21.12.09/ Media and human rights NGOs speak out against threats toward Ziarul de Garda (ZdG) following a series of investigations on alleged corruption at the National Railway Company in Chisinau.

After publishing in the last issues of ZdG (26 November, 3 and 10 December) three parts of the investigative report The corruption train in Chisinau railway station, a series of phone, electronic and direct threats have been sent to the authors of the investigation and their families, to the entire newspaper’s team, as well as to the sources who offered information to journalists.

According to the ZdG team, the threats contained explicit innuendo of “more efficient” methods to settle accounts with those involved in the investigation.

We share the concern expressed by the ZdG team and we deem inadmissible any intimidation against journalists who honestly perform their duty of informing the public on corruption cases occurring in Moldova.

We call on the state authorities – the Ministry of Internal Affairs, General Prosecutor Office – to look into the facts signaled by ZdG and to prevent future similar actions. We, also, urge the state authorities to investigate any intimidation against the press and to inform the public on the results of the investigations. Signatory NGOs pledge to track the result of these investigations.

Independent Journalism Center
Electronic Press Association
Journalistic Investigations Center
Access-info Center
Committee for Freedom of the Press
Independent Press Association
Civil Rights Defenders, Sweden