Arrest of Pro TV Chisinau’s employee concerns media organizations

7 media organization express their concern regarding the arrest of the sales manager of Pro TV Chisinau channel, Ghenadie Braghis, breaking his fundamental rights while detained, as well as regarding the searches in the Pro TV Chisinau’s office. According to a joint declaration of the media organizations, there are grounded reasons to believe that this arrest is linked to the investigations performed by Pro TV Chisinau on different matters of public concern, including the activity of the law enforcement bodies. They say this is an intimidation, a warning and a sanction for the disclosures that Pro TV Chisinau included in its reportages. The signers do not exclude the possibility that the search at the office of the TV channel aims at finding out station’s confidential information sources and new intimidation reasons. The authors solicit authorities to respect the legislation in force and to stop the harassment of the TV station Pro TV Chisinau and its employees. The declaration is signed by the Independent Journalism Center, “Acces-Info” Center, and Committee for the Freedom of Press, Electronic Press Association, Media Impact Agency, Journalistic Investigations Center and the Union of Journalists from Moldova. The sales manager of Pro TV Chisinau, Ghenadie Braghis was arrested on September 7, under the pretext of taking bribe. After 3 days of detention, the Court of Rascani district issued a 10 day arrest warrant. The team of Pro TV Chisinau considers that the arrest of their colleagues is a set up organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a response to the journalistic investigation related to the fake university certificate of the minister Gheorghe Papuc and that these actions aim at destroying the credibility of this independent TV channel.