On January 14th, 2013 took place the Press conference on the topic “Evgheni Sevciuc becoming president takes revenge. Alexander Coliban – the next prisoner in Tiraspol for the next 2.6 years.” In which participated the relatives of the young man and the representative of Promo-LEX Association, Pavel Postica.
Alexandr Coliban, aged 22, from Chisinau, was convicted by the unconstitutional bodies from transnistrian region to 2.6 years of prison. Alexander was convicted for distributing electoral leaflets against Evgheni Sevciuc for the “presidential elections” campaign from 11 September 2011 in the transnistrian region.
On October 23rd 2011, a group of people hired by Alexandru to post and distribute electoral leaflets in the region were detained in the town of Grigoriopol. Alexandru immediately went to Grigoriopol to clarify the situation, and was detained by the Transnistrian “law enforcement” on charges of slander (actions punishable under Article 126 of the “criminal code”) and on impeding the free exercise of the electoral right or the activities of electoral authorities following the distribution of defamatory materials against candidate Evgheni Sevciuc (actions punishable under Art. 137 of the “criminal code”).
Alexandr was detained for three days, and pressured to confess his supposed guilt and testify against the organizer. Convinced of the lack of criminal content in his actions, Alexandr admitted that indeed he recruited and hired people for campaigning and provided them with electoral materials. Moreover, he indicated who exactly hired him for this work and how much he was paid for it.
“Starting with October 31st, 2011, the regional Transnistrian “public” television broadcast a series of six thematic programs about the defamation campaign against candidates, including images. Also the TV programs presented all materials, “defamatory” election posters against candidate Evgheni Sevciuc. We conclude that it is about revenge considering that after becoming “president”, Sevciuc addressed a letter to the court expressly requesting a tougher punishment for Alexandru – a prison sentence for a maximum term of 3 years and 6 months”, mentioned Promo-LEX Association lawyer, Pavel Postica.
“Respectively, since June 9th, 2012, Alexandru Coliban is held in illegal detention in Tiraspol. Moreover, his detention is clearly politically motivated. All the “defamatory” materials were made public through the local media more than once. In our view, the impact of posting slandering electoral leaflets on pillars is incomparable with the impact of showing these posters on TV – although no one was punished for the broadcast, at least not criminally charged”, added Pavel Postica
Svetlana Coliban, the mother of the young man, asks the authorities of the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation (which has influence on the eastern territory of Moldova) to solve this problem and to release her innocent son.
Association Promo-LEX by any possible and legal means will defend the legitimate interests of Alexandr Coliban and promptly submit the case to the European Court of Human Rights. In connection with the above, we ask the authorities of Moldova and of the Russian Federation, and other bodies involved in the 5+2 format:
1. To take action on this serious case of violation of the right to freedom and personal security and the right to free expression in respect of Alexandru Coliban;
2. To see to an immediate and unconditional release from prison of Alexandru Coliban, and his medical examination;
3. To punish under national legislation the persons responsible for violating the rights of Alexandru Coliban.
The press conference is available here.
For more details, contact: Paul Postica, lawyer Promo-LEX Association
Tel: (22) 450024, GSM: 069165154, e-mail: [email protected]