Russia has warned Moldova again that it will "closely" follow the case of pro-Russian ex-President Igor Dodon, who was detained on suspicion of treason and corruption, as his supporters took to the streets to demand his release.
Moldovan prosecutors on May 24 searched Dodon's home, office, and cars, during which luxury goods, foreign currency, receipts, and other documents were found.
They later announced that Dodon had been arrested for 72 hours as part of a judicial investigation into suspected treason, corruption, illicit enrichment, and illegal party financing.
Dodon says he has done nothing wrong and blamed President Maia Sandu for wanting to distract people from the country's economic woes.
Dodon, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was president of Moldova from 2016 to 2020. He was defeated in November 2020 by Sandu, a U.S.-educated politician who ran on a ticket of closer relations with the West.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said that Dodon's detention was Moldova's "internal affair."
"At the same time, we would not like the current authorities to start settling scores with their former political rivals in the current situation," Rudenko told a news conference.
He said Russia would "closely monitor" the case to make sure that "all of Dodon's rights" are respected and that they comply with international standards.
It was the second day in a row that Moscow had cautioned Moldova about Dodon's treatment.
In Chisinau, dozens of members and sympathizers of Dodon's Party of Socialists, took to the streets on May 25 calling for his release and accusing the authorities of political persecution.
"Dear citizens, I want to assure you that for every element of interest to the prosecutors I have the necessary explanations that remove any suspicion of corruption or breaking the law," Dodon said in an online message.
"This politically motivated case is fabricated."
Sandwiched between Ukraine and EU and NATO-member Romania, Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, has accepted hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.
Chisinau has firmly backed Kyiv after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Moldova formally applied for European Union membership in March after Russia's unprovoked invasion.