Lawyers and representatives at ECHR seek Ion Muruianu's dismissal

The Jurists for Human Rights Association and representatives of plaintiffs at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) consider that Ion Muruianu does not deserve to hold the post of president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Info-Prim Neo reports. The lawyers say the statements made by Ion Muruianu during the general assembly of judges last week were aimed at the lawyers who provide information to journalists about the cases lost by Moldova at the ECHR. “By informing the public about the procedures at the ECHR, we wanted to contribute to the improvement of the legal system in Moldova. Our accounts were exact and based on facts and were not designed to criticize the judiciary or certain judges,” the Association's head Vlad Gribincea told a news conference on Wednesday. The lawyers demand that the president of the Supreme Court of Justice publicly refutes the statements that the lawyers disseminate information about Moldova's convictions by the ECHR in order to attract attention. “I hope Mister Muruianu will prove courage and wisdom and will realize that he can no longer contribute to strengthening people's trust in the judiciary,” Vlad Gribincea said. Lawyer Veaceslav Turcan, who represented plaintiffs at the ECHR, considers that if Ion Muruianu is dismissed or if he resigns, he will try to enter the Bar Association of Moldova. “I don't think Ion Muruianu deserves to become a lawyer as he will state different things when he holds such a post,” he said. Roman Zadoinov, another representative of the plaintiffs at the ECHR, considers that by his speech Ion Muruianu discouraged the press from treating issues related to the legal system and the lawyers from appealing to the ECHR. “Ion Muruianu considers that he has immunity and that nothing will happen to him. We want that he resign, but he will not as he expects the decision of the Disciplinary College,” said lawyer Doina Straisteanu. The lawyers called on the Supreme Council of Magistrates to hold an inquiry to establish if judge Ion Muruianu broke the rules. The president of the Supreme Council of Magistrates Dumitru Visterniceanu said the Council received no application, asking examining Muruianu's case. But the lawyers say every judge of the Council can launch investigations without waiting for complaints from outside. In the same connection, Ion Muruianu denigrated also the press. “A diabolic and destructive role… is played by the mass media that are the guard dogs of the society, but sometimes turn into rabid dogs that become dangerous for the society through the lies that they spread,” he said.