Former Gendarmerie chiefs acquitted in case linked to violence at 2018 Bucharest protest

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.