Interior Minister accuses former Communist authorities of "violent and arbitrary" repression in April

Interior Minister Victor Catan held a press conference today, during which he spoke about the investigation of the April events in Moldova.

After authorities announced that the Party of Communists won legislative elections on April 5, peaceful protesters came out into the street on April 6 and 7 to demonstrate against alleged election fraud. At one point on April 7, a group of violent protesters began throwing rocks at police officers in front of the Parliament and Presidency, eventually made their way into the buildings, and set a few floors on fire.

On the night of April 7, authorities started a mass repression campaign that ended in the arrest of about 700 people and the torture and beating of around 300 of them, according to a Soros Foundation report.

At least a few deaths have been tied to the repression, including that of Valeriu Boboc.

Mr. Papuc said that the former Communist authorities showed "imprudence" and an inability to maintain public order, which threatened the lives of protesters and of the security forces, and led to the devastation of the Parliament and Presidential buildings.

The Interior Minister added that right after the protests, the former authorities started a mass repression campaign to punish the demonstrators and even some by-standers. Between midnight and 3 a.m. on April 8, Mr. Catan stressed, authorities organized a "violent and arbitrary campaign" ostensibly to restore public order, during which minors and women were detained. Footage from that night shows police officers hitting detainees and putting them in the back of police cars. Numerous explosions were heard during that night, as well.

The minister said that prosecutors will open criminal cases against the former leadership of the Interior Minitry and punish those responsible for the repression.

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