For almost three years the Bucharest Military Tribunal, dominated by former Securitate-affiliated officers, tried to absolve the defendants, and deliberately stalled the trials for the murder of Gheorghe Ursu, and for the stealing of his diary from the Romanian Intelligence Service's archives. Facing mounting evidence, and an intense media scrutiny, on May 14 2003 judge Liviu Parvu divests himself from the case. The case is moved to the Bucharest Appeals Court, where on July 14 2003, with the indubitable evidence at hand, a new, courageous judge convicted the two defendants, the Ceausescu's infamous henchmen - colonels Tudor Stanica si Creanga Mihail for the 1985 murder of Gheorghe Ursu and sentenced them to 11 years in prison. A first for the Romanian justice after the fall of Ceausescu seemed possible. 

But the Romanian judicial authorities are trying to impede justice for Gheorghe Ursu again. The police have for more than a month avoided arresting the criminals (although a warrant was issued by Judge Podar on July 14 !), and THE GENERAL PROSECUTOR’s OFFICE (rife with allies of the murderers) IS APPEALING the decision to the Supreme Court on an absurd procedural pretext, as well as on grounds that the punishment... is too harsh ! The office whose duty is to PROSECUTE, in Romania is currently seeking to ABSOLVE the most notorious torturers of Ceausescu’s regime. The next trial date at the Supreme Court is September 26. 

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