In a statement to the Moldovan government in 2018, the UN Special Rapporteur called for a stronger protection of human rights defenders in Moldova. The statement was released after a four-day visit by the Special Rapporteur to the country, where he received information about intimidation of defenders, dissenting voices and their lawyers by public authorities.
Michel Forst recommended, amongst other actions, that “the state should develop legal provisions and practices to safeguard the principles of genuine participation of civil society in the decision-making process at central as well as at local levels. It should also ensure that the NGOs mass media and other human rights defenders have practical tools to hold accountable policy makers and influence the process of decision making and policy implementation.”
