Jurnal TV Is Obliged by the Court of Initial Jurisdiction to Refute the Information Broadcast about Judge Oxana Robu and To Pay Her Compensation in Moral Damages
Jurnal TV channel was obliged by the court of original jurisdiction to refute the information broadcast two years ago which concerned judge Oxana Robu, then a candidate for the position of magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ). The decision issued on February 28 obliges the media provider to pay the protagonist the amount of 10 000 lei for non-pecuniary damage.
Oxana Robu addressed the court with a complaint after the “Patrula Jurnal TV” show broadcast on March 21, 2021, which included a material stating that several “magistrates with tarnished reputations intend to become judges at the Supreme Court of Justice.” According to Jurnal TV, at that time, Olesea Stamate, the Presidential Adviser in the sphere of justice, published a message on her Facebook page affirming that she had received operative information from the ISS and the NAC regarding the activity and integrity of several candidates in question. “It contained serious information worthy of a criminal investigation: participation in an organized criminal group, economic crimes, bribery, influence peddling, and so on,” Olesea Stamate affirmed in her post, according to Jurnal TV.
The media institution presumably obtained one of the relevant documents supposedly demonstrating that judges Anatolie Minciuna, Nicolae Sovu, Oxana Robu, and Aliona Miron had assumedly committed illegalities for which they had not been punished. According to the journalists, Oxana Robu presumably facilitated a number of ungrounded criminal trials for sentencing some businessmen to prison, aiming to take over their businesses. Moreover, in certain cases, she presumably made some decisions contrary to the legislation. When reached by phone for comment, each of the judges denied the allegations. “I’d like to declare with certainty that I haven’t taken any of such actions. I’ve never sentenced a person to prison contrary to the law,” Oxana Robu declared for Jurnal TV.
Following her complaint for protecting her honor, dignity, and professional reputation, Chisinau Court, Centru Sector, obliged the TV channel to refute the information “that judge Oxana Robu presumably committed influence peddling, bribery, was involved in organized criminal groups, supposedly committed illegalities for which she was not punished, facilitated some unfounded criminal trials for sentencing businessmen to prison for taking over their businesses, or made any decisions contrary to the legislation in certain cases, which concern the plaintiff, as false information.”
The lawsuit was partially admitted, according to the court decision, and can be appealed against within 30 days.
Jurnal TV’s lawyer affirms the decision will be appealed against. “It is illegal; it is issued contrary to the national legislation, and breaches the practice of the European Court of Human Rights. None of the statements from the report belongs to us. It states: according to councilor Olesea Stamate, according to the ISS, according to the information previously published in the press. We also requested Ms. Robu’s comment, and she denied the allegations. The journalistic deontology was complied with. We will appeal and hope that the courts, in the process of reforms, won’t leave such lawlessness in force,” Dumitru Pavel has told Media Azi.
