Moldovan speaker conveyed condolences on death of Ilie Ilașcu

Speaker Igor Grosu conveyed a message of condolence on the death of Ilie Ilașcu, one of the symbols of the fight for freedom and national identity in the Republic of Moldova.

Igor Grosu described Ilie Ilașcu as "a staunch and unyielding fighter, a rare example of dignity and national identity", highlighting his difficult destiny, marked by the death sentence pronounced by the separatist regime in Tiraspol.


"Even so, he remained dignified and courageous, offering the whole world a lesson in love for his people and country," he mentioned.


Ilie Ilașcu passed away on 17 November at the age of 73.

Ilie Ilașcu was born on July 30, 1952, in the village of Taxobeni, Fălești district, in the former Moldovan SSR. He graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Agricultural University and was one of the founders of the National Liberation Movement in Bessarabia (1988–1992). He led the Popular Front of Moldova – Tiraspol Branch (1989–1992) and actively participated in the Dniester War, commanding special troops of the National Security Ministry of the Republic of Moldova.

On June 2, 1992, he and other members of the Ilașcu Group were arrested by separatist forces supported by the Russian GRU and held as political prisoners until 2001. In 1993, he was sentenced to death by an unconstitutional court, and after international community intervention, he was released on May 5, 2001, and handed over to the authorities in Moldova and Romania.

His courage was internationally recognized. In 2004, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Russian Federation and the Republic of Moldova were responsible for torture and illegal deprivation of liberty in his case.

After his release, Ilașcu continued his political activity, being elected senator in Romania and remaining a strong voice for reunification, justice, and national values. His fate became a symbol of resistance against abuse and one of the most well-known human rights violations cases in the region.