Media NGOs Condemn the Intimidation of the Reporter de Garda’s Shooting Team

Media organisations are concerned about the intimidation of the journalists from ‘Reporter de Garda’ (a Ziarul de Garda video project) by the people providing security at the concert organised by ‘Sor’ Political Party, on 23 February night, and ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs to investigate the case.

Thus, security guardians didn’t allow journalists to make a video in a public space and to interview the artists who participated in this election concert. The guardians pushed/bullied the reporter Marina Ciobanu when she approached artists to ask questions and covered their camera with the hand when Viorica Tataru tried to film the artists.

Note that the Law on Freedom of Expression provides in Article 4 that the media has the duty to inform the public on matters of public interest, and the deliberate obstruction of media or journalistic activity, is sanctioned by the Criminal Code (Article 180¹). According to Article 20 of Law on Press, the journalist has the right to make audiovisual recordings, film, take pictures, participate in various public manifestations.

We request the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to take actions on this case so as to identify and to hold the persons guilty of violating the above-cited articles accountable under the law. We ask the MIA to inform publicly about the course of the investigation.

We call on the entire society to be open towards journalists and not to impede the media activity.
 
Independent Journalism Center
Association of Independent Press
Association of Electronic Press
Center for Investigative Journalism
Press Freedom Committee  
Association of Independent TV Journalists  
‘Access-Info’ Center
RISE Moldova