Freedom of peaceful assembly
Over 50 arrested at anti-government protest in Chisinau, government claims it foiled a Russian plot to cause mass unrest
In March and April 2023, several protests were organised by representatives of the pro-Russia Shor Party. The party’s leader, Ilan Shor, fled Moldova in 2019 due to a case against him in connection with the theft of one billion US dollars in bank assets. On 13th April 2023, a court in Chishinau rejected his appeal and instead increased his sentence, sentencing him in absentia to 15 years in prison.
The protests are against the country’s new pro-Western government, with discontent fuelled by the energy crisis caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine. The protesters demanded that the government pay the full cost of winter energy bills and “not involve the country in war.” They have repeatedly called for the resignation of President Maia Sandu.
On 12th March, Moldovan police claimed to have foiled a plot by Russian-backed actors to cause mass unrest during an anti-government protest organised by the Movement for the People, which is supported by the Shor Party. The head of Moldova's police, Viorel Cernauteanu, said an undercover agent had managed to infiltrate a group of Russian “diversionists” who had been promised USD 10,000 to organise “mass unrest” during protests in Chisinau. According to TVR, 54 protesters, including 21 minors, were arrested. On the same day, four bomb threats were registered, including one at the capital's international airport. Moldovan border police also announced that they had refused entry to the country to 182 people in the week before the protests, including a possible representative of the Russian mercenary group Wagner.
Freedom of expression
New Law on Access to Information criticised by civil society
On 12th April 2023, the Government of Moldova approved the draft Law on Access to Information of Public Interest. The new law is meant to harmonise the country’s legislation with international standards in this area.
However, civil society organisations (CSOs) in the country have raised concerns about shortcomings in the drafting and content of the document itself. In an open letter, twelve CSOs made a public appeal to the authorities to withdraw the draft and extend the public debate on the law. According to them, civil society organisations have only had one opportunity to comment on the draft and the recommendations they made have not been taken into account by the authorities. Furthermore, they believe that some provisions of the updated draft are a step backwards compared to the previous law.
The main problems they pointed out are a more restrictive definition of public information, the expansion of exemptions from the obligation to release information, the lack of clear criteria for the quality and format of proactive release of information, and the lack of an effective mechanism to monitor the enforcement of the law.