The Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) has issued the final verdict in the case concerning the attempted murder of former Democratic Party leader Vlad Plahotniuc. All individuals previously convicted in this case have been acquitted, and they now question who will be held accountable for the abuses committed.
During a press conference at IPN, one of the acquitted individuals, Valerian Zabolotnii, stated that he had dedicated his life to professional sports and held the title of master in freestyle wrestling. He defended and promoted sports, athletes, and sports-related goals. He also fought against illegal activities, including drug trafficking. Zabolotnii claims that his civic stance displeased certain individuals, and one day, he found himself confronted by masked officers and was detained. Searches followed, including at his home, in the presence of his minor children. Zabolotnii asserts that he was repeatedly threatened with spending the rest of his life behind bars if he didn’t make the statements demanded of him. He also complained of being held in inhumane detention conditions and subjected to psychological pressure to confess to acts he did not commit.
According to him, judges, who allegedly had "consultations" with Plahotniuc and were reportedly threatened, sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Hoping for justice, he filed an appeal with the Court of Appeal. However, the situation worsened - three more years were added to his 20-year sentence. After more than seven years of detention, the CSJ acquitted him. Zabolotnîi is now awaiting the decision of the European Court of Human Rights and states that any financial compensation he receives will be allocated to promoting a healthy lifestyle among young people.
Attorney Vladimir Curmeli recalled that this criminal case was initiated on April 4, 2017, and the final sentence was issued by the CSJ only on October 3, 2024. The investigations lasted seven and a half years, during which innocent individuals were deprived of their liberty. During this time, detention measures were extended without substantial investigations, with clear evidence of external influences. According to the lawyer, the CSJ's examination also lasted around two years, making the path to a final decision extremely challenging.
Note:IPN Agency offers the right of reply to individuals who consider themselves targeted by the news based on the statements made by the organizers of the press conference, including by facilitating another press conference under similar conditions.
