The Constitutional Court ruled several provisions of the Amnesty Law unconstitutional. Among them was the elimination of a key condition for commuting life sentences to 30 years: the requirement that the prisoner poses no risk of relapse. The Court issued this decision after reviewing a challenge filed by the Attorney General, according to IPN.
During the hearing, Deputy Attorney General Sergiu Brigai argued that the original law had set a stricter condition for life-sentenced inmates. Specifically, it allowed sentence commutation only if a judicial psychologist confirmed the absence of any risk of recidivism. This requirement was later replaced by a more lenient standard that accepted a “medium or low risk of recidivism,” which applied to all prisoners, not just those serving life terms.
“The original law reflected a balanced penal policy and imposed higher standards for those convicted of the most serious crimes,” said Brigai. “By removing the requirement of no relapse risk for life-sentenced prisoners, the amended law compromised public safety and undermined the state’s positive obligations.”
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On April 9, the Constitutional Court suspended the enforcement of provisions allowing life sentences to be reduced to 30 years, following the Attorney General’s request.
The release of several life-sentenced prisoners—most notably criminal leader Alexandru Sinigur, known as “Sinii,” who was later re-arrested in another case—sparked public outcry and triggered a legal challenge. The Ministry of Justice confirmed the release of nine individuals, raising concerns about legal inconsistencies and possible abuse.
In response, Parliament passed a bill banning further sentence reductions for inmates whose life terms had already been commuted to 30 years. Meanwhile, PAS expelled MP Olesea Stamate, who had introduced the controversial amendment to the Amnesty Law at the center of the scandal.