Romania

**Updates IFEX alert of 4 August 1998** (CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ strongly protests the 23 July 1998 sentencing, by an Iasi city court, of Romanian journalists Ovidiu Scutelnicu and Dragos Stingu to one year in prison for criminal libel. The decision, once carried out, will make Romania the second country in the former Eastern bloc (after […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 23 July 1998, Ovidiu Scultelnicu and Dragos Stangu, journalists with the local independent daily “Monitorul”, were each sentenced to one year in prison for “defamation”. The sentence was handed down by a tribunal in Iassi, in north-east Romania. The journalists were also denied their civil rights and prevented from practising their profession […]

(IPI/IFEX) – IPI reports that according to information they have received, Michael Foder (professional name: Michael Freeman), a Romanian freelance cameraman/producer working in Bucharest, was arrested and held for 24 hours without charge on 7 January 1998. According to IPI, Foder has been researching a programme involving a former politician, in which he intended to […]

On 25 October 1996, Tana Ardeleanu (f), an investigative reporter, and Sorin Rosca-Stanescu, the managing director of the independent Romanian daily newspaper “Ziua”, were found guilty of seditious libel (“offense against authorities”) under Article 238 of the Romanian Penal Code. Ardeleanu was sentenced to one year and two months and Rosca-Stanescu was sentenced to one […]

On 3 October 1996 at approximately 22:00 hours, Romanian police searched the home of Radio Contact journalist Oana Bratu. She was not home at the time, and police arrested two individuals who were in the apartment. They were released shortly thereafter. It is thought that authorities are pressuring Bratu because of her involvement in bringing […]

**Updates IFEX alert dated 14 July 1996** On 15 July 1996, Vasile Manea Dragulin, the Attorney General of Romania, postponed the seven-month jail sentences against editor Radu Mazare and reporter Constantin Cumpana at the daily newspaper “Telegraf” in Constanta until 30 August 1996. Recommended Action Send appeals to Romanian authorities: commending the decision to postpone […]

On 11 July 1996, journalists Radu Mazare and Constantin Cumpana were sentenced to seven months in prison, and a 25 million lei fine for libel. Mazare, the editor, and Cumpana, a reporter at the daily newspaper “Telegraf” in Constanta, were charged with libel in connection with a 1992 article in the newspaper about corruption in […]

On 4 May 1996, Adrian Nastase, President of the Chamber of Deputies, charged that the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) Romanian-language service was violating Romania’s electoral law by “obviously favouring the opposition in its campaign coverage.” Nastase then called upon the National Audiovisual Council (CNA) to “reconsider” the frequency allocation of those FM stations that broadcast […]

On 7 May 1996, Liviu Man, the Romanian-language correspondent in Cluj for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), received several threatening telephone calls at both his office and his home from anonymous individuals. The callers told Man to stop reporting on “incidents that incriminated President Iliescu” and “to calm down.” Man later lodged a complaint at […]

The independent financial weekly “Bursa”, known for its ground-breaking coverage of the black market and the emerging securities market, has been the target of threatened legal action. On 12 April 1996, the National Securities Commission (CNVM) issued a statement declaring that “trading shares listed or unlisted on the Bucharest Stock Exchange by unauthorized persons through […]

**For background on “Ziua” case, see IFEX alert dated 12 June 1995** On 26 July 1995, the Romanian government announced it would take legal action against Petre Mihai Bacanu, editor-in-chief of the opposition daily “Romania Libera”, for “insult to authority, contempt and libel.” Petre Mihai Bacanu had authored a front page article titled “(Nicolae) Vacaroiu’s […]

Legal action has been taken against three journalists from the daily newspaper “Ziua”. Eugen Vasiliu of the Public Prosecutor’s office opened an inquiry into the case on 8 June 1995. The newspaper’s director, Sorin Rosca Stanescu, editor-in-chief Adrian Patrusca, and journalist Tana Ardeleanu (f) have been charged with “libel against authority.” They could face sentences […]

Three broadcasters from Iasi, the state radio station of the National Radio Broadcasting Corporation of Romania, have been banned from going on air as of 12 June 1995. On 1st June, the three journalists had advised Iasi listeners to tune into Romanian independent stations and foreign stations after their 21:00 news bulletin was cancelled. The […]

Source: “Center for Foreign Journalists Clearinghouse on the Central & East European Press” (CFJ) The Romanian Parliament is expected to pass amendments to the penal code in February or March that would constitute a serious threat to freedom of expression. The amendments would provide long prison terms for such offenses as “damaging the reputation of […]

At the end of 1994, 17 of Romania’s major publications announced to their readers that they may shut down. The state-owned Letea paper mill is the only supplier of newsprint in the country. It announced that it will halt production for a few months due to raw materials shortages. The editors and publishers of the […]