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Organizations from mass-media field protest regarding the fact the bodyguard service of the president of Republic of Moldova aggresses journalists

January 24, 2008
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Nongovernmental mass media organizations protest regarding the way in which the bodyguard service of the president of the Republic of Moldova treated a group of journalists who came at the National Cultural House on January 18th evening, to cover a public event, a statement signed by the leaders of the Independent Journalism Centre, the Independent Press Association, the Electronic Press Association, the Union of Journalists from Moldova, the Centre „Acces-Info” and the Journalistic Investigation Centre.
According to the authors of the statement, cited by DECA-press, the president's bodyguards violated the law of press by prohibiting the access of journalists from PRO TV, Jurnal de Chisinau, TV Dixi in the National Cultural House from Chisinau, despite the fact there was a preliminary agreement between journalists and organizers regarding the coverage of the event. „Moreover, the PRO TV team was forced to delete from the camera everything shot outside the National Palace, which contained images with president Voronin”.
The statement also says that a similar incident took place at the end of the last month, on December 28th 2007, when Tudor Darie, reporter at UNIMEDIA portal, was aggressed by the bdyguards of president Vladimir Voronin, while filming the president during his participation at the inauguration ceremony of the „Christmas Tree”, in the centre of the capital.
The authors of the statement are worried about the fact that, except the obligations and responsibilities assumed of following press freedom, the authorities do not react to such incidents of violation of journalists' rights.
The NGOs which have signed the statement ask to punish the persons guilty of all the cases of aggression of journalists, violation of the right to obtain and diffuse information „which risk to become usual things, which happen daily in Republic of Moldova”.
The authors of the declaration remind that, according to the Law of Press, it is prohibited „to interfere with the activity of preparation and diffusion of information” (art.1) by the press, and the journalist has the right „in time of doing his job” „a) to obtain and diffuse information; ...c) make some audiovisual recordings, shot and take pictures; .... to assist at meetings, and other public manifestations;” „The confiscation of the journalist's notes is prohibited. His technical means are taken only in case they serve as evidence in a penal case.” (art.20). // DECA-Press

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