The participants in protests can wear masks or have their faces covered. At least the legislation does not ban this when the demonstration is peaceful. The possibility of banning the covering of the face during demonstrations started to be considered in reaction to less peaceful protests. Asked by IPN to comment, lawyer Victor Panțîru said the human rights  should not be limited by easing the work of the police. On the contrary, solutions should be identified to ensure the right to protest freely and peacefully, while the competent services should do their job.

The lawyer noted the Moldovan legislation on assembly is appreciated at European level for its democratic views on the guaranteeing of the right to free expression. This is described as very democratic by the Council of Europe as well. They discuss the necessity of banning the covering of the face during protests, but the arguments in favor of the amendment are inferior to those against.

Victor Panțîru said the eventual changes would leave room for interpretation and abuse. “For example, a judge comes from a football match with a drawing showing the team he supports on his face. As this team won, he and other fans go from the stadium to the Great National Assembly Square to celebrate the team’s victory. The persons have their faces covered. Does this mean the police should disperse or arrest them?” he asked.

According to the lawyer, the police have specialized services that should conduct investigations to identity ill-intentioned persons even if these covered their faces. The police officers should not limit themselves only to what is visible to the general public. There are methods of identifying those with a violent behavior, for example, or when minors are involved.