the Press Council or can use such legal instruments as the issuing of a preliminary request or filing of a lawsuit. The threats and ultimatum-like tone against the journalists can be regarded as an attempt to impose censorship in the mass media, while censorship is illegal,” reads the statement.

The signatories are the Independent Journalism Center, the Association of Independent Press, the Journalistic Investigations Center, the Committee for the Freedom of the Press, the Association of Independent Tele-Journalists, “Acces-Info” Center and the Association of Investigative Reporters and Editorial Security.