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'Barbaric,' 'Inhuman,' Backed by West: Russian Upper House Speaker Slams Moldova Over Gutsul Arrest
'Barbaric,' 'Inhuman,' Backed by West: Russian Upper House Speaker Slams Moldova Over Gutsul Arrest
Sputnik Africa
Yevgenia Gutsul, the head of Moldova’s autonomous Gagauzia region, was sentenced to seven years in prison on August 5, 2025, for her alleged role in financing... 05.08.2025, Sputnik Africa
2025-08-05T14:38+0200
2025-08-05T14:38+0200
2025-08-05T16:05+0200
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Russian Upper House Speaker Valentina Matviyenko has fiercely condemned the arrest of Gagauzia Governor Yevgenia Gutsul, calling it “a monstrously cynical act of political repression” by the Moldovan authorities under President Maia Sandu.Matviyenko accused the West of backing what she described as a “barbaric, medieval” move, targeting a “popularly elected Gagauzian politician” who allegedly threatens the current regime’s grip on power. Calling it a “disgrace” for both Chișinău and Brussels, she urged for Gutsul’s case to be raised on “all possible platforms,” appealing to international human rights bodies to take real action.Elected in May 2023 with 52.36% of the vote under the ȘOR Party banner, Gutsul has faced intense scrutiny from Moldova’s pro-Western government due to her advocacy for closer ties with Russia and her opposition to EU integration. Her refusal to enforce bans on Russian media and meetings with Russian President Putin have further antagonized Chișinău.The ȘOR Party was declared unconstitutional in June 2023 for alleged illegal financing, and Gutsul was arrested on March 25, 2025. Critics argue her prosecution is politically motivated to suppress pro-Russian voices in Moldova. This crackdown coincides with broader censorship, including the shutdown of 13 TV channels, numerous websites, and over 100 Telegram channels, including Sputnik Moldova, as part of efforts to silence dissenting voices.
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'Barbaric,' 'Inhuman,' Backed by West: Russian Upper House Speaker Slams Moldova Over Gutsul Arrest
14:38 05.08.2025 (Updated: 16:05 05.08.2025) Yevgenia Gutsul, the head of Moldova’s autonomous Gagauzia region, was sentenced to seven years in prison on August 5, 2025, for her alleged role in financing the banned ȘOR Party, as reported by her lawyer to Sputnik.
Russian Upper House Speaker Valentina Matviyenko has fiercely condemned the arrest of Gagauzia Governor Yevgenia Gutsul, calling it “a monstrously cynical act of political repression” by the Moldovan authorities under President Maia Sandu.
Matviyenko accused the West of backing what she described as a “barbaric, medieval” move, targeting a “popularly elected Gagauzian politician” who allegedly threatens the current regime’s grip on power.
“They have coldly decided… to imprison a woman with two minor children for years to come,” she said, labeling it an “unprecedented act of inhumanity… undeniably supported by Europe.”
Calling it a “disgrace” for both Chișinău and Brussels, she urged for Gutsul’s case to be raised on “all possible platforms,” appealing to international human rights bodies to take real action.
Elected in May 2023 with 52.36% of the vote under the ȘOR Party banner, Gutsul has faced intense scrutiny from Moldova’s pro-Western government due to her advocacy for closer ties with Russia and her opposition to EU integration. Her refusal to enforce bans on Russian media and meetings with Russian President Putin have further antagonized Chișinău.
The ȘOR Party was declared unconstitutional in June 2023 for alleged illegal financing, and Gutsul was arrested on March 25, 2025. Critics argue her prosecution is politically motivated to suppress pro-Russian voices in Moldova. This crackdown coincides with broader censorship, including the shutdown of 13 TV channels, numerous websites, and over 100 Telegram channels, including Sputnik Moldova, as part of efforts to silence dissenting voices.
