Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09CHISINAU331
2009-04-28 05:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Chisinau
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH MEDIA REPS TO HEAR

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KDEM KPAO MD 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHCH #0331/01 1180542
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280542Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7924
UNCLAS CHISINAU 000331 

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KPAO MD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH MEDIA REPS TO HEAR
HUMAN RIGHTS, FREEDOM OF MEDIA CONCERNS

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Protect
Accordingly.

UNCLAS CHISINAU 000331

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM KPAO MD
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH MEDIA REPS TO HEAR
HUMAN RIGHTS, FREEDOM OF MEDIA CONCERNS

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Protect
Accordingly.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The Ambassador met with a group
of journalists and representatives of independent
media outlets on April 17 at their request to hear
their concerns regarding recent actions of law
enforcement bodies against independent media, such
as intimidation, detention and beatings of
journalists. The group included directors of two
major independent newspapers, two media NGOs, one
regional newspaper editor and one radio station.
END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Val Butnaru, Director of the independent
"Jurnal de Chisinau" newspaper, briefed the
Ambassador on several recent cases when his
journalists covering the protests were detained by
police and unidentified men in plain clothes. He
described the case of the editor in chief of
"Jurnal de Chisinau," Rodica Mahu, who on April 10
was reporting on the ongoing events by phone on
the events near the main government building.
Suddenly, several men dressed in civilian clothing
approached her and forced her into a car and took
her to a police station for questioning. She was
interrogated for several hours and was accused of
being involved in organizing the actions that
destroyed the parliamentary and presidential
buildings and of planning an attack on the
government building. She rejected all the
accusations and tried to explain that she was just
doing her job - reporting on the events happening
at that moment. The director of "Jurnal de
Chisinau" believes that Mahu was released only
because her detention immediately received very
wide coverage on the major news websites.


3. (SBU) The director of "Jurnal de Chisinau" also
informed the Ambassador about a case when one of
his journalists was beaten by the police and his
camera confiscated, while he was filming the
protest near the parliamentary building.
Afterwards, the police released him, but conducted
a search in his house and confiscated his tapes
and DVDs.


4. (SBU) The director of the independent "Ziarul
de Garda" newspaper, Alina Radu, told the
Ambassador how her journalists were beaten by the
police while reporting on the protests and taking
still photographs. She said that she witnessed
this from the window of her office in the press
building and when she went down to intercede she
was also roughed up. When she then asked
government doctors who were standing nearby to
help tend to the injuries of the journalists, the
doctors refused to take care of the injured,
saying that their job was to treat policemen, not
"ordinary people."


5. (SBU) The editor in chief of the Balti-based
newspaper "SP," Slava Perunov, complained that the
pro-government media launched a campaign to
discredit him and his publication, because he is
not supporting the ruling Party of Communists. He
also received death threats.


6. (SBU) The journalists present at the meeting
also claimed that their media websites were
blocked by the authorities on the day of the
protest. They expressed serious concern regarding
freedom of the media and of expression in Moldova,
saying they did not exclude the possibility of
further harassment and/or detentions of
journalists who hold views different from the
Communists. They said that they believed that a
"reign of fear" had been instituted in the
country.


7. (SBU) The Ambassador assured the group of USG
support for freedom of the media and expression
and said that he had mentioned this repeatedly
during his meetings with Moldovan government
officials.

Comment
--------------


8. (SBU) All the media representatives present at
the meeting are well-known and respected members

of the media community. The Embassy has had long-
standing and trustful working relationships with
all the newspapers, radio stations and NGOs they
represent. Most are grantees and/or have
participated in U.S. Government-sponsored exchange
programs. Their accounts are trustworthy and
credible. Many of the details provided are
corroborated and supported through numerous other
reports about the treatment of journalists during
and after the protests. Post is concerned that
media freedoms, which were already limited prior
to the elections have now suffered another blow.
Now that the elections are over, governmental
pressure on independent media outlets in the form
of removing broadcast licenses could be
reactivated. The creation of an atmosphere of
fear has created a potent deterrent to independent
media voices and has set back media development in
Moldova.

CHAUDHRY