On 22 January 2024, when returning to her permanent place of residence and work in Pridnestrovie, a PMR citizen, the chair of the Tiraspol City Court, Anna Constantinovna Mamei, was deported by Moldovan law enforcement authorities.
We regard Moldova’s actions as a gross violation of universal rights and freedoms, including the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, as well as commitments undertaken by the Moldovan side in the international negotiation process, stipulated, in particular, in the Protocol Decision on some aspects of free movement of 27 February 2014.
Restrictions of free movement for Pridnestrovian citizens which have increased recently are applied on particular political motives being accompanied with threats against Pridnestrovian officials. This confirms the use of repressive legislation and practices by Moldova in order to exert administrative, moral, psychological and political pressure on people. We emphasize that earlier the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights officially expressed its negative critical assessment of the amendments adopted in Moldova to criminalize the so-called “separatism” but the Moldovan leadership simply ignored the opinion of the profiled international organization.
Such actions by Moldova have nothing to do with democracy and European principles and lead to an escalation of tension fraught with obvious negative consequences.
We consider this latest gross violation of the rights and freedoms of Pridnestrovian citizens as a reason for the active participation of the OSCE Chairpersonship-in-Office and all international representatives in the 5+2 negotiation format with a view to normalizing the situation as soon as possible and putting an end to Chisinau’s illegal actions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue political and diplomatic actions to protect the legitimate rights of the citizens of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and expects a substantive response and assistance from mediators and observers in the international negotiation process.
