The Ombudsperson and the Office of Human Rights Commissioner for Human Rights condemned Ilan Sor’s Threatening Statements Against Journalists

A few days after Mayor of Orhei, Ilan Şor, threatened journalists, representatives of many institutions and civil society organisations stood up to defend the media and condemned his discourse. Thus, human rights organisations, the Ombudsperson, and the Office of Human Rights Commissioner for Human Rights in Moldova joined the non-government media organisations. The General Prosecutor’s Office also announced about initiating legal proceedings regarding the statements made by Sor in order to check them and give them a legal assessment.

The Office of Human Rights Commissioner for Human Rights in Moldova published on its official Facebook page a message and condemned ‘explicit hate speech & incitement to violence by Orhei town mayor Ilan Shor against journalists & political opponents’. The Office shows solidarity with the Moldovan civil society and Ombudsman in requiring immediately an investigation of this case. The statement is signed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Ombudsman Mihail Cotorobai also said that ‘the statements made by the Mayor of Orhei about his political opponents and journalists were extremely dangerous and are unacceptable’. In the Ombudsman's opinion, these statements incite to violence against individuals or groups of people, propagate certain stereotypes and generate hatred and division between people.

Also, Mihail Cotorobai asked the Prosecutor General to examine the statements of Ilan Sor and to take the necessary measures to defend the human rights and freedoms. ‘The Ombudsman is very concerned about these statements and believes that the competent authorities must respond operatively and appropriately to this. The Ombudsperson asked hence the Prosecutor General to examine the circumstances of the case and to take appropriate attitude regarding Ilan Sor’s statements, taking the relevant response, prosecution and prevention measures’ as stated in the press release.

Previously, several human rights organisations showed their solidarity with media organisations that condemned the threatening statements Ilan Sor made against journalists.

Agora.md portal wrote that the threats launched by Ilan Sor against journalists have already caught the attention of the General Prosecutor's Office. Maria Vieru, representative of the General Prosecutor's Office, said the Prosecutor's Office was examining the content published by the mayor of Orhei, adding that journalists who felt threatened were urged to file complaints.

Journalist and former MP Alexandru Petcov, from Omega portal, has already filed a complaint with the Chief Prosecutor of Chisinau municipality, Ştefan Şaptefraţi, and requested the criminal prosecution of Sor for his statements against journalists.