Moldova: Anti-oligarchy activist arrested while prosecutors dine in luxury

“It was to protest against awards for [oligarch Vlad] Plahotniuc’s prosecutors. Carried megaphones. Police detained. They want to lock me up for 15 days. Waiting for lawyer,” wrote Grigorchuk on social media.

Petrenko on detention of Grigorchuk: “Police-state prosecutor in action!”

Former deputy and leader of the opposition party “Our Home is Moldova” (Red Bloc) Grigory Petrenko commented on the 72-hour detention of party activist Pavel Grigorchuk, arrested near the Leogrand hotel, where Moldovan prosecutors elegantly marked their professional holiday on January 27.

“Pavel Grigorchuk was not yet at the protest, he tried to approach near the Chekhov Theatre. He had two megaphones in hand. Apparently, in these times, that is already an offense. He’s in the police station. Formally, he is charged under Statute 353, p. 1, “Insult to law enforcement officials.” They threaten to jail him for 15 days. Today or tomorrow he will appear in court.

“He was captured by a few police goons. One of them is already known to the whole country – Erizanu, who is used as a witness against the so-called “Petrenko Group.” Today, on neutral ground, you can detain any activist. This is our police-state prosecutor in action!” Petrenko wrote on social networks.

Recall that on Friday, January 27, in the most expensive and luxurious Black Sea hall of the Chisinau Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel, an awards ceremony was held for prosecutors, which caused a scandal in society and the courts.

The ceremony of the Prosecutor General’s Office was called an International Conference on “Prospects of Development of the Modern Prosecutor’s Office: Ensuring the Independence and Specialization of Prosecutors,” organized on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Moldova.

As indicated in the press release, this celebration of Moldovan prosecutors was organized with the support of the Council of Europe’s program “Support to the Reform of Criminal Justice of the Republic of Moldova,” financed by the government of Denmark.

Protest outside the celebration of oligarchy’s prosecutors in Chisinau.

Members of “Our Party,” “Our Home is Moldova” and civil society representatives gathered on Friday, January 27, in the city center near the Radisson Blu Leogrand Hotel. People protested “against the seizure of the prosecutors’ office by the oligarchic regime and against political repression of the opposition.”

Protesters chanted: “Down Plahotniuc,” “Shame!” and “Down with [Attorney General] Harunzhena.”

“Our Home is Moldova” activist Pavel Grigorchuk was detained near the Chekhov Theatre, located opposite the hotel.

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