Moldovan Courts Not Honoring U.S. Court Judgment, Small Business Fights Back

CHISINAU, Moldova, Jan. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Moldovan software developer Ritlabs, SRL said today that it has filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in an effort to force the Moldovan government to enforce judgments in favor of Ritlabs, SRL that have been rendered by U.S. courts and to cease unlawful harassment of Ritlabs, SRL by Moldovan prosecutors.

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In a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the court ruled that a former Ritlabs, SRL director had infringed on the company's intellectual property and breached its fiduciary duty to the company. The court ordered the defendant to pay damages to Ritlabs, SRL of roughly $108,000 and the defendant fled the U.S. to Moldova without paying the judgment. Ritlabs, SRL has twice asked Moldovan courts to domesticate the U.S. judgment in Moldova on basis of reciprocity and both times been refused.

Ritlabs, SRL's actions come at a time when there is widespread social unrest in Moldova over government corruption and malfeasance. In December, Moldovan prosecutors confiscated Ritlabs, SRL's computer equipment, froze their bank accounts and started harassing the company with no criminal charges filed or explanations offered.

"It is outrageous that the Moldovan courts will not honor the U.S. District Court judgement, particularly with all the reform, assistance and financial support the U.S. has provided my country," stated Maxim Masiutin, Director of Ritlabs, SRL. "There is no lawful basis for the harm Ritlabs has suffered due to the actions of our government."

Moldova has received millions of U.S. dollars and Euros over the past several years for economic development, anti-corruption and human health support. According to Foreignassistance.gov, Moldova is expected to receive $49 million in U.S. foreign aid in 2016, $11 million of which is earmarked to reduce corruption in the judicial system.

About Ritlabs, SRL 
Ritlabs, SRL is a software company specializing in developing secure communication data transfer in public networks. Ritlabs, SRL continuously researches and develops with a focus on confidentiality and security, alongside effective solutions for corporate users and individuals. The company serves customers in small business, technology development, government, financial services, aerospace and home computing. Through multilingual support, Ritlabs, SRL serves users in 191 different countries, with over 20,000 customers in the U.S. Learn more about Ritlabs, SRL an award-winning company at www.ritlabs.com.

SOURCE Ritlabs, SRL