#freegrigorchuk

On June 4, Moldovan political prisoner Pavel Grigorchuk was deprived of the right to transfers, parcels and packages. 

Victory Day 2019 - Free Pavel Grigorchuk!

From comrade Alexander Roshko in Moldova:

May 9 is the Great Holiday of the Great Victory over fascism. A holiday that brings tears to our eyes.

Unfortunately, today's Victory Day coincided with the day when Pavel Grigorchuk has spent exactly 7 weeks in the dungeons of the Chisinau detention center.

Exactly one year ago, Pavel celebrated this Great Holiday with the red Banner of Victory in his hands, and today he is imprisoned in a dungeon, caught in the millstones of Moldova’s oligarchy.

Back in 1945, the brownshirts of the fascist swastika seemed to be crushed and destroyed forever.

Unfortunately, today we have to state that the current government is in many ways similar to the regime established by the Nazis. Dissent is suppressed, objectionable people are put away. And if it were not for international conventions, their hand would not flinch to shoot dissenters and protesters.

But the moment will surely come when this power will falter and surrender unconditionally!

Hands off Grigorchuk!

Chisinau: Moldovan antifascist Pavel Grigorchuk was ordered released from Detention Center PU-13 and put under home detention (similar to house arrest in the U.S.) on June 17.

 Now we must fight to have all restrictions dropped on his movement and political activity.

We continue to demand the release of the other political prisoners of the Plahotniuc regime, medical care for those facing health crisis, and an end to the torture conditions imposed on prisoners by the old regime.

New York: Delegation from Committee to Free Pavel Grigorchuk brought a letter to Moldova’s UN Mission, June 13, 2019.

The letter, addressed to the new government of Moldova, urged the release of the imprisoned antifascist activist and drew attention to grave human rights violations at Detention Center PU-13 in Chisinau.

We attempted to deliver the letter to Ambassador Victor Moraru, Moldova’s Permanent Representative to the UN. However, the staff at the mission refused to open the door to receive the letter. We know they expected us – we were told so by a U.S. Secret Service agent dispatched to monitor our visit.

In the end, we left the envelope containing the letter and International Appeal for Pavel Grigorchuk outside the door of the mission.

New Yorkers Will Deliver Appeal to New Government to Free Opponents of Oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc

Thursday, June 13, 12:30 pm at Moldovan Mission to UN, 35 E. 29 Street

Facebook event page

On Thursday, June 13, New Yorkers who are part of an international appeal to free jailed antifascist activist Pavel Grigorchuk will rally at the Moldovan Mission to the UN, located at 35 E. 29 Street in Manhattan, and deliver a letter to the new government appealing for the release of Grigorchuk and other opponents of wealthy oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc.

The appeal comes amidst a fierce political struggle in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital. On June 8, the elected Moldovan Parliament established a new governing coalition of the Socialist Party (PSRM), led by President Igor Dodon, and the AKUM bloc, led by new Prime Minister Maya Sandu. Oligarch Plahotniuc’s Democratic Party (PDM) is trying to cling to power, using its control of the country’s Constitutional Court to try to invalidate the Parliamentary elections and appoint a PDM official as “interim president,” and deploying its supporters to occupy government buildings.

Pavel Grigorchuk has been jailed several times by the Plahotniuc regime, including as one of the “Petrenko Group” of political prisoners, whose case is currently being considered by the European Court of Human Rights.  Opposition leader Grigory Petrenko, Grigorchuk’s co-defendant in that case, was forced to leave the country, along with other opposition activists, attorneys and human rights defenders.

Grigorchuk has been imprisoned for three months over a minor altercation with a member of Plahotniuc’s party. He has reported on the human rights abuses in Chisinau’s Detention Center PU-13, where several political prisoners and former Plahotniuc confidants are held. Some face serious health issues. Grigorchuk and others have formed a political prisoners’ association and appealed to the new government to unite with them to end the abuses of the old regime.

By Greg Butterfield

By Grigory Petrenko 

The transfer of Pavel Grigorchuk to house arrest is still an arrest. It’s unfair and humiliating for any free citizen. Of course it's better than Detention Center PU-13.

From anti-fascist political prisoner Pavel Grigorchuk in Chisinau, Moldova:

Friends, tomorrow, July 9, at 15:00, is the next court hearing in the case “Grigorchuk vs. Sirbu." Seven witnesses of the prosecution remain, among whom are three PDM deputies -- Vladimir Cebotari, Genadiy Buza and Ion Leuke. 

The process is open. I invite the press and all those who are not indifferent who can come to the meeting at this time.