Timofei Iliushin's Detention Sparks Calls for Press Freedom
On 25 June, Promo-LEX expressed "profound concern" about the detention of Russian journalist Timofei Iliushin in the Transnistrian region.
The organisation publicly called for the "urgent" intervention of the Government of Chișinău and the immediate release of the SOTAvision journalist if he is still in detention. Promo-LEX also called for the initiation of legal procedures to punish those responsible for the arbitrary detention of Iliushin and to ensure the protection of human rights and press freedom in the Transnistrian region.
Timofei Iliushin, a journalist for the independent publication SOTAvision, was reportedly detained by employees of the so-called "Ministry of Security" in Tiraspol while he was in the Transnistrian region to produce journalistic material.
"It is essential that the authorities act quickly to protect the fundamental rights of Timofei Iliushin and to demonstrate the Republic of Moldova's commitment to press freedom and human rights," declared Vadim Vieru, a lawyer and program director at the Promo-LEX Association.
Promo-LEX appealed to international organisations and diplomatic missions to become actively involved in this case and to support efforts to release and protect the journalist.
Teleradio-Moldova contacted the Bureau for Reintegration for a statement, but as of the publication of this news, it has not received a response to the request.
Timofei Iliushin requested political asylum in the Republic of Moldova in April 2023 due to political pressures from Russia. Previously, in 2023, Iliushin was declared undesirable in the Transnistrian region without being given a clear reason. In June 2022, Iliushin left Russia after being detained for organising an anti-war rally.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
