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Non-governmental media organisations regret the decision to restrict mass media access to the court hearing on the validation of the results of the new local elections in Chisinau, which took place on Tuesday, 19 June 2018.
Thus, judge Rodica Berdilo, from the Chisinau Court, Center Office, allowed journalists to enter the courtroom only after the deliberations ended, which had lasted four hours, and the judgment was delivered at 10.00 pm.
Representatives of numerous press organisations, who came to cover this issue of public interest were unhappy with having been asked to leave the courtroom.
We remind that the role of the media is to inform the country’s citizens about any events that could influence their lives, rights and interests, and one of the obligations of the authorities is to ensure proper functioning of the institutions and mechanisms that offer this information. To this end, mass media has the right to make audiovisual recordings, to shoot videos and make photographs, and to attend public court hearings of any level.
We underscore that in case of topics of a high social resonance, not only the court judgments, but also the judicial debates and arguments of the parties are of public interest. This incident not only restricted the journalists’ right to practice their profession freely, but also the citizens’ right to have access to information - a right provided for in the Constitution.
We urge the Superior Council of Magistracy, a body with judiciary management powers, to maintain an open environment in courts and to support the press in its effort to cover the important events on the public agenda.
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
