Călin Georgescu again seeks release from preventive detention at Bucharest Court
Bucharest Court is hearing on Thursday Călin Georgescu's request to replace preventive detention with a milder measure. The former presidential candidate has been in custody since 29 September in a case involving fraud of over one million euros.
Georgescu returns before court for new challenge to preventive detention
Călin Georgescu was brought on Thursday from custody to Bucharest Court, where judge Diana Nicoleta Costea is examining his request to replace the preventive detention measure with a milder one, according to Romania TV - Justice.
The former presidential election candidate has been in detention since 29 September in a case concerning the formation of an organised criminal group and fraud of over one million euros. According to the charge sheet, Georgescu is alleged to have received that sum from businessman Răzvan Leu as a guarantee for obtaining an international credit that was never granted. Leu subsequently filed a criminal complaint against the former candidate.
Thursday's request comes after Bucharest Court of Appeal definitively ruled to extend preventive detention for another 30 days. Even if the Court were to accept the request, Georgescu would remain in custody until a final decision is issued by the Court of Appeal.
Precedents in this case indicate a repeated pattern: the Capital's Court has ordered his release from preventive detention three times, but each time prosecutors challenged the ruling, and the Court of Appeal ruled in their favour.
The judge assigned to rule on Thursday's request, Diana Nicoleta Costea, has been active in the judicial system for ten years. She worked at Tulcea Court between 2014 and 2015, then at Ploiești Court, and from 2016 for eight years at Sector 4 Court. Since October 2024, she is a magistrate at Section I Criminal of Bucharest Court, according to data from the LinkedIn platform. Her name appears on the list of signatories from Bucharest Court of the letter of support for judges Raluca Moroșanu and Laurențiu Beșu, known as critics of the justice system.
Georgescu has a total of five criminal cases opened in his name. In two of these — the one for attempted coup d'état and the one for legionary propaganda — prosecutors have already sent him to trial.
Source: Romania TV - Justiție