Coalition 2009 concerned with police breeching citizens' rights

The Civic Coalition for Free and Fair Elections – Coalition 2009, monitoring work of the state agencies during the pre-elections period, is “deeply concerned about the police breeching the citizens' rights and and political freedoms unjustly,” and calls the police to abide by the law, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to a communique by Coalition 2009, its observers found “the continuation of abusive practices of the police violently obstructing peaceful picketing.” Anatol Matasaru, who was peacefully protesting on January 29 in front of the General Prosecutor's Office, was publicly aggressed by armed police officers, being taken by force into the custody of the police, and then taken to a court, which adjourned the trial. “The disproportionate acts of the police officers displayed publicly have as effect the intimidation of citizens and their determination to give up exerting their political rights and freedoms, especially of the right to assembly. The policemen's illegal actions, which may be penally liable, mar the image of the institution they represent, express disregard for the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. The frequent admittance of abuses on the part of police is incompatible with the principles and norms of a democratic state,” reads the communique. The Coalition maintains that this case proves a lack of some policemen's awareness of the constitutional norms and of the law on public assemblies, who, in spite of the numerous calls on the part of the civil society to observe the law, continue the vicious practice of restricting the freedoms of expression and protesting. The Coalition reminds the authorities that the free and fair elections mean not just ensuring the voting procedures, but also a set of neighboring rights, as the freedom of assembly, of expression, non-discrimination, of association, of electing and being elected, which, realized together, insure free and fair polls. Coalition 2009 reiterates its recommendations as to the need to ensure the respect for the Moldovan citizens' political rights and freedoms and expresses its regret about continuing the abusive practice of the police restricting the citizens' rights. Coalition 2009 is a voluntary union of NGOs setting the course to contribute to ensure free, fair, transparent and democratic elections for the Parliament and joins 32 members.