{"id":16987,"date":"2024-10-03T16:41:39","date_gmt":"2024-10-03T16:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/?p=16987"},"modified":"2024-10-03T17:13:24","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T17:13:24","slug":"moldova-pen-romania-members-detained-in-moldovas-breakaway-region-of-transnistria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2024\/10\/03\/moldova-pen-romania-members-detained-in-moldovas-breakaway-region-of-transnistria.html","title":{"rendered":"Moldova: PEN Romania members detained in Moldova\u2019s breakaway region of Transnistria"},"content":{"rendered":"

PEN Belarus joins the\u00a0statement<\/a> of PEN International about detained PEN Romania members.<\/p>\n

\u2018That PEN members were detained while seeking to travel to Moldova\u2019s breakaway region of Transnistria for a literary meeting is of the utmost concern. The Russian-backed separatist government in Transnistria intends to wipe out independent views. We urge the local authorities to ensure writers can work safely in the region without fear of reprisals.\u2019<\/em> – Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International\u2019s Writers in Prison Committee.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a002 October 2024 \u2013 PEN International and PEN Romania condemn the detention of PEN Romania members Dumitru Crudu, Maria Ivanov and Emilian Galaicu-P\u0103un, together with journalist Elvira Moro\u0219an, in Moldova\u2019s breakaway region of Transnistria. Writers and journalists must be allowed to work freely and safely in the region<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0On 16 September 2024, Moldavan writers and PEN Romania members Dumitru Crudu, Maria Ivanov and Emilian Galaicu-P\u0103un, as well as journalist Elvira Moro\u0219an were detained<\/a> at the border of the city of Bender\/Tighina by agents with the Ministry of State Security (MGB) \u2013 the security service of the Russia-backed separatist government in Transnistria. The writers and journalists were heading to a literary meeting with high school students in Bender\/Tighina.<\/p>\n

\u00a0According to Dumitru Crudu, who wrote a detailed account<\/a> of their detention, agents with the MGB confiscated their identity documents before searching their car. The agents notably confiscated copies of TIMPUL, a cultural magazine meant to be shared with the students, which included articles condemning the Russian Federation\u2019s war against Ukraine. They subsequently interrogated Crudu, Ivanov, Galaicu-P\u0103un and Moro\u0219an for over an hour, inquiring about the purpose of their visit and refusing to provide them with any explanations as to why they were being detained. Fearing for their arrest, Crudu managed to call representatives of Moldova\u2019s Ministry for Reintegration, who brokered their release. Crudu, Ivanov, Galaicu-P\u0103un and Moro\u0219an were subsequently sent back to Chi\u0219in\u0103u, Moldova\u2019s capital, before being told them they would no longer be allowed into Transnistria. According to media reports<\/a>, the Moldovan authorities are working to ensure the original visit can take place at a later date.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Free expression organisations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists have documented<\/a> how journalists are being obstructed or detained while reporting in Transnistria \u2013 including through systematic surveillance, harassment, and confiscation of equipment \u2013 with impunity. PEN International and PEN Romania urge the local authorities to ensure that writers and journalists \u2013 including Crudu, Ivanov, Galaicu-P\u0103un and Moro\u0219an \u2013 can work and travel in Transnistria freely and safely, without intimidation.<\/p>\n

Notes to editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For further details contact Aur\u00e9lia Dondo,<\/strong> Head of Europe and Central Asia Region at PEN International:\u202fAurelia.dondo@pen-international.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PEN Belarus joins the\u00a0statement of PEN International about detained PEN Romania members. \u2018That PEN members were detained while seeking to travel to Moldova\u2019s breakaway region of Transnistria for a literary meeting is of the utmost concern. The Russian-backed separatist government in Transnistria intends to wipe out independent views. We urge the local authorities to ensure<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":16988,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4201],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solidarity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16987"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16992,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16987\/revisions\/16992"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}