New York action demands freedom for Moldovan activist Pavel Grigorchuk

The delegates attempted to deliver the letter, addressed to the new government of Moldova, to Ambassador Victor Moraru, Moldova’s Permanent Representative to the UN. However, the staff at the mission refused to open the door to receive the letter. Delegates know they were expected — they were told so by a U.S. federal agent dispatched to monitor their visit. 

Ambassador Moraru is an appointee of the old regime of the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM), dominated by oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc and long a recipient of U.S. support. This may explain his staff’s refusal to accept the letter. In the end, delegates left an envelope containing the letter and International Appeal for Pavel Grigorchuk outside the door of the mission. 

Despite steady rain, the delegates stayed outside the mission. They held signs, distributed copies of the appeal to passersby, and chanted, “Plahotniuc says get back, we say fight back! Free Grigorchuk now!” and “Trump, Plahotniuc, you should know, your prison walls have got to go!” 

They also called for the freedom of U.S. political prisoners like Mumia Abu-Jamal, Leonard Peltier and Chelsea Manning.

The solidarity action received extensive coverage in the Moldovan media.