Moldova police warn organisers over 'paid' anti-government protest
Police in Moldova's capital have announced that people are being promised money to attend a protest planned for Monday, September 29.
Moldovan police have repeatedly warned organizers that they are liable for these actions and that the law penalises paid participation in demonstrations.
"Police respect every person's right to free expression and urge citizens to control their actions, not to be lured by promises and to respect their dignity," the force said in a statement.
The protest was announced for Monday, September 29, by the Patriotic Electoral Bloc, which describes it as "peaceful, without party flags, with an open microphone for representatives of the opposition, civil society, and opinion leaders." The announcement was made by Igor Dodon, leader of the pro-Russian PSRM party, after polling stations closed for the parliamentary elections on Sunday evening.
The developments come as three people, including two brothers who had been monitored by law enforcement for nearly two months, were detained by officers from the National Investigation Inspectorate and masked officers from the elite Fulger unit. They are allegedly involved in preparing for mass disorder following the September 28 elections. The two arrested brothers are reportedly employees of security forces in the breakaway region of Transnistria, and are considered the leaders responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and logistically supplying the protest groups.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
