The human rights situation in the breakaway Transnistrian region remains one of the great challenges of 2019. Furthermore, the breakaway Transnistrian region remains closed and practically inaccessible to institutions or missions for real human rights monitoring. On June 16, 2020, during a press conference, Promo-LEX launched the  Annual Report – Human Rights in the Transnistrian Region of Moldova. Retrospective of 2019. The document includes findings on the situation on the left bank of the Nistru River in the field of human rights, as well as an analysis of the actions of relevant actors.

According to Promo-Lex report, approximately 400,000 residents, of whom over 330,000 are citizens of Moldova, lack effective guarantees or tools to protect their rights, in particular: the right to liberty and security, the right to not be subjected to torture and ill-treatment, freedom of expression and association, freedom of movement, the right to education, the right to property, etc.

The behavior of the Moldovan authorities, Russia, and the self-proclaimed administration in Tiraspol has not changed. Subsequently, the challenges and serious systemic problems of human rights have been preserved, without any attempt to seek and find viable solutions to guarantee and respect fundamental human rights in this territory of Moldova.

The authors of the report note that the Russian authorities continue to decisively influence events in the breakaway Transnistrian region. Russia offers the self-proclaimed Tiraspol administration unconditional political, military, and economic support, contrary to bilateral and international commitments, and especially Russia’s status as a mediator in the settlement process of the Transnistrian problem.

Promo-LEX notes that the numerous findings of the European Court of Human Rights in the 16 judgments in 34 cases related to the breakaway Transnistrian region, handed down in 2019, oblige Moldova, Russia, and relevant international organizations to speed up and streamline discussions on identifying solutions to ensure fundamental rights for all residents of the breakaway Transnistrian region and the Security Zone.

For the first time, in two judgments, the Strasbourg Court condemned both the Government of Russia and the Government of Moldova, recognizing their responsibility for human rights violations on the left bank of the Nistru River.

Pavel Cazacu, a lawyer within the Promo-LEX Association, mentioned that the abusive actions of the de facto administration in Tiraspol continue to seriously affect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the residents of the left bank of the Nistru river.

“The constitutional authorities, but also the other relevant actors in the promotion and protection of human rights in the breakaway Transnistrian region of Moldova, must go beyond the temporary measures and focus their efforts on the final resolution of systemic problems. The lack of a long-term strategy, as well as the frequent changes in government strategies, do nothing but freeze any progress in the field of human rights. The constant increase in the number of cases in which the ECtHR finds violations of human rights in the region is an indicator that the actors involved in resolving the Transnistrian conflict should be primarily concerned with resolving these issues,” Cazacu said.

The Transnistria war broke out in March 1992, the year Moldova was admitted as a member of the United Nations. Almost three decades have passed since Moldova and the breakaway Transnistrian region are trying to find a settlement to the Transnistrian War. 

• Negotiations in the 5 + 2 Format on the Transnistrian Settlement will be Resumed in Autumn this Year 
• Moldovan Delegation Reports New Violations in the Transnistrian Security Zone