MOLDOVAN DELEGATION TO OSCE CALLS FOR LIBERATION OF ERNEST VARDANYAN

Tert.am
15:12 27.04.10

Permanent delegation of the Republic of Moldova to the OSCE addressed
statement to the OSCE Permanent Council Chairman during a council
meeting in relation of the Armenian national journalist Ernest
Vardanyan.

The authors of the statement thanked the "delegation of the United
States for bringing to attention of the permanent council this worrying
case, as well as the European Union for its supportive statement.

"We also thank the OSCE mission to Moldova for issuing a spot report
on the recent arrests in the Transnistrian region. The Moldovan
authorities are deeply concerned about the fate of the journalist
Ernest Vardanyan, who is a citizen of the Republic of Moldova. On the
7th April he was arrested on false charges of "espionage and high
treason." This kind of persecution of a journalist, which strives
to reflect the situation in the region in an objective manner, has
no precedent.

"More than that, in recent weeks the de facto Tiraspol authorities
have intimidated and brought false accusations of high treason against
a number of civil society representatives. A member of local staff
of the OSCE mission has been also put under pressure. We regret very
much these cases," reads the statement.

Further it says that the Moldovan Government is concerned about the
"continuing violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms
and in particular of the universal humanitarian conventions in the
Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova."

"Such counterproductive steps are undermining the efforts aimed at
the re-establishing trust and confidence which are key prerequisites
for resolving the problems of local population. These unfortunate
developments are also harming the constructive endeavors undertaken
by international partners – participants to the 5+2 process. We call
on all member states to join the efforts of the Moldova authorities
in this regard," reads the statement.

Vardanyan was arrested near his home in Tiraspol on April 7 allegedly
by the Transdniestrian state secrete services. He is accused of high
treason and according to Article 271 of the Transdniestrian Criminal
Code he can face 12-20 years in prison.