Chisinau court of appeal turns down appeal by lawyers of Orhei city mayor

Chisinau, 30 June /MOLDPRES/ - The Chisinau-based Court of Appeal today rejected an appeal by lawyers of the Orhei city mayor, Ilan Shor, as to a ruling by the Buiucani district court of Chisinau on prosecuting Shor under arrest. The prosecutor investigating this case, Andrei Baiesu, made statements to this effect today.  

“The Court of Appeal kept the conclusion by the Buiucani Court from 24 June, on the culprit’s preventive arrest measure. There is a risk that Short might influence the witnesses of this case or could even make more difficult the march of investigation, should he be under home arrest,” Baiesu said.

For his part, Ilan Shor’s lawyer Denis Ulanov noted that the Court of Appeal’s decision was not based on evidence and the presumption of innocence had not been observed.

“The today’s court did not take into account the arguments of the defence and neither the fact that Shor suffers from a chronic heart disease. Ilan Shor came each time when summoned by inquiry bodies, he cooperated with prosecutors and provided all information he availed of, in order to elucidate all aspects. He pleads not guilty in continuation,” Ulanov said.    

Also today, more people protested outside the Court of Appeal, demanding the release of the Orhei mayor. The demonstrators were shouting Ilan Shor, Orhei is with you; One for all, and all for one; Ilan, we are with you, etc.

The prosecutor also said that “Ilan Shor was brought to the Court of Appeal with protection waistcoat on him for his safety, as nobody knows who is protesting outside the court and what goals they have.”  

Ilan Shor was detained by anticorruption officers in a criminal file on 22 June 2016. The Prosecutor General’s Office initiated criminal proceedings against him back in December 2014 on dubious transactions between Banca de Economii (BEM) and Banca Sociala. In May 2015, the businessman was placed under home arrest for 30 days, with a status of defendant in the BEM file. Shor’s lawyers turned down the charges brought by prosecutors, noting that he pleads not guilty.       

(Reporter P. Beregoi, editor M. Jantovan)