The leader of Our Party, Balti Mayor Renato Usatîi, was released from custody on Sunday, October 25. The politician was jailed on Friday, October 23, after being detained at the exit of the Chisinau International Airport.
The decision was taken by magistrates of the Court of Centru sector, who considered a request by prosecutors for the arrest of Renato Usatîi for 30 days, and a request by lawyers for the detained leader of Our Party for his immediate release. As a result, the prosecutor’s request was rejected.
Upon leaving the courthouse, the politician was picked up and carried by the thousands of people who came out to support him, protesting and demanding his release.
“Thanks to everyone who came here from all over Moldova. So, the things which they did, trumpeting my arrest of 30 days for posting the conversations of Shore with Filat, as well as whatever comes next, are the last convulsions of the regime,” said Renato Usatîi after his release.
“After my arrest, I was sure that I would be jailed for 30 days. Because before I wrote that Plahotniuc supervises the court, and Filat — the police. When I heard that I was freed , I didn’t believe it. I thought: either the justice system is working, which I do not believe, or Plahotniuc’s phone call was cast aside after two days, because he could not find a charge,” added Usatîi.
Recall that the Mayor of Balti and leader of Our Party Renato Usatîi was arrested on Friday evening, October 23, at the exit of the Chisinau International Airport. Prosecutors accused him of violating the secrecy of correspondence after Usatîi published recordings of conversations between former Prime Minister Vladimir Filat and millionaire Orhei Mayor Ilan Shor, concerning the case of the theft of a billion dollars from the banking sector.
The same evening, the prosecutor ordered his detention for 72 hours. The politician’s home and the central office of Our Party were searched.
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