ECtHR Notified the Government of the Republic of Moldova About the Complaint Submitted by RISE Moldova on the Case of the ‘Dodon’s Money from Bahamas’ Investigation

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) is to examine the complaint of RISE Moldova against the Republic of Moldova after journalists were sued because of the article ‘Dodon’s Money from Bahamas’ and lost the trial in national courts. The Chisinau Government was informed about the case on 6 March. Strasbourg magistrates will decide if the freedom of expression of the journalists and the right to disseminate information set out in the Article 10 of the ECHR were violated.

The journalistic investigation, which was published in September 2016, referred to an offshore transaction involving the Exclusive Media Company, managed by the socialist MP Corneliu Furculita, founder of ‘NTV Moldova’ and of the ‘Аргументы и Факты в Молдове’ publication [Arguments and Facts in Moldova]. According to the investigation, over MDL30 million were transferred through this company and entered Moldova a few months before the Presidential election (30 October 2016). The transfer came through an offshore company connected to the Russian Federation and created in one of the tax havens – the Bahamas.

After publication of the material the representatives of PSRM and Exclusiv Media Company sued the journalists for defamation and demanded publication of denials. The court of first instance ruled in Company’s favour but the journalists appealed against the decision to the Court of Appeal. Later, though, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Justice rejected their appeals. Thus, the director of RISE Moldova Iurie Sanduta filed a complaint with the ECtHR on 9 January.

See also: Exclusiv Media, Holding Company of NTV Moldova, under the Prosecutors’ Spotlight for Two Years: Lawmakers Wait for Documents from Switzerland