Comment on the release of Timofei Iliușin

The Bureau for Reintegration Policies welcomes the release on 26 June 2024 of journalist Timofei Iliușin, who was illegally deprived of his liberty on 24 June 2024 by the transnistrian force structures.

The Bureau for Reintegration Policies immediately responded to the illegal detention of a journalist on the left bank of the Nistru River. A call was sent through the communication channel of political representatives for the negotiation process on the Transnistrian settlement to provide an explanation for this incident and to unconditionally release the journalist. At the same time, the relevant national authorities were notified.

The lack of pluralism of opinions in the Transnistrian region, censorship, restrictions on freedom of speech, the right to free movement, the inability to freely conduct journalistic activities in a perimeter not controlled by the authorities remain relevant topics that will be kept on the agenda of the existing dialogue platforms until their final resolution.