A/HRC/16/53/Add.1 R. Republic of Moldova 1. Communication sent on 7 January 2010 (a) Allegations transmitted to the Government 336. The Special Rapporteur brought to the attention of the Government information regarding public manifestations of religious intolerance against the Jewish community in Chisinau. According to the information received, on 13 December 2009, a group of around 100 parishioners from the Orthodox St. Parascheva Church in Chisinau dismantled a Jewish symbol – the Hannukah Menorah – on Europe Square, transported it to Stefan the Great Square and dumped it unceremoniously upside-down. Under the leadership of the priest, the group of parishioners also put a small Orthodox cross at the place of the Hannukah Menorah. Representatives of the Jewish community had reportedly received telephone calls in the morning of 13 December 2009 telling them to remove the Menorah or it would be destroyed. 337. In addition, during the events, the priest allegedly stated that Jewish people were trying to “dominate people” and recalled that Moldova was an Orthodox country. He reportedly also said that the “Jews can try to kill us, to traumatize our children”, but that Moldovan Orthodox believers would resist. According to the reports, the police or other law enforcement authorities did not intervene during the events. 338. While reports suggest that a number of Moldovan officials, including the President of the Republic of Moldova, the Minister of Justice and the Mayor of Chisinau, condemned the events and called for an investigation by the General Prosecutor’s office, and while the situation seems to be relatively calm at present, concern is being expressed that a backlash may occur unless prompt preventive measures are taken by the authorities. (b) Response from the Government of the Republic of Moldova dated 22 July 2010 339. In its letter dated 22 July 2010, the Government of the Republic of Moldova responded to the urgent appeal of 7 January 2010 regarding the public manifestations of religious intolerance against the Jewish community in Chisinau. 340. The Government informed that it strongly condemned the above mentioned demonstrations and had initiated procedures in order to identify all of the circumstances. It was established that the circumstances constituted an enquiry under Article 274 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and that it should be realized by a prosecuting agency of the Police Commissariat of Buiucani district and Prosecution Office of Buiucani, m. Chisinau. 341. The Government indicated that after a control had been performed, it was established that on 13 December 2010, after the service had closed in the church “Holy Mother Matrona”, under the guidance of the accused, all parishioners present had walked to the Europe Square by the entrance to Stephen cel Mare park from Chisinau. The accused without any violent actions, required to knock down the Hebrew Menorah and change its locations. 342. The Government indicated that as a result of the facts described above, the Prosecution Office of Buiucani, on 22.12 2009, disposed the non-initiation of criminal proceedings because the actions of the accused did not represent elements of a crime according to Article 275 (p.3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Republic of Moldova. Subsequently, an administrative case under Article 54 align.5) of the Administrative Code had been initiated against the accused, which penalizes “offences brought against religious feelings of individuals, desecration of their venerated objects, premises, monuments and symbols”. 64