Kremlin says Moldova tramples on democracy with sentence on pro-Russian regional leader

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moldova had trampled "the rules and norms of democracy" by sentencing pro-Kremlin regional leader Evgenia Gutul to seven years in prison. Peskov condemned the sentence as politically motivated. According to Moldovan prosecutors, Gutul systematically channelled undeclared funds into the country from 2019-2022 to finance the now-banned pro-Moscow "Shor" party set up by Ilan Shor, an exiled pro-Russian businessman convicted of fraud in Moldova.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Moldova had trampled "the rules and norms of democracy" by sentencing pro-Kremlin regional leader Evgenia Gutul to seven years in prison. Peskov condemned the sentence as politically motivated.

According to Moldovan prosecutors, Gutul systematically channelled undeclared funds into the country from 2019-2022 to finance the now-banned pro-Moscow "Shor" party set up by Ilan Shor, an exiled pro-Russian businessman convicted of fraud in Moldova. Gutul denied wrongdoing.