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Media NGOs condemn illegal actions of forest ranger Dorin Merzâncu against journalists

08 June 2021

Non-governmental media organisations condemn the intimidation and threats against a journalist of Ziarul de Gardă (ZdG) by forest ranger Dorin Merzâncu, an employee of the Bujor Forestry Office. While documenting a journalistic investigation into illegal deforestation in the forest, journalist Victor Moșneag became the target of intimidation and threats by the Bujor Forestry Office employee. More specifically, Dorin Merzâncu's inappropriate behaviour manifested itself by attempting to ram the journalist with the vehicle he was driving, and by using abusive language towards the reporter's interlocutor. Afterwards, the ZdG team was chased by the ranger for several kilometres and he threatened to shout at them: "Why are you filming? Do you want someone to hit you one day with a lom (crowbar) on the head?". The signatory organisations are outraged by this incident and stress that the defiant actions of forest ranger Dorin Merzâncu are contrary not only to the generally accepted rules of conduct in a democratic society, but also to the provisions of the legislation in force. We inform the employee of the Bujor Forestry Office that his actions constitute a violation of the right to bodily integrity of the person, individual freedom and safety, as well as interference with the special rights guaranteed to journalists. We note that, according to Article 4 para. (1) of the Law on Freedom of Expression, the state guarantees the freedom of expression of the media and no one may prohibit or prevent the media from disseminating information of public interest except in accordance with the law. Moreover, para. (5) of the same article provides that intentional unlawful hindering of media activity entails criminal liability. At the same time, we would like to point out that threatening to kill or to cause serious bodily harm or harm to health is an offence under the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova. The signatory organisations vehemently condemn the abusive and illegal actions of the forester Dorin Merzâncu against journalists and point out the inadmissibility of tolerating such serious violations. We call on Ranger Dorin Merzâncu to publicly apologise to journalist Victor Moșneag and to adopt appropriate language and behaviour, refraining in the future from showing any form of intolerance towards journalists and media institutions. We ask the director of the State Enterprise for Forestry "Hîncești-Silva", Gheorghe Apostolachi, as well as the head of the Bujor Forestry Office, Ion Candu, to take note of the inappropriate behaviour of the forester and to come up with a sanctioning measure in this regard. At the same time, we call on the law enforcement authorities of the Republic of Moldova, in accordance with their legal powers, to take note of the acts committed and to initiate the procedures provided for by law in order to hold Dorin Merzâncu responsible. Centre for Independent Journalism Association of Environmental and Environmental Tourism Journalists Media Guard Association Electronic Press Association Independent Press Association "Acces-Info" Centre for Journalistic Investigations Press Freedom Committee RISE Moldova