Moldova outlaws Tiraspol Times; others

Banned: Tiraspol Times now faces prosecution if it publishes articles in favor of independent statehood for Transdniestria

CHISINAU (Tiraspol Times) - According to a new bill approved by Moldova's Parliament in its first reading on 5 June, the Republic of Moldova shall prohibit the publishing of any literature "which contains libel against the State and the people, calls to war or aggression, to ethnic, racial or religious hatred, instigates to discrimination, to territorial separatism, to public violence, as well as other encroachments on the constitutional order."

The sweeping censorship law targets books, magazines, newspapers and other publications, including analysis and news articles published online. It was presented by Moldovan Cabinet Minister Arthur Kozma, Chisinau-based news agency Infotag reported.

Under its new powers, Moldova's regime can now forcibly close down publications and can also individually prosecute journalists who do not comply. Ignoring the proceedings is not an option: Failure to appear in a Moldovan court, even for administrative proceedings, will be interpreted as contempt of court which automatically triggers an arrest warrant.

If a journalist chooses to leave the country or work abroad in order to avoid the sanctions under the new law, he or she can be extradited to Moldova even if the journalist's articles were not written on Moldovan soil: As a full member of Interpol, Moldova can also - at its own discretion - submit an international arrest warrant to Interpol and have the journalist brought back under something as basic as failure to appear in court. Other Interpol member states do not have to evaluate the merit of the accusations but will merely arrest and extradite, while leaving the actual proceedings up to Moldovan authorities.

"Territorial separatism" and "constitutional order"

The ban on publishing literature "which instigates to territorial separatism [...] as well as other encroachments on the constitutional order" is targeted directly at newspapers which print the views of PMR government officials and other advocates of independence for Transdniestria (officially, Pridnestrovie).

The already-'de facto' independent country of Transdniestria is not a historical part of Moldova, and with its non-Moldovan majority it has also never belonged to any independent Moldovan state at any time in history. Following a referendum, Transdniestria's population declared independence in 1990, one year before Moldova's own independence declaration of 1991. Moldova has maintained a territorial claim to the area ever since but has no sort of government authority over the area, nor any widespread popular support among the population.

Nevertheless, Transdniestria - or Transnistria, as it is known in Moldova's Romanian language - still appears as part of Moldova on Moldova's maps and in the Moldovan constitution. Moldova refuses to recognize the right to independence and self-determination of the Transdniestrian people and those in favor of independent statehood are accused of "territorial separatism."

With the newly passed law against press freedom, it is now illegal for newspapers and other publications to reproduce the views and opinions of "territorial separatists."

The sweeping ban also applies to a broad based definition of any sort of "other encroachments on the constitutional order." For Transdniestrians, this phrase has ominous overtones as it reminds them of the short but brutal war which it had to fight with Moldova in 1992. Seeking to enforce its territorial claim, Moldovan president Mircea Snegur ordered tanks and other troops to cross over the Dniester river and attack Transdniestrian territory militarily under the pretext of "establishing constitutional order."

News about independent statehood "effectively banned"

Now entering its third year of publication, The Tiraspol Times & Weekly Review is among the publications whose coverage includes pro-independence views and news reporting and which is therefore subject to the Moldovan ban.

Over the past two years, Tiraspol Times has published interviews with Moldovan politicians opposed to Transdniestria's independence, such as President Vladimir Voronin and Foreign Minister Andrei Stratan. At the same time, it has also printed interviews with their counterparts Igor Smirnov and Valeri Litskai, who are both pro-Transdniestrian. Interviews with Transdniestrian leaders never appear on Moldovan TV or in the Moldovan press.

In 2007, British publication The Economist lauded The Tiraspol Times by noting that "the news, features and analysis are better than anything Moldova produces in English."

Today, however, this sort of written material can not be printed legally anymore. In order to operate without fear of domestic and international legal retaliation from Moldova, Tiraspol Times will no longer be able to accurately reproduce statements from the Transdniestrian leadership as they might be interpreted by zealous Moldovan prosecutors as calls to "territorial separatism."

This effectively bans a broad range of news articles about the work of Transdniestria's local government institutions which include statements made by government ministers and other local leaders favorable to Transdniestria's 18 year old unrecognized statehood.

One-sided coverage still allowed

Other features which reflect positively on Transdniestria's society could also be interpreted by Moldova as being in breach of its new law and therefore be grounds for prosecution. To adhere to the new law, Tiraspol Times can only legally print interviews with those opposed to independence as well as articles which are decidedly negative on life in Transdniestria so there is no risk of thinking they could be in favor of independence.

" - This will produce an unacceptable sort of one-sided bias which effectively silences the views that everyone knows are held by the vast majority of the population in Transdniestria," says the newspaper's Jason Cooper. "Our editorial policy is to accurately report the news as it is seen from Tiraspol, and we can not do this if we are not allowed to report what some of Tiraspol's most important political leaders and community leaders have to say."

The op-ed page of Tiraspol Times features both sides of the debate: Many of the more than one hundred "Opinion and Commentary" columns have shown the pro-Moldovan, anti-independence position, even to the point of reprinting material from Moldova's official state-controlled news outlet Moldpres. Other opinion columns have in the past included analysis by Moldova's Dumitru Minzarari and Igor Munteanu, as well as commentary signed by such anti-independence spokesmen as Ion Manole, Oazu Nantoi, Vlad Spanu, Anatol Taranu, Andrei Popov, Nicu Popescu, and Igor Botan, among others.

" - Only these views will now be permitted," says Cooper. "Opposing viewpoints are no longer allowed, and publications will now have to enforce a strict sort of self-censorship in order to avoid selective prosecution and forced closures. Anyone who keeps publishing as before will run the risk of prosecution which can target not just the newspaper but also individual journalists as well."

See also:
» Moldova crackdown on press freedom brings international criticism
» Journalists cry out for help as free press is silenced in Moldova
» Reporters Without Borders condemns lack of press freedom in Moldova

On the web:
» Censorship in Moldova: Pridnestrovie's media banned