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Oleg Horjan was a victim of Tiraspol regime and one of the few public figures who had the courage to fight for the fundamental rights and freedoms. Following a public meeting held on 02.06.2018 and his public protest actions Oleg Horjan has been „retained” and subsequently „condemned” to four and a half years of prison, being accused of “violent actions against a representative of public authority”.

On 23^rd June 2020 the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Moldova has declared the sentence of the so called “Supreme Court of TMR” of 02^nd November 2018 and the decision of the “Recourse College of the Supreme Court of TMR” of 28^th December 2018 issued on his criminal case as affected by absolute nullity as decisions issued by non-constitutional bodies (see here).

On December 6, 2022, having served the entire sentence, Oleg Horjan has been released from illegal detention. On December 22, 2022, in an interview to Radio Europa Liberă Oleg Horjan addressed numerous problems faced by the Transnistria region: economic, social and political. He also spoke about the abuses he got subjected to while being in detention in the years 2018-2022.

Promo-LEX reminds that over the recent period of time Oleg Horjan has been positioned as a human rights defender both by political declarations and by the initiatives targeted at supporting certain groups of persons who were or currently are victims of the Tiraspol regime.

So, Promo-LEX mentions that pursuant to the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the guarantees and rights of activists, journalists, volunteers conducting human rights promotion and protection activities must be assures by the states where the said activists, journalists and volunteers conduct their activities.

It is not for the first time when the civil or political activists are prosecuted for expressing opinions or conducting actions against the repressive Tiraspol regime (see the case of Pleșcanov, currently detained in Tiraspol). However, the homicide must be condemned as such and must rapidly contribute to the fighting of the phenomenon of impunity in this territory of the Republic of Moldova.

• In this context, Promo-LEX urges the constitutional authorities of the Republic of Moldova:
  – to investigate promptly and efficiently the death of Oleg Horjan and publication of investigation results;
  – to inform and involve the relevant international institutions and organizations in the process of monitoring and defending the fundamental rights in the Transnistria region;
  – to assure the protection of activists manifesting against the violation of human rights in the Transnistria region;
  – to persecute the persons liable for the violation of human rights in the Transnistria region, including by limiting their right for unhindered circulation and freezing their assets on the territory of the Republic of Moldova;
• The foreign diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Moldova
  – to monitor the case and condemn the systemic prosecution of activists in the Transnistria region.