On March 31, the so-called “Supreme Soviet” in Tiraspol registered a “draft law” aiming to amend the “contraventional code” to introduce sanctions against foreign journalists, including those from the right bank of the Dniester, who conduct journalistic activities in the Transnistrian region without prior accreditation. According to the Promo-LEX Association, Tiraspol’s illegal initiative imposes fines of up to 160 lei for individuals and between 300 and 800 lei for officials. Both freelance journalists and those employed by media institutions will be affected.
The Tiraspol regime justifies this initiative by claiming the need to “combat disinformation” and “prevent destructive opinions” about Transnistrian structures. The explanatory note attached to the “draft law” asserts that unaccredited journalists serve foreign interests and spread information that undermines public trust in Transnistrian authorities. This abusive initiative further confirms the regime’s tendency to suppress critical voices and obstruct objective documentation of the realities in the region.
Although the Tiraspol regime requires journalists to obtain accreditation, it consistently refuses to grant it, citing the “risk of terrorist attacks.” Among those denied accreditation and later illegally detained are journalists Viorica Tataru and Andrei Captarenco. Without certification, journalists must enter the left bank of the Dniester “clandestinely,” exposing themselves to significant risks. Moreover, obtaining accreditation does not guarantee free access to the region or the ability to conduct journalistic activities without restrictions.
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The most recent case of access denial occurred on March 4, 2025, when Evghenii Ceban, a journalist from МОСТ platform, was refused entry, even though he had no professional intent to visit the region, according to the association’s statement.
According to Promo-LEX experts, this proposed measure is part of a broader framework of illegal sanctions targeting journalists from the right bank of the Dniester and foreign correspondents.
The so-called “contraventional code” in the Transnistrian region stipulates that any violation of “access rules”—including by journalists—such as bypassing illegal checkpoints, may result in fines of up to 1,600 Moldovan lei and/or detention in temporary holding facilities controlled by the so-called “Ministry of Security,” followed by forced “expulsion” from the region, according to the same statement.
Since the beginning of the year, the Tiraspol regime has adopted multiple repressive measures that intensify the climate of fear in the region. For instance, on January 23, 2025, the so-called “General Prosecutor” of Transnistria, Anatoli Guretki, proposed an initiative to criminalize the collection, storage, and transmission of personal data or “classified” information to foreign citizens, organizations, and authorities. Later, on March 4, 2025, the so-called “Supreme Soviet” in Tiraspol registered six “draft laws” aiming to ban the “promotion of a childfree lifestyle.”
Promo-LEX Association publicly calls on constitutional authorities, diplomatic missions, the OSCE Mission in Moldova, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Office in Moldova to take the following measures:
Demand the immediate and unconditional cessation of all abusive initiatives and actions by Transnistrian authorities against journalists from the right bank of the Dniester, foreign correspondents, and the region’s residents who collaborate with independent media platforms.
Make aid, benefits, and funding for the Transnistrian region contingent on genuine respect for human rights, including guaranteeing journalists’ freedom of movement.
Enhance response measures to serious human rights violations in Transnistria by establishing a platform to report and document abuses committed by Transnistrian authorities.