Amnesty International: Reacting to news that Moldova’s parliament has passed amendments to the country’s Criminal Code which redefine “high treason,” Veaceslav Tofan, Executive Director of Amnesty International Moldova, said: “The amendment to Moldova’s Criminal Code adopted by the parliament is alarming. The broadened definition of high treason is vague and open to abuse, posing a particular threat to the right to freedom of expression. This new definition of high treason could be used to target political dissent and critical voices under the guise of countering malevolent foreign influence. Worryingly, this law risks criminalizing views and opinions that should be protected under international law.

We call on the parliament to repeal this legislation and urge the President not to sign it into law. The Moldovan authorities must ensure that any law that restricts the right to freedom of expression, as well as any measures to implement legislation in the interest of national security, meets the requirements under international human rights law of legality, legitimacy, necessity and proportionality, as well as conforming the principle of non-discrimination.”

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