emma_goldman
13th September 2006, 00:26
News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International
Moldova: Freedom of expression under attack
Nine people in Moldova are at risk of being tried and sentenced for the
peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and assembly
with one activist appearing in court this week. If they are sentenced
to prison Amnesty International will consider them prisoners of
conscience and will call for their immediate and unconditional release.
The nine members of the Moldovan non-governmental organization (NGO),
Hyde Park, were arrested on 30 August at a demonstration in the capital,
Chişinǎu, for which they had been granted permission. They were
demanding the erection of a statue to the famous Romanian writer Liviu
Rebreanu. However, a large number of police descended upon them and in 30
seconds all nine participants in the demonstration were forced into several
police cars. Audio recordings made on a mobile phone during the arrest
by one of the members of Hyde Park show no evidence that the
demonstrators resisted the police or insulted them.
The demonstrators were detained for 40 hours in the badly ventilated
cells at Buiucani district police station. During this time they were
given nothing to eat or drink, were not provided with bedding and only had
limited access to a toilet. A lawyer was present and asked to speak to
them, but police officers turned down the request on the grounds that
he had not yet drawn up a contract with the accused. In addition, police
officers studied and deleted all photographic and video contents from
the detainees’ mobile phones without getting a court order.
"These nine people are going to be tried for the legitimate exercise of
their rights to freedom of association and assembly," said Heather
McGill, Amnesty International's researcher on Moldova.
"Their treatment by the police violates international human rights
conventions that Moldova is party to."
In a letter to the General Prosecutor, Amnesty International has asked
for the charges against the demonstrators relating to participation in
or organization of an unsanctioned meeting to be dropped since Hyde
Park had permission for the demonstration. The organization has also asked
the General Prosecutor to examine the charges of resisting, and
insulting police officers, and to investigate thoroughly the actions of the
police officers in this case.
33-year old Oleg Brega is going to appear in court on 13 September
2006. He may be charged in connection with organizing an unsanctioned
meeting in spite of a decision by the appeal court on 28 August granting
them permission. Angela Lungu, Anatolie Juraveli, Roman Cotelia, Mariana
Galescu, Sergiu Trocin, Anatol Hristea-stan, Radu Vasilascu and Vitalie
Dragan, between 18 and 50 years of age, were charged under Article 174
of the Administrative Code for participating in an unsanctioned
meeting, resisting the police and insulting police officers. They will be
tried at the end of September and could face maximum prison sentences of 30
days or a fine.
Background
Other recent events have also shown a lack of respect by the Moldovan
authorities for freedom of expression. On 31 August, a signature
collecting action organized jointly by Amnesty International Moldova with
other NGOs as part of the Stop Violence against Women campaign was
disrupted by police officers who tried to prevent the lesbian, gay bisexual and
transgender organization GenderDoc-M from displaying their banner. The
police claimed that GenderDoc-M carries out propaganda for homosexual
lifestyles, and that the organization had not been named as an official
participant in the action. The police eventually withdrew, but
threatened to inform the Mayor of Chişinǎu that Amnesty International Moldova
cooperates with GenderDoc-M, so that it can take this into consideration
when giving permission for future actions.
The Mayor of Chişinǎu refused permission to hold a Gay Pride rally in
Chisinau on April 28 this year on the grounds that religious groups had
announced that they would organize protest actions if the rally went
ahead.
All AI documents on Moldova:
http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maae87WabtdM8bHtN7fb/
International
Moldova: Freedom of expression under attack
Nine people in Moldova are at risk of being tried and sentenced for the
peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and assembly
with one activist appearing in court this week. If they are sentenced
to prison Amnesty International will consider them prisoners of
conscience and will call for their immediate and unconditional release.
The nine members of the Moldovan non-governmental organization (NGO),
Hyde Park, were arrested on 30 August at a demonstration in the capital,
Chişinǎu, for which they had been granted permission. They were
demanding the erection of a statue to the famous Romanian writer Liviu
Rebreanu. However, a large number of police descended upon them and in 30
seconds all nine participants in the demonstration were forced into several
police cars. Audio recordings made on a mobile phone during the arrest
by one of the members of Hyde Park show no evidence that the
demonstrators resisted the police or insulted them.
The demonstrators were detained for 40 hours in the badly ventilated
cells at Buiucani district police station. During this time they were
given nothing to eat or drink, were not provided with bedding and only had
limited access to a toilet. A lawyer was present and asked to speak to
them, but police officers turned down the request on the grounds that
he had not yet drawn up a contract with the accused. In addition, police
officers studied and deleted all photographic and video contents from
the detainees’ mobile phones without getting a court order.
"These nine people are going to be tried for the legitimate exercise of
their rights to freedom of association and assembly," said Heather
McGill, Amnesty International's researcher on Moldova.
"Their treatment by the police violates international human rights
conventions that Moldova is party to."
In a letter to the General Prosecutor, Amnesty International has asked
for the charges against the demonstrators relating to participation in
or organization of an unsanctioned meeting to be dropped since Hyde
Park had permission for the demonstration. The organization has also asked
the General Prosecutor to examine the charges of resisting, and
insulting police officers, and to investigate thoroughly the actions of the
police officers in this case.
33-year old Oleg Brega is going to appear in court on 13 September
2006. He may be charged in connection with organizing an unsanctioned
meeting in spite of a decision by the appeal court on 28 August granting
them permission. Angela Lungu, Anatolie Juraveli, Roman Cotelia, Mariana
Galescu, Sergiu Trocin, Anatol Hristea-stan, Radu Vasilascu and Vitalie
Dragan, between 18 and 50 years of age, were charged under Article 174
of the Administrative Code for participating in an unsanctioned
meeting, resisting the police and insulting police officers. They will be
tried at the end of September and could face maximum prison sentences of 30
days or a fine.
Background
Other recent events have also shown a lack of respect by the Moldovan
authorities for freedom of expression. On 31 August, a signature
collecting action organized jointly by Amnesty International Moldova with
other NGOs as part of the Stop Violence against Women campaign was
disrupted by police officers who tried to prevent the lesbian, gay bisexual and
transgender organization GenderDoc-M from displaying their banner. The
police claimed that GenderDoc-M carries out propaganda for homosexual
lifestyles, and that the organization had not been named as an official
participant in the action. The police eventually withdrew, but
threatened to inform the Mayor of Chişinǎu that Amnesty International Moldova
cooperates with GenderDoc-M, so that it can take this into consideration
when giving permission for future actions.
The Mayor of Chişinǎu refused permission to hold a Gay Pride rally in
Chisinau on April 28 this year on the grounds that religious groups had
announced that they would organize protest actions if the rally went
ahead.
All AI documents on Moldova:
http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maae87WabtdM8bHtN7fb/