Comrat Legal Clinic is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that has been active in the south of the Republic of Moldova for almost 20 years. The organization’s mission is to promote and protect human rights in Gagauzia, as well as to monitor democratic processes in the region.
Through the Addressing Hate-Based Crimes (AHC) project implemented by Millennium Partners, Comrat Legal Clinic works to combat hate speech and hate crimes in Gagauzia, which is one of the poorer regions in Moldova and home to several minority groups and Ukrainian refugees. The Millennium AHC project team met with Natalia Baurciulu, Comrat Legal Clinic Director to discuss how the grantee is working to improve the capacity of these marginalized groups to protect their rights, have better access to legal assistance, and reduce discrimination by promoting tolerance messages.
What are the main human rights challenges in Gagauzia region of Moldova within the Comrat Legal Clinic area of focus, and what are the most pressing issues faced by the community you represent?
The most important challenges identified by us in the field of human rights protection in Gagauzia are the low level of legal literacy of the population; the poor quality of legal services; the lack of NGOs active in the field of human rights protection; the permanent redirecting of citizens from one public institution to another to solve their problems.
Among the most acute problems that people bring to us are the lack of social protection and assistance to vulnerable citizens, discriminatory practices and behaviors, registration of property and “neighborhood wars” over territory.
How do hate crimes manifest in the region where your organization operates, or in relation to the Clinic’s beneficiaries?
In the Gagauzia region, hate crimes were not officially recorded until 2024. Our organization encountered this phenomenon in 2024. Crimes were committed against refugees from Ukraine housed in the refugee accommodation center in the village of Congaz. What stands out is that most of the refugees – about 80% in this center are of Roma ethnicity, highlighting the heightened risks they face due to both their refugee status and their ethnic background.
Although there was no official record of hate crimes in the Gagauzia region until 2024, we are convinced that in reality such crimes had been committed, but were not recognized and perceived by society as crimes—specifically, as crimes motivated by hate.
In our opinion, this is due to two factors: first, the Criminal Code of the Republic of Moldova did not include articles addressing such crimes until 2022; and second, society was not informed enough to recognize these actions as violations of the law. In my view, low levels of awareness, misinformation, and intolerance are some of the reasons for the emergence and manifestation of this phenomenon.
The Clinic played a crucial role in the recent success of bringing a hate crime case to court, which you say is the first in the region. What was this case about, and what does this victory mean for the organization, its beneficiaries, and the community as a whole? What message does this decision send?
In February 2024, two people set fire to the cars of two Ukrainians temporarily staying in the Refugee Accommodation Center in the village of Congaz, in the Gagauzian region, where about 80% of Ukrainian refugees were of Roma ethnicity.
Source: CLC Report
The messages painted on the burned vehicles and on the walls, including the word “Afară” meaning “Out” in Romanian, further indicated the ethnic motivation behind these acts. Due to the support offered to victims by the Comrat Legal Clinic, on July 22, 2024, the Comrat District Court sentenced the perpetrators for inciting hatred against refugees from Ukraine, based on article 346 from the Criminal Code for intentional actions aimed at inciting enmity, differentiation or national, ethnic, racial or religious division
This case is certainly a success for our organization, as it demonstrates that the guilty can be held accountable. It serves as an example of what not to do and shows that every illegal act is punished. It also sets a legal precedent that we can build on in the future.
On the other hand, cases like this reveal a very low level of tolerance in society and underscore the need to promote tolerance, ideas, and messages of acceptance. It is essential to teach children the importance of tolerance in schools, particularly in interpersonal relationships. This can help prevent such crimes in the future. Special attention should be given to educating children in rural schools, as these crimes are often committed by individuals with low levels of education and unemployment.
What does the Comrat Legal Clinic aim to achieve through the grant award from the AHC project, and how will it benefit the organization and its beneficiaries?
First of all, through this project, the organization aims to help people who have been victims of discrimination or hate crimes—those who face unequal treatment simply because they have a different status or position.
At the same time, we aim to draw our community’s attention to the issues of discrimination, unequal treatment, and hate crimes.
These topics are not always discussed, and often, especially in the case of discriminatory practices, they are accepted as normal. Discrimination has become so deeply ingrained in the lives of many citizens that they often fail to recognize themselves as victims.
What are the organization’s priorities for the near future, and where is support most needed?
The main priority of the Comrat Legal Clinic is the defense of human rights in Gagauzia region. In our opinion, programs aimed at increasing legal knowledge and awareness are always relevant. Providing legal assistance, training young people on human rights, informing citizens about how to protect their rights, and monitoring the observance of the rights of citizens from vulnerable groups are the main areas in which the organization has worked and intends to continue working. Of course, we could not do this without the help of our donors and partners. We continue to rely on cooperation and support in these areas.
