CHISINAU. Sept 5 (Interfax) - The Moldovan Supreme Court of Justice has dismissed a lawyer's appeal and upheld the international travel ban for former Moldovan President Igor Dodon.
The ruling was pronounced on Tuesday, when the Court declined an application from Dodon's lawyer for overruling the ban, the Court's press service told Interfax.
"The Criminal Cases Panel of the Supreme Court of Justice dismisses the appeal filed by lawyer Peter Balan on behalf of defendant Igor Dodon against the judgment pronounced by the Supreme Court of Justice on July 17, 2023, to extend the ban. This is a final ruling which is not subject to appeal," the ruling said.
Dodon was arrested on May 24, 2022, on six criminal counts. He remained under houses arrest from May to October 2022 and is now prohibited from traveling outside Moldova. He is accused of treason, illegal enrichment, corruption and other grave crimes.
In particular, the court is hearing a case on passive corruption, bribery, and organizing and accepting political party funding from a criminal gang in June 2019, when Dodon was serving as the president. Another case against Dodon is based on a video which shows him accepting a black plastic bag from Democratic Party Chairman Vlad Plahotniuc in 2019. Prosecutors said that Dodon may have received between $600,000 and $1 million for the upkeep of the Party of Socialists.
The Supreme Court of Justice freed Dodon from house arrest on November 18, 2022. At the same time, he was prohibited from traveling outside Moldova. The Court continues to extend the ban at the request of prosecutors.