Legislative initiative on MPs' agenda: people who assault or intimidate journalists to be held accountable in Moldova

Individuals who assault or intimidate journalists will be held criminally or administratively accountable. The proposals are included in the amendments registered by MPs of the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), Liliana Nicolaescu-Onofrei and Igor Chiriac, which aim to strengthen legal guarantees for the protection of press freedom and journalists’ safety.

Thus, the lawmakers propose to amend the article in the Penal Code that addresses the deliberate obstruction of the activities of mass media or of the journalist. If this occurs through intimidation, applying physical violence or threatening to do so, accompanied by damaging, destroying or confiscation of materials or equipment, or through an IT system, the proposed penalty is a fine of up to 42,500 lei or up to 200 hours of unpaid labour for the benefit of community, or imprisonment of up to three years. The penalty will be harsher, if this action is carried out by two or more persons, using a position of authority or during a rally, as well as with the intent to discover the journalist's source.

At the same time, if a journalist is prevented from carrying out his/her activities through a death threat or by causing moderate bodily harm or health injury, the proposed penalty is imprisonment from 3 to 6 years, with a fine of up to 75,000 lei and deprivation from holding certain positions for up to 5 years.

Also, the Contraventional Code will be supplemented with a new article referring to interference with media activities. Thus, unjustified interference in a journalist's activity with the aim of preventing or restricting free exercise of work, if this does not represent a crime, will be sanctioned with a fine ranging from 1,500 to 3,000 lei.

The amendments have been registered with the draft law containing more measures for the protection of women against violence and harassment. The report for the second reading of this legislative initiative was approved by the members of the juridical commission for appointments and immunities and the document is due to be examined at a plenary meeting.