Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Former Romanian President Ion Iliescu has appeared at court to face charges of crimes against humanity for his role in the country's bloody anti-communist revolution.
The charges refer to a five-day period when Iliescu seized power after former Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu fled Bucharest on Dec. 22, 1989. Ceausescu and his wife were summarily tried and executed on Dec. 25. Some 1,100 people died during the revolt, the vast majority after Ceausescu's ouster.
Prosecutors say Iliescu, who had military authority during the revolt, didn't stop "numerous situations" where people were needlessly killed.
The 88-year-old Iliescu declined to comment as the trial opened Tuesday. But his lawyer, Adrian Georgescu, said Iliescu believed at the time his actions were "absolutely honest and correct."
After the revolt, Iliescu was elected president three times.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
