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Natalia MorarCorrespondent for The New Times magazine, head of the Think Moldova Foundation
Date of Birth: 12.01.1984
Country:  Moldova |
Content:
Natalia Morar - Journalist, Activist, and Founder of Think Moldova Foundation
Natalia Grigorievna Morar was born on January 12, 1984, in the Moldavian SSR. After graduating from the Moldavian Lyceum "Gaudeamus" in 2002, Morar enrolled in the Sociology Faculty (according to other sources, the Faculty of Journalism) at the Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, which she completed in 2007.
Activism and Journalism
While still a student, Morar became one of the founders of the non-partisan youth movement "Democratic Alternative" (DA!) in 2005. In the same year, she started working at the "Open Russia" foundation established by businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Later, Morar became the press secretary for the coalition "Another Russia" and actively participated in political activities, including organizing protests under the coalition's name, known as the "Marches of Dissent."
In early 2007, Morar began working as a correspondent for the Moscow-based magazine The New Times. It was reported that since joining the publication, she ceased her membership in political organizations.
Political Activism and Protests in Moldova
In the spring of 2009, Morar, now the head of the Think Moldova Foundation and a member of the "I Am an Anti-Communist" committee, gained attention in the press due to events taking place in Moldova. In April, parliamentary elections were held, and Morar was one of the organizers of protest actions demanding a review of the election results.
Although independent observers confirmed that the elections were conducted without violations, dissatisfied opposition representatives, including Morar, organized an anti-communist flash mob in Chisinau. After the Central Election Commission declared the victory of the Moldovan communists, Morar, along with the leader of the non-governmental organization Hyde Park, Gennady Brega, organized a mass SMS message campaign, calling on citizens to take to the streets and peacefully protest. The protest quickly turned into street riots, during which protestors vandalized and set fire to the buildings of the parliament and the presidential administration of Moldova.
Following the unrest, opposition leaders declared a loss of control over the situation and once again called for support of "peaceful protests" to demand a recount of the ballots and verification of the voter lists. The communists, on the other hand, accused the opposition of attempting a coup d'état. Morar emphasized that the flash mob organized by the opposition was peaceful, with no violations of the law by its participants. She also stated that they did not participate in the subsequent riots.
Controversy and Legal Issues
However, the Prosecutor General's Office of Moldova issued a press release announcing the initiation of criminal proceedings against the organizers of the April 6 protest under Article 285 ("Organizing Mass Riots"). On April 9, 2009, media outlets, citing the spokesperson of the Moldovan Ministry of Internal Affairs, Alla Meleku, reported Morar's arrest in Chisinau. It was noted that she was one of the 193 detained organizers and participants of the protests.
However, Morar's spouse, Ilya Barabanov, stated in an interview with the radio station "Echo of Moscow" that the information about his wife's arrest was untrue. He emphasized that Morar was "in a safe place" but would not be answering phone calls in the near future.
Natalia Morar is a citizen of Moldova and lived in Russia from 2002 to 2007. In February 2008, she married Ilya Barabanov, a Russian citizen and a correspondent for The New Times magazine.
