Radio Moldova Comrat journalist targeted online; media groups urge authorities to act
The Center for Independent Journalism (CJI) and eight other media organizations condemn the online harassment campaign against journalist Elena Celac from Radio Moldova Comrat and call on law enforcement agencies to sanction the perpetrators of the insults and verbal attacks. According to the joint statement, the journalist became the target of insults, offensive labels and unfounded accusations launched on social networks after a show in which the deputy of the People's Assembly from Comrat, Nicolai Dudoglo, left the studio in reaction to the moderator's request to support her claims with evidence.
“We condemn the online harassment campaign against journalist Elena Celac and call on law enforcement agencies to sanction the perpetrators of the insults and verbal attacks,” the CJI statement states. The signatory organizations - nine in total - point out that the phenomenon of harassment of journalists in the digital space “represents an obvious attempt to intimidate the media and undermine the right to practice their profession in a safe and respectful environment.”
The CJI and its partners note that the attacks came from several Facebook accounts, including “Iordan Iasîbaș”, “Valerii Cîssa”, “Nicolai Cambur”, “Boris Casarschi”, “Piotr Curdoglo” and “Grigorii Iabanji”. In the opinion of the signatories, the lack of prompt reactions from the authorities “creates a state of impunity and the erroneous perception that online discourse is exempt from legal rigors”.
“Expressing insults, spreading false and defamatory reports, threatening and harassing journalists, including through an IT system, constitute acts punishable by national legislation”, the document also states.
The media organizations call on law enforcement institutions “to take note of the acts committed and to initiate the procedures provided for by law in order to hold accountable the authors of insults, offensive labels and unfounded and denigrating accusations against the press”.
The declaration is signed by the Center for Independent Journalism, the Independent Press Association, the Electronic Press Association, the "Media-Guard" Association, the Center for Journalistic Investigations, RISE Moldova, the Committee for Press Freedom, the "Acces-Info" Center, and the Association of Environmental Journalists and Ecological Tourism.
