An interview with Anatol Mătăsaru recorded on a cell-phone camera in the prison - English transcript (draft)

the video can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZyhPd8sHCg&feature=channel_page

ANATOL MĂTĂSARU: I am continuously interrogated about where I got the money from, and forced to say that I got the money from the (opposition) parties' leaders. They say, they will do everything in their power to make my life difficult here in the prison and outside, I mean, the physical and psychological torturing is still going on.

Victor PANŢÂRU (his lawyer): Were you beaten?

A.M. : Yes I was beaten. On the 8th, on the 9th and on the 11th.

V.P. : 11th... This happened after you'd received your ordinance?

A.M. : I received the ordinance on the 10th I was beaten the next day.

V.P. : How do they beat you?

A.M.: They hit on the ribs. On the chest...

V. P. : Was the doctor here?

A.M. : No he wasn't here, although I've requested to be seen by a doctor.

V.P. : How do they feed you here?

A.M. : In the morning: bread with water. Lunch: soup. Dinner... water and...

V.P. : How many more prisoners are in your cell?

A.M. : Currently there are two of us in the cell. My inmate has AIDS, but he is not receiving any medication at the moment. I am daily interrogated: where did I get the money, how did I get it, they're checking everything, my neighbors... They brought in here a neighbor and they interrogated him as well. They are interested more in my previous protests, the pig, the donkey and the others...

V.P. I see. On the 11th you've been beaten. How about afterwards?

A.M. : Then on Saturday, on Sunday, different people came from different organizations. Sometimes they don't introduce themselves. They want me to tell them names of some political leaders.

V.P. : Do you know by any chance whom you've talked to?

A.M. : They didn't introduce themselves but I found out later that they were: Cociorvă Serghei Profirovici from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the prosecutor who recorded my testimony regarding the beatings was Ruslan Zamfirov from the military prosecutor's office or Chişinău city's prosecutors office.

V.P. Did he question you regarding the physical abuses?

A.M. Yes. Strangely enough, already four days have passed but the bruises won't disappear. This is why they don't want me to see anybody. Today I have been interrogated three times. They insisted I give them the passwords of my e-mail accounts. I gave them what they'd asked for. The officer was called Igor (or Ion it is not very clear), who was reporting to an officer called Viktorovich. I don't know who he is.

V.P. They've asked for e-mail passwords? Did you give it to them?

A.M. Yes I did. Because they were pressing me physically and psychologically.

V.P. What do you mean physically? Was he beating you? How?

A.M. : Hitting my legs with their feet. Even where I already have bruises. They would hit the same places again and again. So I gave them my passwords.

V.P. And psychologically? What did they tell you?

A.M. : They say they will launch some rumors in the prison. They have people everywhere... They will make my life difficult, even through the means of other prisoners, till the level of...

V.P. Did they threaten the well-being of your family?

A.M. : Yes. Yesterday, I was escorted out from my room. The officer did not write down in the registry that he took me. I was taken to the second floor. There was a phone for me from “Vano from the Central” - a known criminal authority – saying that they are waiting for me over there.

V.P. What did he say exactly?

A.M. He said I should do everything, that everything should be ok, meaning that I shouldn't declare anything regarding my physical injuries, and I should cooperate with the militia men.

V.P. : Do you have access to the showers, to the bathrooms?

A.M. : Not yet. Not even an outside walk, at least 15 minutes of...

V.P. : This man, the criminal authority, could he endanger your life in some way?

A.M. They can harm through rumors....



Victor Panţâru said that Mătăsaru’s fundamental rights are being violated and he will take his case to the court of law. He also said that his client had been threatened, that he would be detained with very dangerous criminals, who could kill him, in case he does not comply with police requests. One of these requests seems to be to sign an act through which to recognize that Mătăsaru have been paid by the opposition leaders to do his happenings.
Earlier, the police informed Anatol Mătăsaru's wife that Anatol's swollen face was the result of a punch he got during the protests. However, his wife said that it is not correct. Anatol came home on that evening of the protests unharmed. He even took their child next day to the kindergarten and only afterward was arrested. The "swollen face" happened inside the detention quarters.