Read the full statement in Romanian below
Today, 17 February 2023, marks one year since journalist Emilia 葮别谤肠补苍 about cybercrime and violation of privacy after she discovered five stolen personal pictures taken about twenty years ago had been published on 34 porn websites.
The next day, 葮别谤肠补苍 found that a Moldovan website had published an article containing the five stolen pictures and a Facebook Messenger screenshot she had provided to the Romanian police.
One year and multiple criminal complaints later, investigations have failed to identify either the perpetrator or the source of the alleged leak from within the police force, despite repeated and European bodies.聽
Accordingly, our organisations today renew to designate the investigation a priority and dedicate sufficient resources to it. We also ask that the prosecutorial services merge the cases to improve efficiency and speed up the investigations and urge the Prosecutor General to receive Emilia 葮别谤肠补苍, as she has requested on multiple occasions.
We continue to have serious concerns about the implications of the case for media freedom in Romania more broadly, especially given the context. In January 2022, 葮别谤肠补苍 had revealed that Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuc膬 plagiarised his doctoral dissertation, after which she received several threats to her safety.
Not only have the Romanian authorities yet to respond meaningfully to concerns about the investigation鈥檚 lack of progress, including after and experts disproved the police鈥檚 claim that the leak must have taken place before the journalist reached the police station, but 葮别谤肠补苍 now faces aimed at discrediting her public interest journalism, which appears to have been directed by the governing National Liberal Party (PNL). It follows the publication of two articles, in September and November 2022, in which 葮别谤肠补苍 revealed that former Minister of Education Sorin C卯mpeanu and Home Affairs Minister Lucian Bode, a member and the general secretary of the PNL respectively, also plagiarised.
On 9 January, online outlet Hotnews published information it obtained showing that PNL leadership instructed the party鈥檚 politicians to discredit 葮别谤肠补苍 if they were asked about the issue in media interviews. At the same time, two ghost media websites with opaque ownership, dezvaluiri.net and oradestiri.net, published anonymous articles attempting to discredit 葮别谤肠补苍 that also appeared as sponsored posts on Facebook. Misreport, a Romanian platform specialised in tackling misinformation, conducted an analysis showing that the promotion was paid for by Green Pixel Interactive, an advertising agency registered as having contracts with PNL in the campaigns for the parliamentary and local elections in 2020. After Misreport called Green Pixel Interactive, the two ghost websites were deactivated, and their Facebook pages were deleted. Green Pixel Interactive did not answer questions about whether it was operating on behalf of PNL or its representatives.
馃嚪馃嚧: IPI is appalled by the latest co-ordinated smear campaign against in retaliation for her public interest reporting on PhD plagiarism by high-levels officials. These repeated attacks are shameful & must cease immediately.
鈻讹笍
鈥� IPI – The Global Network for Independent Media (@globalfreemedia)
This renewed harassment of 葮别谤肠补苍 is unacceptable and, given the prominent players apparently involved in its coordination, has a chilling effect beyond the case at hand. Accordingly, the undersigned organisations call on the leadership and members of the PNL to immediately condemn the smear campaign and to issue clear instructions not to discredit 葮别谤肠补苍 any further.
Meanwhile, we also call on the EU institutions to continue to follow the case closely and to consider its implications for media freedom and the rule of law in Romania in relevant regional-level processes. Specifically, the European Commission鈥檚 2022 Rule of Law report intimidation of journalists as a press freedom concern in Romania. Considering no progress appears to have been achieved in the investigations, and in light of the new smear campaign against her, we call on the European Commission to ensure that this is reflected in the forthcoming publication of the 2023 Rule of Law report chapter on Romania, as it is testament to the lack of adequate commitment to press freedom by Romanian public officials.
We call on the authorities and politicians to show they respect Romania鈥檚 European commitments and obligations to press freedom by effectively prosecuting the harassment of Emilia 葮别谤肠补苍 and condemning any politically-sponsored smear campaign.
Signed by:
ActiveWatch
ARTICLE 19 Europe
Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ)
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited
International Press Institute (IPI)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
La an de la declan葯area campaniei de h膬r葲uire 卯mpotriva jurnalistei Emilia 葮别谤肠补苍, 10 organiza葲ii interna葲ionale 葯颈 locale, care ap膬r膬 libertatea presei, fac un nou apel public, 卯n sprijinul jurnalistei, c膬tre autorit膬葲ile 葯颈 politicienii din Rom芒nia, dar 葯颈 c膬tre institu葲iile europene.聽
Rom芒nia: Un nou apel la ac葲iune dup膬 cea mai recent膬 campanie de discreditare a Emiliei 葮别谤肠补苍聽
Ast膬zi, 17 februarie 2023, se 卯mpline葯te un an de c芒nd jurnalista Emilia 葮别谤肠补苍 cu privire la comiterea unor infrac葲iuni cibernetice 葯颈 卯nc膬lcarea vie葲ii sale private, dup膬 ce a descoperit cinci fotografii personale furate, f膬cute cu aproximativ dou膬zeci de ani 卯n urm膬, care fuseser膬 publicate pe 34 de site-uri cu con葲inut pentru adul葲i. A doua zi, 葮别谤肠补苍 a constatat c膬 un site din Republica Moldova a publicat un articol care con葲inea cele cinci poze furate 葯颈 o captur膬 de ecran a unei conversa葲ii pe Facebook Messenger, pe care jurnalista o furnizase poli葲iei rom芒ne. Un an mai t芒rziu 葯颈 dup膬 mai multe pl芒ngeri penale, 卯n niciuna dintre investiga葲ii nu au fost identifica葲i fie f膬ptuitorii, fie sursa presupusei scurgeri de informa葲ii din cadrul for葲elor de poli葲ie, 葯颈 a organismelor europene ca persoanele responsabile s膬 fie trase la r膬spundere.聽
脦n consecin葲膬, organiza葲iile noastre re卯nnoiesc ast膬zi s膬 dea prioritate anchetei 葯颈 s膬-i dedice resurse suficiente. De asemenea, solicit膬m ca parchetele s膬 comaseze dosarele pentru a cre葯te eficien葲a 葯颈 a accelera cercet膬rile 葯颈 卯ndemn膬m procurorul general s膬 o primeasc膬 卯n audien葲膬 pe Emilia 葮别谤肠补苍, a葯a cum a solicitat aceasta 卯n mai multe r芒nduri. Continu膬m s膬 avem serioase 卯ngrijor膬ri cu privire la implica葲iile pe care cazul le are pentru libertatea presei 卯n Rom芒nia 卯n sens mai larg, mai ales av芒nd 卯n vedere contextul. 脦n ianuarie 2022, 葮别谤肠补苍 dezv膬luise c膬 premierul Nicolae Ciuc膬 葯颈-a plagiat teza de doctorat, dup膬 care a primit mai multe amenin葲膬ri la adresa siguran葲ei sale.
Nu numai c膬 autorit膬葲ile rom芒ne nu au r膬spuns 卯nc膬 卯n mod credibil 卯ngrijor膬rilor legate de lipsa de progres a anchetei, inclusiv dup膬 ce exper葲i 葯颈 au infirmat ipoteza poli葲iei conform c膬reia scurgerea trebuie s膬 fi avut loc 卯nainte ca jurnalistul s膬 ajung膬 la sec葲ia de poli葲ie, dar 葮别谤肠补苍 se confrunt膬 acum cu care vizeaz膬 discreditarea activit膬葲ii ei jurnalistice de interes public, 葯颈 care pare s膬 fi fost condus膬 de Partidul Na葲ional Liberal (PNL), aflat la guvernare. Campania vine 卯n urma public膬rii a dou膬 articole, 卯n septembrie 葯颈 noiembrie 2022, 卯n care 葮别谤肠补苍 a dezv膬luit c膬 葯颈 fostul ministru al Educa葲iei Sorin C卯mpeanu, membru PNL, 葯颈 ministrul Afacerilor Interne Lucian Bode, secretar general al PNL, au plagiat.
Pe 9 ianuarie, site-ul online Hotnews a publicat informa葲ii ob葲inute pe surse, care arat膬 c膬 conducerea PNL a instruit politicienii partidului s膬 o discrediteze pe 葮别谤肠补苍 dac膬 sunt 卯ntreba葲i despre aceast膬 problem膬 卯n interviurile 卯n pres膬. 脦n acela葯颈 timp, dou膬 site-uri fantom膬 cu proprietate opac膬, dezvaluiri.net 葯颈 oradestiri.net, au publicat articole anonime care 卯ncercau s膬 o discrediteze pe 葮别谤肠补苍, articole care au ap膬rut 葯颈 ca post膬ri sponsorizate pe Facebook. Misreport, o platform膬 rom芒neasc膬 specializat膬 卯n combaterea dezinform膬rii, a realizat o analiz膬 care arat膬 c膬 promovarea a fost pl膬tit膬 de Green Pixel Interactive, agen葲ie de publicitate 卯nregistrat膬 ca av芒nd contracte cu PNL 卯n campaniile pentru alegerile parlamentare 葯颈 locale din 2020. Dup膬 ce Misreport a sunat Green Pixel Interactive, cele dou膬 site-uri fantom膬 au fost dezactivate, iar paginile lor de Facebook au fost 葯terse. Green Pixel Interactive nu a r膬spuns 卯ntreb膬rilor dac膬 opereaz膬 卯n numele PNL sau al reprezentan葲ilor s膬i.
Aceast膬 nou膬 h膬r葲uire a Emiliei 葮别谤肠补苍 este inacceptabil膬 葯颈, av芒nd 卯n vedere juc膬torii importan葲i care, aparent, sunt implica葲i 卯n coordonarea sa, are un efect de descurajare a jurnali葯tilor dincolo de cazul de fa葲膬. 脦n consecin葲膬, organiza葲iile semnatare fac un apel la conducerea 葯颈 membrii PNL s膬 condamne imediat campania de calomnie 葯颈 s膬 emit膬 instruc葲iuni clare pentru a nu o mai discredita 葮别谤肠补苍.
De asemenea, solicit膬m institu葲iilor UE s膬 continue s膬 urm膬reasc膬 卯ndeaproape cazul 葯颈 s膬 ia 卯n considerare implica葲iile acestuia pentru libertatea presei 葯颈 statul de drept 卯n Rom芒nia 卯n procedurile relevante la nivel regional. Mai exact, Raportul Comisiei Europene din 2022 privind Statul de Drept intimidarea jurnali艧tilor drept o 卯ngrijorare pentru libertatea presei 卯n Rom芒nia. Av芒nd 卯n vedere c膬 nu pare s膬 se fi 卯nregistrat niciun progres 卯n investiga葲ii 葯颈, 卯n contextul noii campanii de discreditare 卯mpotriva jurnalistei Emilia 葮别谤肠补苍, solicit膬m Comisiei Europene s膬 se asigure c膬 acest lucru este reflectat 卯n viitoarea publicare a capitolului dedicat Rom芒niei 卯n Raportul privind Statul de Drept 2023, 卯ntruc芒t este o dovad膬 a lipsei unui angajament adecvat fa葲膬 de libertatea presei asumat de demnitarii rom芒ni.
Facem apel la autorit膬葲i 葯颈 politicieni s膬 demonstreze c膬 respect膬 angajamentele 葯颈 obliga葲iile europene ale Rom芒niei fa葲膬 de libertatea presei, urm膬rind penal 卯n mod eficient cazul de h膬r葲uire a Emiliei 葮别谤肠补苍 葯颈 condamn芒nd orice campanie de def膬imare sus葲inut膬 politic.
Semnatari:
ActiveWatch
ARTICOLUL19 Europa/ ARTICLE 19 Europe
Coali葲ia pentru Femei 卯n Jurnalism/Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ)
Comitetul pentru Protec葲ia Jurnali葯tilor/Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Centrul European pentru Pres膬 葯颈 Libertatea Media/ European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Federa葲ia European膬 a Jurnali葯tilor/ European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited
Institutul Interna葲ional de Pres膬/ International Press Institute (IPI)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)
Reporteri F膬r膬 Frontiere/ Reporters Without Borders (RSF)