IIon Iliescu — © AFP
Former Romanian President IIon Iliescu has been charged again with crimes against humanity for his role in the suppression of a 1990 demonstration in Bucharest. The Public Prosecution Service has announced this.
Iliescu was one of the leaders of the revolution in December 1989 against communist President Nicolae Ceaușescu. He was then elected president. However, his presidency was controversial, as according to many he tried to continue the line of communism.
In 1990, he even bloodily suppressed a peaceful popular protest against his rule. Thousands of miners traveled to Bucharest to help the police at Illiescu’s request. He then thanked them for “their great sense of civic duty”. In total, four people were killed, two were raped and 1,300 were injured. More than 1,200 demonstrators were deprived of their freedom “for political reasons”.
Iliescu was already taken to court in 2017, but the case was dismissed for procedural reasons. However, the investigation is now being reopened. The now 94-year-old Illescu theoretically risks 25 years in prison, but has stated several times in the past “that he cannot be blamed for anything.” He further dismissed the accusations as “nonsense”.
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