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The media NGOs strongly disapprove of the aggressive behaviour of ‘Sor’ Party representatives who verbally assaulted Radio Orhei journalists and interfered with their attempts to cover a demonstration of this party that took place in Orhei on Sunday, the 5th of August.
The video footages posted on the social networks show clearly that the ‘Sor’ Party representative, who is also the Mayoress of Jora de Mijloc Township – Marina Tauber, and her party colleague – Pavel Verejanu, incited the protest participants against Tatiana Djamanov, a Radio Orhei journalist: ‘Come on! Djamanov! Get her out!’, ‘Radio Orhei – on the scrap heap!’, ‘Go away, Radio Orhei’, ‘Go away!’. Armed with brooms, some of the protesters followed Marina Tauber’s encouragements and pushed against the journalist.
The signatory organisations argued that such a behaviour by a political party against the press is inadmissible. They emphasized that this sort of intolerance and hate speech didn’t emerge just like that, and that it was rather a continuation of the revenge threats that the leader of ‘Sor’ political party made against the journalists on the 20th of July, this year, after a protest that took place in Chisinau.
We remind that the mass-media legislation guarantees the media representatives the right to participate in public events and demonstrations, obtain and disseminate information, make audiovisual recordings, film and take pictures of anything of public interest. Any violation of this legitimate right of the journalists is to be punished as provided for in Article 180 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova.
We, thus, ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the Prosecutor’s Office to take the required measures against those who have incited the people participating in the demonstration of the 5th of August in Orhei against the Radio Orhei journalist, making it, thus, impossible for her to freely exercise her job. A quick and appropriate response from the law enforcement bodies is crucial.
We call on ‘Sor’ political party to stop the attacks against journalists. It is the politicians and political parties who are responsible for establishing and maintaining fair and neutral relationships with the journalists. The assaults, intolerance and hate speeches against the press are incompatible with the principles of democracy and the rule of law.
Independent Journalism Center
Association of Independent Press
Center for Investigative Journalism
Association of Investigative Reporters and Editorial Security
Association of Independent TV Journalists
