Marina Tauber detained at Chisinau Airport en route to Israel

The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (AP) announces that on Monday morning, May 1, “Șor” Party MP Marina Tauber was detained at Chisinau International Airport en route to Tel Aviv, Israel via Istanbul, Turkey. According to the AP, the detention was based on the order of the prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, also issued on Monday, May 1, on the grounds that Tauber “violated the conditions of the preventive measures applied” to her. Thus, the Ciocana Court is due to examine the prosecutors’ request to replace the measure with pre-trial detention.

“Today morning, Marina Tauber was detained at Chisinau International Airport en route to Tel Aviv, Israel via Istanbul, Turkey. The detention was based on the order of the prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, issued also today, on the grounds that the defendant violated the conditions of the preventive measures applied to her (under Article 170 of the Criminal Procedure Code).

On 28 April 2023, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office filed a request with the investigating judge to replace the preventive measure of provisional release under judicial control with pre-trial detention on the grounds that Tauber violated the conditions of the preventive measure.

Also on Friday 28 April, the defendant’s lawyer received a copy of the application. On April 29, 2023, Tauber requested a postponement of the court hearing so that she could travel to Israel. Believing that the defendant had already violated the conditions imposed by the judges several times, prosecutors deemed it necessary to detain the defendant at the airport because there was a considerable risk that the defendant would evade prosecution,” the AP announced.

Prior to the AP’s announcement, Tauber said in a Facebook live from the airport that she was going “abroad” for a “medical visit”.

“A request has been filed by the prosecutors to change the measure against me. (…) I planned to go abroad today, the trip had been planned for a long time. I need a medical examination. I didn’t know there was going to be a court hearing on my case regarding the change of measure. I’m only leaving for a few days. I’ll be back Thursday morning. I also have my return ticket,” Tauber said.

On 05 January 2023, the Chisinau Court of Appeal maintained the preventive measure – provisional release under judicial control and set the following conditions:

• not to leave the locality where he is domiciled, except under the conditions set by the investigating judge, or, as the case may be, by the court;
• not to communicate with persons who are connected with the criminal proceedings in question; and
• surrender his passport to the judge designated by the investigating judge.

On 15 February 2023, the investigating judge of the Chisinau Court (Ciocana seat) rejected the lawyers’ request to revoke the preventive measure – provisional release under judicial control. But on 22 February 2023, the Criminal College of the Chisinau Court of Appeal upheld the appeal of the lawyers on behalf of the accused Tauber Marina, overturning the decision of the Chisinau Court (Ciocana seat) of 15 February 2023, thus revoking her obligations previously established by the decision of the Criminal College of the Chisinau Court of Appeal of 05 January 2023.

The Chisinau Court (Ciocana seat) is to examine the prosecutors’ request to replace the measure with pre-trial detention, reports the AP.