A flagrant stitch-up

Whatever way you look at it, Florentina's continual incarceration stinks. It stinks of injustice, it stinks of corruption - there is no sense in it, neither legally nor morally...someone at the top, I keep reading in various blogs, comments and opinions has got to the judges. It certainly suits the real culprits to keep Florentina under lock and key, to continue with the condamnation and defamation of her professionalism and character for it keeps the heat and attention off them.

So what went on behind those closed doors yesterday? Florentina Carstea's lawyer Simona Parvu accused Marius Iacob of forging a backdated statement empowering the police to handle the case, to start with. She said the document was submitted on 17th August and mentions five victims - and yet the 5th died on 18th. In her statement of defence for Florentina, she claimed violation of the first amendment: the right to a fair trial. She added that Florentina was never made aware of her rights to remain silent on arrest or have a lawyer present. As such, her client's first statement, she told the court, cannot be counted as it was obtained under violation of the law. She told the court that the prosecution had made a serious mistake when it was noted that "according to her job description, she should have constantly supervised the babies , without leaving the room, " because in fact, " there is no such term in the job description". She continued that Iacob had had no right to give Florentina's name as early on in the case as he did. Quite right too. Bravo Parvu. At last, some good defence. Therefore, in being arrested for not fulfilling her job description, she did. In every way possible. Being the assistant chief of ITU, she was also obliged to make sure visitors were gowned before entering to visit their babies from a hygiene point of view. Therefore, she could not always have been present in the room. She followed her job description à la lettre.  However, Vasile Dima did NOT fulfil his job descriptions in any shame or form and is free today. The response was that she isn't being charged with causing the fire but for not being present when it broke out. So, now she's guilty of not having fortune-teller and clairvoyant skills... The prosecutor added, "public indignation comes from the fact that through this case, one sees what dangers they are exposed to when they need the health care system, although the right to health is guaranteed by the Constitution." Personally, I can't see that as a problem - noone has ever trusted the Roumanian health service and noone will tell you it works. the idea of going to hospital fills every Roumanian with dread. Florentina is not responsible for that - the dangers existed before this tragedy and so did the mistrust. If on the other hand, Florentina IS responsible for that then hallelujah and give her a hug becuase she has brought a severe issue to light and to the tables of every household. the problem can no longer be denied and must be addressed. However, the prosecutors words basically meant that Florentina must be kept in custody for public opinion is upset that the health system is a real danger to society. About as logical as an 8 euros note... And you don't find all this in the usual daily rags and tabloids...I wonder why as it should be nationally published. It shows how unfair and blatantly violating of every rule in the book this trial has become.

I just saw this video on Balbeck's blog in the post Aceastea melodie e dedicata politicienilor si magistratilor din Romania. Here is a very informative space for yet more articles, points of view, opinions and comments all very supportive of Florentina. I mentioned the petition in my last post.

Perhaps we need to look a  little closer at Marius Iacob, the prosecutor in charge of the Giulesti Maternity Hospital criminal investigation. He said when Florentina was first arrested that the inquest continues, there are likely to be more detained and sticks to this declaration... so far only Dima has been - but he was released after only 24h. His fate, says my marvellous researcher and partner in journalism Floreena, is to be decided on 2nd September and he will probably be imprisoned unless he comes up with medical documents pertaining to his 'serious illness'. Marinescu turned up with his lawyer and left soon after questioning. Something is definitely going on... fraudulent accusations have been hung on Florentina for causing civil panic (the word actually was 'riots') and mistrust in the health service. Ridiculous accusations, for they couldn't find anything better to pin on her. Florentina's appeal for release has been refused - preventive arrest is only for those who are a danger to the public or may try to abscond. Florentina is not in either case. Her demand to see a psychologist was denied. It's worse than 'justice' under Ceausescu. This is an open and shut put-up job that reaks so badly of a stitch-up I can't believe there's nothing much to be seen in the papers today...

On 29th August, we marked three years since the disappearance of Elodia Ghinescu who vanished from her home in Brasov. Iacob was the attorney in the case and happily showed reporters how huge the file was. He said he wouldn't sleep in his bed until the case was closed and the husband was prosecuted... Is he trying to curry favour and trust from the public?

It's been very difficult to find any info about Iacob's background - the fact that his CV is nowhere to be found on internet hasn't helped. But Floreena found this from Agerpress with a few points. The Chief Prosecutor is appointed by the President and proposed by the Minister of Justice and the Superior Council of Magistrates. He was first proposed in March 2007 by Macovei. In Oct 2006 he was the delegation's chief prosecutor for the criminal investigations and 'criminalistics' section. He also worked as a prosecutor for the District Court Prosecutors Office. In 1997, he was promoted to Prosecutor of the Bucharest Tribunal and occupied the posts of prosecutor and forensic first deputy prosecutor.

But why isn't his CV on the web? Surely such an important person in such a trustworthy position should have a certain amount of public transparency. We should be able to see who he is, read his professional pathway, experience etc. But no. He isn't even on Wikipedia, isn't anywhere of any informative content at all, just plenty of articles about his part in the Elodia case, Giulesti, etc. We should not be impressed, however, thus blinding ourselves with daft ideas of evident responsibility and just actions. Nope. Because the former prosecutor of Cluj, Calin Platon (today a government inspector), killed a three month old baby in a pram and seriously injured the mother last Friday evening on a zebra crossing. He was driving under a suspended licence for speeding, I should add. He said he'd been blinded by the sun and was driving slowly (yeah sure). If he were, he'd have been able to stop at a zebra crossing or at least seen the mother pushing her pram. He was detained for 24h and then placed under preventive arrest for fear that he could flee the country. So, you see, even prosecutors commit crimes. He 'risks' seven years minimum. We will see for he, like Marinescu and all that guilty mob have strings to pull and money to burn. Great justice system indeed. (photo: Adevarul) The timing of this accident seems almost unbelievable. Calls being made to release Florentina are clamouring for she doesn't merit a preventive arrest whichever way you swing the cat and then this happens...I hear shouts of, "you see - it happens even to a former prosecutor! If he is under preventive arrest for the death of one baby, then..." As I said, what timing.

Please see THIS just received from Balbeck - Florentina does not deserve this...and I think I may have fallen into a time capsule and been catapulted backwards at least a half century... Here is another article from the same source (thank you so much!) about Marius Iacob and his casual statement on the impossibility of convicting guilty parties for crimes of the revolution of 1989 (including the instigating of the miners)... Okay, I think I get the picture now...vai de mine.... The perpetrators remain blameless...THIS is the chief prosecutor. He has connections and oh, what connections. For Florentina, I am very, very afraid... For Iacob to make a dossier like the mineriade just simply vanish... In a country where cover-ups are so easy, so simple and so run of the mill, there is clearly no justice at all. Oh, dear country so beloved, I think you have broken my heart. Truly. 

Today, Florentina Carstea is 35 years old. It is not the time to wish you the joys of a birthday, I know, and you will not be wanting to mark it. But I want only to tell you should your eyes ever fall on this blog, that we are supporting you, thinking of you and sending as much courage and hope as one can through words, cyberspace and thought. You're not forgotten and we will not rest until you get a fair trial and a just result. then you can celebrate your birthday.

Comments

[balbeck]

Marius Iacob,procuroru sef,spaima oamenilor nevinovati...

[sairj]

No, he's not a danger to society but he was driving under a suspended licence for speeding and he killed a child on a zebra crossing - at this time with the Giulesti case going on, he was used as an example to back up Iacob, obviously. And the argument is he could go out in his car again tonight and do the same thing. A crying shame for the mother and child that he hadn't stayed home and had a cup of tea instead...

[balbeck]

I am sorry for Platon too,he can be free.He isn`t a society danger.
Marius Iacob must stay in prison to see what it means.

[sairj]

Thank you Balbeck so very much for your info - duly blogged and cited... My God, THIS is the procurorul-sef?????? I fear our Florentina doesn't have a chance....

[balbeck]

who is marius iacob?
http://www.infolegal.ro/procurorul-marius-iacob-vorbeste-nonsalant-despre-imposibilitatea-condamnarii-penale-a-celor-vinovati-pentru-crimele-de-la-revolutie-si-de-la-mineriada/2010/08/11/