Several people stage rally at Rahova Penitentiary to support ‘political prisoner’ Liviu Dragnea

Several people have staged a protest rally Thursday morning, in front of Rahova Penitentiary, requesting the release from prison of the former PSD leader Liviu Dragnea. Among the protesters was also former Deputy Gelu Visan, realitatea.net reports.

The protest comes after the Constitutional Court decision on Wednesday to admit the referral regarding the conflict of interest between the Parliament and the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ – Supreme Court) on the issue of specialized judge panels on corruption, a referral filed by Florin Iordache.

“Dragnea – political prisoner”, “ICCJ judges to be investigated for abuse of office”, “We request Dragnea’s trial to be re-judged” – these were some of the messages written on banners by the participants.

One of the protesters said “the magistrates should be responsible for the life of one man put in jail. This should be clear!”

Another man said: “If the judges (reference to the ICCJ decision to sentence Liviu Dragnea to 3 years and 6 months in prison – our note) were not under pressure, maybe Mr. Dragnea would have been free.”

The CCR judges found that there was a judicial conflict between Parliament and ICCJ, due to the failure to have specialized panels. Thus, the files without a final sentence by January 1, 2019 will be re-judged by the 5-judge panels.

Liviu Dragnea’s attorneys argued the lack of specialized panels in the file of fictitious employment at the Teleorman Child Protection Directorate (DGASPC). Meanwhile, ICCJ decided on May 27 to sentence the former PSD leader to 3 years and 6 months in jail, final sentence.

Liviu Dragnea’s lawyer, Flavia Teodosiu, said on Wednesday, after the CCR decision, that she is waiting for the court’s reasoning to find out the limits depending on which she will know how to react.

“I have no comment right now. I can only rejoice it has been admitted. It is fair this way. But for the moment I have no comment, not until I see the reasoning. I know it has been admitted, let’s see the limits. I await the reasoning in order to be able to react. It is a conflict, after the reasoning we’ll know what to do,” Flavia Teodosiu said.