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RISE Moldova journalists claim that prosecutor Pavel Vinitchi pressured them when they were gathering information, several months ago, for a material about a drug trafficking network. The investigation titled “(SECRET DOCUMENTS / VIDEO) Bribe for drugs” was published on October 12 this year on rise.md, and that prosecutor was mentioned in the material, suspected of having links with a member of the drug trafficking network.
RISE Moldova director Iurie Sanduta told Media Azi that the prosecutor insisted that RISE journalists, when searching for information on the topic of drug dealers, sign a confidentiality agreement with him. “Vinitchi insisted that we sign this confidentiality agreement, especially when he found that we have important documents for our investigation. Even after we left Chisinau Prosecution and went to another institution, that prosecutor tried through other persons working at that institution to convince us sign such an agreement,” Iurie Sanduta says.
According to RISE Moldova director, after refusal to sign the confidentiality agreement, pressure from the prosecutor continued. This time, Pavel Vinitchi filed a complaint to the National Center for Protection of Personal Data. “It is quite strange, because from him we obtained the income and property statement, which contained personal data, including the cadastral code, CNP,” Iurie Sanduta said.
According to the investigation published by RISE Moldova, “strangely enough, less than a month after the arrest, criminal Cliford was released by prosecutor Pavel Vinitchi of Chisinau Prosecution. Official reason? A secret collaboration agreement with authorities, signed by Cliford.” Reporters, however, obtained a document, according to which “the same prosecutor has been accused of receiving 20,000 Euros for releasing Cliford.”
