Bucharest Court of Appeal to decide fate of house arrest for mercenary Horaţiu Potra
The Bucharest Court of Appeal is hearing on Wednesday Horaţiu Potra's request to replace house arrest with judicial control. A similar request was rejected on 4 August.
Horaţiu Potra challenges house arrest: CAB to rule on Wednesday
The Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) has a hearing on Wednesday, 26 August, to decide whether to grant mercenary Horaţiu Potra's request to replace house arrest with judicial control measures, according to News.ro.
On 4 August, at the previous hearing to review preventive measures, CAB upheld Potra's house arrest "until a further review, but not later than 30 days" and rejected, as "unfounded", his request to replace this measure with judicial control. Potra contested the decision, and the appeal is now being heard in the same court.
Trial on the merits can begin following ÎCCJ decision from 6 August
On 6 August, the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ÎCCJ) rejected the appeals filed in preliminary chamber by all defendants in the case, thereby clearing the way for trial on the merits at CAB. The decision confirmed exclusively procedural legality aspects, without analysing the substantiation of the accusations or the guilt of the defendants.
"Establishing the guilt or innocence of the defendants can only take place within the trial on the merits, under the conditions provided by law and with respect for all procedural guarantees," the ÎCCJ stated.
On 2 April, CAB had already decided that trial on the merits could begin, but that ruling had been challenged at the supreme court by both the defendants and the Public Ministry.
Serious accusations: destabilising constitutional order
Horaţiu Potra is being tried alongside former presidential candidate Călin Georgescu and 20 other defendants, accused of committing serious offences to destabilise Romania. Potra is answerable for attempted action against constitutional order, violation of the arms and ammunition regime, and violation of the explosives regime. His son, Dorian Potra, and his nephew, Alexandru Potra, were sent to trial for attempted action against constitutional order.
Călin Georgescu is accused of complicity in attempted action against constitutional order and communicating false information, in continuous form. Georgescu is also subject to a second case, in which he is accused of legionnaire propaganda and public promotion of persons guilty of genocide and war crimes. On 3 April, Georgescu definitively escaped judicial control after the Bucharest Tribunal granted his appeal.
Checkpoints on the night of 7 to 8 December and searches in February
The case is based on events on the night of 7 to 8 December 2024, when police set up checkpoints in the area of the localities Balotești–Săftica in Ilfov County and Mănești and Cornești in Dâmbovița County, as well as in the capital. Knives, daggers, telescopic batons, pepper spray, brass knuckles, axes, pistols and pyrotechnic materials from the most dangerous category, with potential to cause powerful explosions, were found in the stopped vehicles. Prosecutors' conclusion is that the actions of the 22 defendants endangered national security and constitutional order.
On 26–27 February 2025, investigators carried out 47 searches at addresses in Sibiu, Mureș, Ilfov, Timiș and Cluj counties, targeting the homes of 27 persons and four company premises. Among those targeted was Horaţiu Potra. In his house, in a safe embedded under the floor, bundles of packages of dollars were discovered. Potra stated that the law does not oblige him to keep his money in a bank. Numerous weapons were also found at his home; he stated at that time that he "took responsibility" for violating the arms and ammunition regime, refusing further comment.
Arrested in Dubai, brought to the country in November 2025
Horaţiu Potra was arrested in Dubai in September 2025 and agreed to be brought to Romania, which accelerated procedures — in the absence of an extradition agreement with the United Arab Emirates, the process could have taken considerably longer. On 20 November 2025, Potra was brought to the country together with his son and nephew.
On 17 June, ÎCCJ decided to replace Potra's preventive arrest with house arrest. Previously, the court had granted the appeals of his son and nephew, who had been placed under judicial control after having been under house arrest. On Wednesday, Potra hopes to obtain the same milder regime, but CAB had already rejected an identical request on 4 August.
Source: News.ro