A court in Chisinau has sentenced Evghenia Gutsul, the head of Moldova’s Gagauz Autonomous Region, to seven years in prison on charges related to illegal financing of the Sor opposition party, her lawyer Natalia Bayram told TASS.
"She was sentenced to seven years with the verdict to be enforced immediately. She will be transported directly from the courtroom to serve her sentence," Bayram stated.
Later, speaking with journalists, Gutsul’s lawyer described the verdict as illegitimate. "How can one comment on this completely illegitimate decision and trial? I cannot, but I believe international organizations will issue a proper assessment of this case. This is a black mark on Moldova and its judicial system," she emphasized.
The court also sentenced former Sor party secretary Svetlana Popan to six years in prison on charges of financial misconduct. She was detained in the courtroom alongside Gutsul, and both were subsequently taken away in a prison bus.
Criminal case and trial
Since early morning, Gutsul supporters have been gathering peacefully near the courthouse in Chi·inau. The protesters chanted slogans such as "Evghenia, we stand with you," "Justice must be served," and "Free Gutsul." Police cordoned off the block surrounding the courthouse, preventing anyone from approaching the building. As a result, demonstrators gathered on the opposite side of the street. Media representatives were present as well; however, guards barred them from entering the courthouse. Meanwhile, pro-government Moldovan media outlets were granted access and even received draft versions of the verdict from the country's leadership.
Earlier, Bayram criticized the trial, highlighting numerous violations and asserting that the evidence presented by prosecutors was unsubstantiated.
Gutsul faced charges related to alleged involvement in the illegal financing of the opposition party Sor between 2019 and 2022 - a party that was declared unconstitutional and dissolved in Moldova in 2023. Gutsul vehemently denies all prosecution claims, asserting that the case is politically motivated. She accuses the Party of Action and Solidarity, which controls the parliament and government, of orchestrating the proceedings. "I will continue to fight and prove my innocence," Gutsul declared.
Conflict with Moldovan authorities
Relations between Gutsul and the Moldovan leadership deteriorated significantly in 2023 following her electoral victory in the autonomous region. Her statements about strengthening friendly ties with Russia and her criticism of Chisinau's confrontational policies toward Moscow further fueled tensions. The Moldovan authorities attempted to declare the elections illegitimate, but the Gagauz parliament expressed solidarity with Gutsul. Several mass demonstrations in support of her took place across the region, underscoring regional backing.
Meanwhile, Moldovan President Maia Sandu refused to sign a decree appointing Gutsul to the government, as mandated by national legislation. Irina Vlah, the former head of the autonomy and leader of the Heart of Moldova party, characterized the sanctions against Gutsul as retaliation by the current Moldovan authorities for her lack of support during the recent presidential and parliamentary elections.
Arrests of regional leaders and prominent politicians are not uncommon in Moldova. Historically, figures such as Igor Smirnov and Stepan Topal - presidents of the unrecognized republics of Transnistria and Gagauzia - were detained by Moldovan special forces and imprisoned following the August 1991 coup attempt, though they were eventually released amid public pressure. More recently, in 2022, Igor Dodon, the former president and leader of the Party of Socialists, was placed under house arrest for nearly six months. He was charged with treason, illegal financing, corruption, and other crimes, but the allegations were never conclusively proven. Additionally, Vlad Filat, a former prime minister and leader of the pro-European Liberal Democratic Party who had helped Maia Sandu launch her political career, served four years in prison. Currently, he is a vocal critic of Sandu’s governance, accusing her of attempting to establish a dictatorship.
