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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The rulings come after six people were detained by DIICOT<\/a> 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\u2019s defense capabilities.” Prosecutors say that the group was structured like a military organization.\u00a0<\/p>\n Among those investigated is retired major general Radu Theodoru, who is 101, and served as a symbol in the organization.\u00a0<\/p>\n Defendants Dinu Adrian-Robertin and Semeniuc Marius, by their names, will be placed under arrest in the case of the “Vlad \u021aepe\u0219 Command\u201d group, which planned to overthrow Romania\u2019s constitutional order.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected as unfounded the request for preventive detention for Raul-Mihail Lupu and Georgic\u0103-Cristian Atitiene, who will be investigated under judicial control. It also denied the request for house arrest for \u0218tefan Mateescu and Radu-Pompiliu \u0218ofran, who will also be investigated under judicial control.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cJust because you shake hands with a Russian diplomat doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re overthrowing governments,” one of the detainees said after leaving the courtroom. He also explained that he accompanied Theodoru to the Russian Embassy.<\/p>\n “They invited Radu Theodoru. These people seem to respect veterans, unlike us. Radu Theodoru doesn\u2019t even receive a pension from the Romanian state. That\u2019s how Romania honors its war veterans,” the man added, cited by News.ro<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n In January, two of the suspects traveled to Moscow, where they met individuals willing to support the organization\u2019s efforts to seize power in Romania.\u00a0<\/p>\n