In a land mark case, Romania has convicted a former Communist-era prison guard of crimes against humanity for his role in the Ramnicu Sarat prison from 1956 to 1963 and the deaths of 12 inmates.
The former guard, who is now aged 89, Alexandru Visinescu, was sentenced for 20 years. He is the first senior official in the country's former communist regime to face justice.
The prosecution argued he had ran an "extermination regime" at the prison in Eastern Romania, which was notorious for the use of torture and starvation, targeting political prisoners.
“The death of prisoners came from a slow but effective process during which they were tortured both physically and mentally,” prosecutors said.
“The sick were not treated or transferred to hospitals; the prisoners’ health was damaged by a lack of food, lack of heat, abusive punishments, and they were also subject to inhuman detention conditions, beatings and violence.”
Mr Visinescu pleaded innocent, arguing that he was only following orders.
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