Trans activist and journalist Alex Shah, who was subjected to transphobic behavior and unlawful detention by police officers at Chișinău Airport, has issued a new statement regarding the incident.
Shah said that after the incident, they attempted to file a complaint with Moldova’s law enforcement bodies, but were told that they did not hold responsibility for the matter. “When the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova told me they could not help, I honestly felt terrible. Because when the very institution that is supposed to deal with such issues responds this way, it makes you feel defenseless. I had expected them to provide support,” Shah stated.
Afterwards, Shah approached the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Moldova. Embassy officials listened to them, accepted her written complaint, and promised to raise the issue with Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, according to Shah, the embassy’s response was highly formal and detached: “The Azerbaijani embassy was cold, they did not show much empathy, they just explained in a formal way what they could do. My expectation is that they speak with the ministry regarding my case, receive an answer, and communicate that response to me,” Shah emphasized.
Shah further stressed that the main demand is for an official investigation to be launched. They underscored that the passport control officers and security staff involved in the incident must be held legally accountable: “I want this case to be investigated, and the responsible individuals to be held legally accountable”
Addressing the international community, the activist added that this incident is not just about them: “As a foreign transgender, if I was subjected to such treatment, there is a high chance that local transgender face this even more often. A country aspiring to join the European Union must not treat people in this way – not transgender, not LGBT+ people in general, not tourists, nor human rights defenders. Moldova must adhere to the principles of the international conventions it has signed and respect human rights and the inherent dignity of every individual.”
