Transnistrian Communist Party calls for solidarity against political repression

Behind bars are the Chair of the Central Committee of the Transnistrian Communist Party, deputy of the Supreme Council of the Transnistiran Moldovan Republic (PMR) Oleg Olegovich Horzhan, his eldest son Evgeny Olegovich Horzhan, and the wife of Evgeny Horzhan — Svetlana. Attempts were made to seize Oleg Horzhan’s wife Olga Evgenievna, who was at home with her youngest child. In protest at the authorities’ arbitrary actions and bullying of his family, Oleg Horzhan went on a hunger strike in a temporary detention facility.

Members of the Central Committee of the Transnistiran Communist Party Yevgeny Sergeyevich Balabas and Mikhail Valentinovich Mikhalitsyn, communist Alexander Nevsky, and chair of the Committee for the Protection of Political Prisoners and Persons Subject to Political Persecution Maria Nikolaevna Zhukovets were arrested.

At the moment, the issue of removing immunity from the deputy of the Tiraspol City Council, member of the Central Committee of the PKP Alexander Leonidovich Samoniy, and his arrest, is being decided.

Also, several dozen citizens, whose identities have not yet been confirmed, were seized and taken to Tiraspol Police Department.

According to the authorities, these people participated in an unsanctioned rally in the central square of Tiraspol. In fact, on the square there was a meeting of the deputy of the Supreme Council of the PMR Oleg Horzhan with voters. In any case, to kidnap people from their apartments and take them to the police department in the middle of the night, just because they stood on the square and listened to the deputy — is unacceptable and illegal.

On the night of June 2-3, 2018, Oleg Horzhan, using his rights as a people’s deputy, tried to enter the building of the Tiraspol Police Department to find out the fate of the captured comrades. However, the police officers, using force, pushed him out of the room, and then accused of “attacking a police officer.” On June 6, 2018, by decision of the session of the Supreme Council, O.O. Horzhan was deprived of parliamentary immunity and detained, and a criminal case was instituted against him.

The reality is that the leader of the Transnistrian communists, Oleg Horzhan, was the only deputy of the Supreme Council that defended the interests of the people and the Republic, came out with bills designed to ease the life of the people, strengthen the PMR economy and curb the appetites of big business. He consistently advocated a pro-Russian vector of development for the PMR and did a great deal to strengthen Transnistrian-Russian relations.

Led by Oleg Horzhan, the Transnistrian Communist Party has long been a serious and influential political force, hated by the oligarchs and their henchmen in power.

At the same time, the ruling regime in Transnistria clearly demonstrated its powerlessness over the real problems of our republic. Unable to cope with galloping inflation, unemployment and a sharp drop in the standard of living of citizens, not wanting to fulfill their election promises, this “team of professionals” is looking to shift responsibility for their own failure. This is the reason for their bitter attacks on the communists, the persecution and repression of all dissenters. In this way, the authorities are trying to intimidate all thinking citizens, to extinguish the growing discontent in society, to destroy the people’s opposition. 

In connection with the foregoing, the Central Committee of the Transnistiran Communist Party:

– Expresses a strong protest against the political repression unleashed by the PMR authorities against the Communist Party, representatives of other patriotic public organizations and ordinary citizens of the PMR;

– Draws the attention of the Transnistrian and world public to the facts of the flagrant violations of human and civil rights in the PMR;

– Demands that the authorities of the PMR immediately release Oleg Horzhan and other political prisoners;

– Declares its support and solidarity with Oleg Horzhan and other comrades captured or persecuted for political reasons;

– Calls upon all the communist parties of the former Soviet countries and the whole world, all progressive public organizations, and all people of goodwill to actively join the struggle for the liberation of our comrades who were arrested only because they wanted happiness and justice for their people.

Freedom for Oleg Horzhan!

Freedom for all political prisoners!

Secretary of the Central Committee of the Transnistiran Communist Party
Nadezhda Bondarenko