The Prosecutor’s Office Sides with the Torturers

Tudor Stanica, Currently Sought by the Police, is Helped by the Prosecutor’s Office
* The prosecutors contend that Stanica and Creanga’s sentences are too stiff
* The two sentences - “too harsh” for Police’s “ability”
* Appeal scheduled in a great rush

The prosecutors contend that Stanica and Creanga’s sentences are too stiff

The principle “I pretend I seek you, you better pretend you hide”, usually applied to VIPs with general arrest warrants, works just as well also in the case of former Militia colonels sentenced to prison for the killing of anticommunis dissident Gheorghe “Babu” Ursu.  After long years of trials, moved from one court to another, at the middle of last month, former Militia colonels Tudor Stanica and Mihai Creanga were sentenced by the Buchares Court of Appleals to 11 years each. Through this sentencing pronounced on July 14, besides the payment of material and moral damages, the Court ordered the two torturers’ arrest. Useless order, since Stanica and Creanga disappeared so fast that the police had no time to arrest them.  During the three weeks that passed, each time they were being questioned about their fate, police representatives helplessly raise their shoulders and, unable to give details, contend that the Investigations Service is on their tails. More recently, general Prosecutor’s Office also jumped at Stanica and Creanga’s help, appealing the Bucharest Court of Appeals sentencing on grounds that it is too harsh.  Against common practice, which usually leaves at least one month between an appeal request and the court date, in this case, the Supreme Court started the trial immediately, so fast that Ursu’s family had no time to hire an attorney.  Tudor Stanica, former Chief of Militia’s Penal Investigations Divison, and Mihai Creanga, former Militia prison commander, were indicted for their invovement in the killing of disident Gheorghe Ursu’s, well-known oponent of Ceausescu’s regime, and were sentenced to 11 years each. The two were indicted for instigating to first degree murder. During the trial, though, the Court of Appeals judge considered that Stanica and Creanga are directly responsible for  the assassination of Gheorghe Ursu and sentenced them to 20 years in prison, 8 years banishmet of civil rights and military degradation.  Furthermore, the court added aggravating circumstances, which added two years to the sentence.  Just like (who was sentenced to 20 years for having applied to Ursu the blows that lead to his death) the two Militia colonels benefitted from Ceausescu’s last amnesty decree signed in 1988, so their sentences were halved to 11 years. At the same time, Stanica and Creanga will have to pay moral and material damages worth 333 milion lei to each member of Gheorghe Ursu’s family. 

The two sentences - “too harsh” for Police’s “ability”

In the last three weeks, the Police declared on all radio and TV channels that it tries to do everything to apprehend the fugitives Stanica and Creanga, for whom a general arrest warrant was issued and are being sought at the border. There were sought at their Bucharest homes, but also one of Stanica’s villas near Zarnesti. Strangely enough, it looks like on each raid,  the policemen were one step behind the fugitives, whom they were unable to catch. During all this time, certain witnesses declared they saw the two in various places, but event this information did not help the pursuers.  Honestly speaking, it’s very hard to believe the Bucharest policemen, the convicts’ former colleagues and subordinates among them, would have any desire to jail them.

Appeal scheduled in a great rush

In parallel with this useless police “hunt”, the Bucharest Court of Appeals’ Prosecutor’s Office tended themselves a helping hand to the fugitives. Yesterday at the Supreme Court, the appeals both of the defendants and of the Prosecutor’s Office were heard. Unlike the majority of cases when the Prosecutor’s Office asked for the stiffening of sentences handed out by the court, in this case the appeal is motivated by the fact that the sentences are too harsh for the charges. 

The Prosecutor’s Office also contends that "the changing of the charge’s framing – from instigation to complicity – was done against procedural regulations, that is without the participants’ accord. schimbarea incadrarii faptei din “instigare la omor deosebit de gravâ€? in “complicitate la omor deosebit de gravâ€? s-a facut cu incalcarea procedurilor legale, din cauza ca a lipsit acordul partilor. Yesterday, a delay was requested by Ursu’s family, who, taken by surprise by the speed of the court’s date (one day notice), had not had time to hire an attorney.  On the other hand, the defense attorney stirred some hilarity when he asked for a separate court date to judge the arrest decision for Stanica and Creanga, when these are still at large.  The trial is set for August 25.