Nongovernmental organizations working in the field of mass media condemn the speech of intimidation of journalists made by the mayor of Chisinau Ion Ceban. In a statement, the media NGOs say that the mayor launches attacks and insults against journalists, including using administrative resources, in order to undermine press freedom, IPN reports.
At the December 9 meeting of officials of the Chisinau City Hall, the mayor of Chisinau again devoted a part of his speech to the press, insulting a number of journalists and vloggers from the City Hall’s rostrum. Ion Ceban resorted to such behavior not for the first time. He also intimidated the press during the weekly meetings of officials of the City Hall in December 2023, February 2024, March 2023,” reads the statement.
The signatories condemn Ion Ceban’s attitude that is inappropriate for a person who holds a public position. The media NGOs repeatedly and insistently ask the mayor to abandon such behavior, which they consider deviant.
“We request mayor Ion Ceban to use decent and appropriate language, avoiding the manifestation of any forms of intolerance of journalists, media outlets and also vloggers. We urge journalists and vloggers targeted by such hostile speeches to use all available legal means to obtain recognition and remedy of the harm caused to them and to promptly bring to justice the perpetrator of the offensive attacks and labeling,” runs the statement.
Within the limits of available resources, the Center for Independent Journalism, one of the signatories of the declaration, provides legal assistance and advice to journalists and media outlets, supporting the efforts to protect press freedom and defend the public’s right to be properly informed.
Among the signatories are the Association of Independent Press, the Access-Info Center, the Committee for the Freedom of the Press, the Center for Investigative Journalism, the Association of Electronic Press, the Association of Environmental and Ecological Tourism Journalists, and the MEDIA GUARD Association.
Media NGOs condemn mayor Ceban’s speech aimed at intimidating journalists
