Former Gendarmerie commanders have been acquitted in the long-running criminal case related to the violent intervention against protesters during the August 10, 2018, anti-government rally in Bucharest. The ruling, issued by the Military Tribunal nearly eight years after the events, is not final can be appealed within 10 days of its communication, according to Euronews Romania.

The court acquitted former Gendarmerie officials Sebastian Cucoș, Laurențiu Cazan, and Cătălin Sindile on charges including abuse of office and intellectual forgery. Several other gendarmes were also acquitted of charges related to abusive conduct and complicity, with judges finding that the alleged acts either did not exist, were not criminal offenses, or had not been committed by the defendants.

Additionally, other officers and non-commissioned officers of the Bucharest Gendarmerie involved in the crackdown on protesters were acquitted or received suspended sentences, Agerpres reported.

The case stems from the August 10, 2018, protest in Bucharest's Victoriei Square, known as the "Diaspora Rally," which drew more than 100,000 participants. The demonstration was organized by Romanians living abroad and in the country who opposed the policies of the then-ruling coalition government.

While the protest began peacefully, clashes later erupted between riot police and groups of violent demonstrators. Gendarmes used tear gas, water cannons, and other crowd-control measures to clear the square, while some protesters threw bottles, paving stones, and other objects at security forces.

The intervention sparked widespread controversy after hundreds of peaceful protesters, passersby, and journalists reported being injured or exposed to tear gas. More than 700 people subsequently filed complaints with prosecutors, saying they had been assaulted or unlawfully subjected to crowd-control measures.

The events drew significant international attention at the time and became one of the most controversial episodes in Romania's recent political history. Images of riot police using force against protesters were widely circulated in international media, while then-president Klaus Iohannis publicly condemned the intervention.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Adel Al-Haddad)