International Resolution of a Family Conflict in the Fate of an Abducted Child from the Republic of Moldova

In September 2023, a citizen of the Republic of Moldova sought our help after his former spouse had abducted their young daughter, taken her to an unknown location, and left the father in complete ignorance of the child's whereabouts.

A thorough analysis of the situation and active searches enabled our team to establish that the mother and child were in Moscow. Following the provisions of the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, we prepared a statement of claim and filed it with the Tverskoy District Court of Moscow as the court with jurisdiction over the matter. Despite vigorous engagement with child protection authorities, the prosecutor's office, and the police, the father's initial claim was refused.

However, refusing to accept this outcome, we persisted and, at the appellate stage, entered into dialogue with the child's mother and began negotiations on a settlement agreement. As a result of the parties' efforts and mediation, we reached an agreement with the child's mother on a settlement, on the basis of which all court proceedings were suspended and subsequently terminated. A notarised agreement on the child's place of residence and on the procedure for exercising parental rights by the father living separately from the child was signed in Moscow, with an initial validity period of six months to allow for further mediation and full resolution of the conflict.

This agreement launched a process of dialogue between the parents that culminated in a similar agreement signed on 13 March 2024, this time in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova. That agreement determined the child's place of residence and the procedure for exercising parental rights until the child reaches the age of majority. The documents cannot be unilaterally terminated, which guarantees a stable future for the child and for the relationship with both parents.

Article images