A court in Chisinau has begun considering a petition for the release of Hutsuls.

A court in Chisinau is considering a petition for the release of the head of Gagauzia (Bashkan) Evgenia Gutsul under house arrest. Her adviser, Mikhail Vlakh, told Izvestia about this on October 8.

The official noted that Gagauzia has actually been decapitated since 2024, when the Moldovan authorities began to make claims against the head of the autonomy.

"Today Gagauzia has actually been decapitated and the pressure continues. We, residents of the Gagauz Autonomous Region, representatives of society, still hope that the court, having considered all the pros and cons, will first of all let the Bashkan of Gagauzia go home today," Vlah said.

He added that Hutsul is an ordinary woman, a citizen of the country, who has never violated the law. Moreover, the Bashkan of Gagauzia currently has criminal immunity. The day before, international lawyers said that even if the judges did not release the Hutsuls on Wednesday, they would still appeal their decision.

"They can leave her either under house arrest or on their own recognizance and continue the court session in the appeals chamber, to consider what happened in the first instance. But it is impossible for Bashkan to be in prison illegally today," Vlah said.

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On August 5, the head of Gagauzia was sentenced to seven years in prison in the case of allegedly financing the Shor party. Initially, the prosecutor's office requested nine years. On the same day, Hutsul reported on the great support provided to her. Gagauz residents gathered outside the courthouse, where her family members were not allowed to enter at the time of sentencing. Later, on August 13, international lawyers joined in defending the Hutsuls' interests.

Lawyer William Julie told Izvestia on September 12 that the prison where Hutsul is being held has been recognized by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) as a very harsh place where articles of the ECHR are violated on a daily basis. In addition, he pointed out the problems of the Hutsul case management. According to him, of the 200 witnesses who were petitioned by the defense, the court agreed to interrogate only 20 people, without explaining the reasons for rejecting the remaining candidates.

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