Vienna, 24/07/2012
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI,) condemns the physical and verbal attacks against a Moldovan Prime TV crew and calls on the authorities to prosecute the perpetrators.
On 19 July 19 2012, a Prime TV crew was filming a report in the Soldanesti forest, which is registered as public property by Moldsilva, the country’s agency in charge of administering forests. While filming, the journalists were physically and verbally attacked by two men who claimed to be property owners, according to a press release signed by six journalists’ associations in Moldova. The reporters filmed the attack. It was later broadcast by the Prime TV news.
“I ask the authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and guarantee security for journalists to operate freely, “said SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic.