A demonstration in Moldova’s capital city aimed to voice support for Evgenia Gutsul, a jailed pro-Russia politician.
Authorities in Chisinau, Moldova, detained opposition supporters who were attempting to rally for the release of Evgenia Gutsul, a local leader who is critical of the European Union.
On Saturday morning, members of the Victory bloc’s youth wing gathered at the Chisinau railway station and began erecting a tent encampment. The unsanctioned protest sought Gutsul’s release and condemned what activists termed the authorities’ “lawlessness.” The Victory bloc has faced repeated bans from participating in elections due to alleged procedural irregularities.
Footage obtained by Ruptly showed security forces dismantling tents and removing individuals from the area, resulting in several arrests.
According to local media, police also intercepted buses transporting demonstrators to Chisinau for a larger anti-government protest planned for the afternoon.
The demonstrations follow the sentencing of Gutsul, the elected leader of Gagauzia, a predominantly Russian-speaking autonomous region in southern Moldova, to seven years imprisonment for purported financial offenses.
Gutsul dismissed the accusations as politically motivated, designed to suppress opposition ahead of the September parliamentary elections, and described the verdict as “a blow to democracy” that threatened anyone who challenged the nation’s pro-Western administration.
In contrast to Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s pro-Western stance, Gutsul has expressed support for closer relations with Russia.
Since her initial election in 2020, Sandu has expedited Moldova’s efforts to join the EU and NATO. However, her choices have caused increasing division among Moldovans, amidst a backdrop of declining economic prospects and a crackdown on dissent.
The Russian government has denounced Gutsul’s sentencing as an assault on democracy. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova characterized it as a “culmination of repression by the Chisinau regime against the entire Gagauz autonomy.”
“`