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U.S. Department of State 2023 Report on Moldova

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U.S. Department of State 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices Moldova U.S. Department of State 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Moldova Section E: DENIAL OF FAIR PUBLIC TRIAL While the law provided for an independent judiciary, judicial independence remained a problem due to problems stemming from corruption and selective justice , in which the law was not applied equally to all and was often selectively enforced for politically motivated reasons . Selective justice remained a problem and lawyers complained of instances in which their clients’ rights to a fair trial were denied . ✎ Full report here . See also: the international press on Moldova, a captive state; the raider attacks and their context in Moldova; the list of sanctions against Plahotniuc and grounds for them.

Sanctions against Plahotniuc and grounds for them

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The EU , US , UK , Canada , Switzerland and Norway added Plahotniuc to their Sanctions lists. Plahotniuc fled Moldova in June 2019. His whereabouts remain unknown. Vladimir Plahotniuc, aka Vlad Ulinici, aka Vladislav Novak Foto: Balkaninsight.com EU Sanctions, 30 May 2023 “ Vladimir Plahotniuc is subject to numerous criminal proceedings in the Republic of Moldova [...] Vladimir Plahotniuc is responsible for actions and implementing policies which undermine and threaten the democracy, the rule of law , stability or security in the Republic of Moldova [...].” NOTE: The EU Regulation mentions 5 of Plahotniuc’s known identities, among which a Russian one, along with his Russian passport no. 0960304018797. ▸  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=OJ:L:2023:140I:FULL European Parliament Resolution, 19 Apr 2023 “[...] whereas oligarchs Ilan Șor and Vladimir Plahotniuc have been sanct

The Swiss Confederation added Plahotniuc to the Sanctions List

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Following the US , UK , EU , Canada and Norway , on 28 June 2023, also the Swiss Confederation added Plahotniuc to the Sanctions Lists. ✎ Useful links: https://bnn.network/politics/switzerland-adopts-sanctions-on-five-people-for-undermining-moldovas-sovereignty/ https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-96168.html https://www.thediplomaticaffairs.com/2023/06/29/switzerland-joins-the-eu-sanctions-against-the-people-involved-in-the-destabilisation-of-the-republic-of-moldova/

Canada sanctions Plahotniuc

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On 30 May 2023 , the Government of Canada added Vladimir Plahotniuc to the Sanctions List. Here is the decision. Here is the individual sanctions record on Plahotniuc. REUTERS: Ottawa, 1 June 2023 Canada is imposing sanctions on Moldovan oligarchs , business people and politicians over their connections to Russia and to prevent alleged Russian destabilization efforts in the region, the Canadian foreign ministry said on Thursday. ✎ Previously, the US , UK , and EU added Plahotniuc to their Sanctions Lists.

The EU added Plahotniuc to the Sanctions List

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On 30 May 2023, the Council of the European Union added Plahotniuc to the Sanctions List . Here is the decision and annex. The resolution mentions all the hitherto known identities of Plahotniuc, Vladimir Gheorghe PLAHOTNIUC; a.k.a. Vladimir ULINICI; a.k.a. Vladimir PLAKHOTNYUK; a.k.a. Vladislav Vladimir NOVAK; Владимир (Влад) Георгиевич ПЛАХОТНЮК, along with his Russian passport no. 0960304018797. Previously, the US and UK added Plahotniuc to their Sanctions Lists. ✎ Here is the full resolution.

The European Parliament calls for the EU to sanction Plahotniuc

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European Parliament resolution of 19 April 2023 on the challenges facing the Republic of Moldova ( 2023/2595(RSP) ) The European Parliament [...] calls for the EU and its Member States to broaden the scope of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to include as a punishable offence acts of corruption that undermine a country’s security, stability, constitutional order and democratic institutions; calls for the EU and its Member States to establish immediate sanctions against those that attempt to destabilise the Republic of Moldova, undermine its security, stability and constitutional order or corrupt its political and economic institutions; calls for the EU, in this context, to sanction fugitive oligarchs Ilan Șor and Vladimir Plahotniuc personally and, where appropriate, to sanction their businesses and political organisations; calls on the respective hosting states and territories to extradite Ilan Șor and Vladimir Plahotniuc to stand trial in the Republic of Moldova. ᐅ

Plahotniuc sanctioned by the UK Government

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UK Government's Press Release of 9 December 2022 Sanctions targeting corrupt actors Vladimir Plahotniuc , a businessman and a former politician, fugitive from Moldovan justice, involved in capturing and corrupting Moldova’s state institutions . Definitions of types of sanctions Asset freeze - An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person. Travel ban - A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971. ᐅ https://www.gov.uk/governm