Two men charged with treason given 30-day detention by Bucharest Court of Appeal

Two of the men investigated by the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) for treason and forming a group to "undermine the sovereignty and independence" of Romania by colluding with a foreign power have been placed in preventive detention for 30 days by the Bucharest Court of Appeal.

The rulings come after six people were detained by DIICOT prosecutors on suspicion of treason and forming a group aimed at "undermining the sovereignty and independence of the Romanian state by political subversion and weakening the country’s defense capabilities." Prosecutors say that the group was structured like a military organization.

Among those investigated is retired major general Radu Theodoru, who is 101, and served as a symbol in the organization.

Defendants Dinu Adrian-Robertin and Semeniuc Marius, by their names, will be placed under arrest in the case of the "Vlad Țepeș Command” group, which planned to overthrow Romania’s constitutional order.

The Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected as unfounded the request for preventive detention for Raul-Mihail Lupu and Georgică-Cristian Atitiene, who will be investigated under judicial control. It also denied the request for house arrest for Ștefan Mateescu and Radu-Pompiliu Șofran, who will also be investigated under judicial control.

In their defense, the two detained men argued that going to the Russian Embassy twice does not make them traitors. They also claimed they accompanied Radu Theodoru.

“Just because you shake hands with a Russian diplomat doesn’t mean you’re overthrowing governments," one of the detainees said after leaving the courtroom. He also explained that he accompanied Theodoru to the Russian Embassy.

"They invited Radu Theodoru. These people seem to respect veterans, unlike us. Radu Theodoru doesn’t even receive a pension from the Romanian state. That’s how Romania honors its war veterans," the man added, cited by News.ro.

The members of the group allegedly had contacts with foreign agents in Romania and Russia and sought negotiations with foreign political-military figures regarding Romania’s withdrawal from NATO, the removal of the constitutional order, the dissolution of political parties, the installation of a new government, and the renaming of the country, its flag, and national anthem.