Bucharest silent protest against justice laws changes aims for regional reach

Approximately 100 people took part on Sunday, January 21, in a silent protest held in Bucharest against the justice laws changes. This not the first time a silent protest is held in front of the Government, and not the only protest of the last weekend. A similar silent protest to support the independence of justice took place in Bucharest on December 17. At the same time, tens of thousands of people joined the first big protests of the year in Romania on Saturday, January 20, to express their opposition to the recently adopted justice laws and the changes to the criminal codes prepared by the governing coalition. The participants in the Sunday protest stood in silence for 20 minutes, with their backs turned against the Government building, in the capital’s Victoriei square. Some of them were wearing blindfolds or folds over their mouths. They were wrapped in the Romanian and E.U. flags and carrying placards with messages such as “#rezist,” “All for justice,” “Stolen justice,” “We can still #see you,” or “Their freedom, our prison.” According to a Facebook announcement, similar protests were announced, under the headline The Stolen Justice, in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia and Hungary.

“With this protest, we are making an appeal to solidarity from other states not to accept that neighboring or friend countries be isolated from European values. Together we can prove that justice is in danger of being confiscated in several countries and its only defense is us standing united in our endeavor,” according to a Facebook announcement of the protest’s initiators. The changes to the justice laws, which were adopted by the Parliament at the end of last year, may weaken the independence of justice and undermine the fight against corruption in Romania, the protesters fear. Euronews chooses Bucharest protest picture as Facebook cover photo Unconventional protests across Romania against changes to justice laws (Photo: print screen of Rezistenta TV video) editor@romania-insider.com