We Condemn the Abuse Committed by the Ministry of Interior Against a Reporter of the Centre for Journalistic Investigations

The media non-governmental organisations condemn as abusive the actions of the Directorate for Fighting against Corruption under the Service for Internal Protection and Anticorruption of the Ministry of Interior against the reporter of the Centre for Journalistic Investigations, Mariana Colun. According to Anticoruptie.md website, the journalist has sent to the Ministry of Interior several requests for information, asking, among other, for a comment on an alleged case of corruption committed by a police officer in relation with the market improvised near the Railway Station. But, instead of receiving an answer to her requests, she was summoned for an interrogation “in relation with the examination of the file concerning the provision of information about the alleged illegal actions of the police employees”. In addition to it, the reporter was warned about the risk of being fined or forced to come, in case of failure to obey the summons.

To note that the Press Law guarantees the right of journalists to obtain and disseminate information of public interest. In addition to it, the Law on the Access to Information compels the public institutions to actively provide accurate and timely information to citizens on matters of public interest and to guarantee the free access to information. The violation of the right to access to information is punishable in accordance with the legislation in force.

In the same time, Article 90 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Republic of Moldova stipulates that a journalist may not be summoned and heard as a witness “in order to expose a person who submitted the information provided that his/her name is not disclosed, unless the person voluntarily wants to give evidence”.

We urge the Ministry of Interior to launch its own investigation and sanction those who committed abuse of authority. We request the General Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the case and take actions against the people who restricted the journalist’s right to information of public interest and intimidated the reporter by summons to the criminal prosecution authority.
 
Independent Journalism Center
Association of Independent Press
Association of Electronic Press
Center of Journalistic Investigations
„Acces-Info” Center
Committee for Press Freedom
Association of Independent TV Journalists
Young Journalist Center of Moldova