Affiliated media: TV8, TV network

Incident date: October 5, 2023

Attack type:

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

Who attacked: Non-authorities

Source: TV8

Location: Moldova, Chișinău

Additional information:

The former deputy director of the Security and Intelligence Service of Moldova, Alexandru Balan, threatened the TV8 media outlet with sanctions, after they published an article saying that he was caught driving drunk and was involved in a road accident. Alexandru Balan accused journalists of spreading defamation, even though he confirmed the authenticity of the audio recordings published by TV8, from which it appears that he was trying to convince the security service of a local in whose parking lot the accident took place not to call the police. The letter was sent to the TV8 editorial office requesting to delete the article and publish the refutation.