Timofei Ilyushin

Affiliated media: SOTA , Freelance journalist

Incident date: January 28, 2025

Attack type:

• Warnings, pre-trial complaints, questioning and other extra-judicial actions

Who attacked: от военных

Source: Facebook post

Location: Moldova, Varnița

Additional information:

Journalist Timofei Ilyushin was detained and threatened with deportation to Russia at the Varnița checkpoint while on his way to cover a story. Known for his reporting on the Transnistrian region, human rights violations, and freedom of movement, Ilyushin was held at the checkpoint where Varnitsa police claimed he required "special documents" to film a report. They pressured him into signing an acknowledgment that he had broken the law and had been informed of the rules at the so-called border in Transnistria. After signing, a police officer, who failed to identify himself, verbally harassed Iliușen, stating that no one would protect him. Previously, Ilyushin was denied asylum in Moldova and was unable to appeal the decision due to his travels to the Transnistrian region.