Moldova drafts new law to improve journalist protection
The Parliamentary Committee on Culture, Education, Research, Youth, Sports, and Media will draft a legislative proposal aimed at improving the protection of journalists in the Republic of Moldova.
To this end, debates were held in Parliament with the participation of representatives from media institutions and relevant non-governmental organizations.
The Chair of the Committee, MP Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei, emphasized at the outset of the discussions that an analysis of current legislation had revealed insufficient provisions for the protection of journalists.
Improving the legal framework for the protection of journalists is widely recognized as necessary, especially in the context of Moldova's EU accession process. Although legal provisions exist to protect journalists, their enforcement remains inadequate, which is why we are discussing the necessary measures and how to strengthen the protection of journalists.
Participants welcomed the initiative and reiterated that current legal norms safeguarding journalists' rights are insufficient. They also discussed the need for clear mechanisms to guarantee and facilitate journalists' access to information, protect the right to free expression, and sanction actions that hinder journalists in the exercise of their duties.
Investigative journalists are the most frequent targets of attacks, and such actions must be discouraged, said Cornelia Cozonac, President of the Center for Investigative Journalism.
The pressures on investigative journalists are often more subtle than direct street attacks, such as having microphones knocked out of their hands, cameras damaged, or doors slammed in their faces. Investigative journalists face more insidious, but equally dangerous, pressures, including attacks via social media.
In 2024, 66 attacks on journalists were publicly reported, up from 43 the previous year, which represents a "concerning increase," according to Petru Macovei, Director of the Association of Independent Press.
Most of these attacks involve intimidation, pressure, cyberattacks, defamation, death threats, and physical violence. Authorities in Gagauzia often target journalists who are deemed inconvenient.
It should be noted that Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu recently announced that the legislature will consider increasing penalties for assaulting and intimidating journalists, following attacks on journalists Măriuța Nistor and Igor Ionescu from the publication Ziarul de Gardă, who were assaulted while reporting on a protest organized by Ilan Șor’s network in front of the Chisinau Court, Buiucani branch.
It should also be noted that, according to the Law on Freedom of Expression, the state guarantees freedom of the press, and any unlawful interference with the media's activities is subject to criminal penalties.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
