Dozens of journalists and several NGOs have publicly backed Recorder after its two-hour documentary on alleged judicial corruption prompted nationwide protests and nearly five million YouTube views. Senior judicial bodies have condemned the outlet, accusing it of trying to destabilise the judiciary, while hundreds of lower-ranking judges and prosecutors acknowledge systemic problems. Protesters demand resignations and legal reforms; President Nicusor Dan has proposed a measured two-month reform process.
Romanian Journalists and NGOs Rally Behind Recorder After Documentary Triggers Nationwide Anti‑Corruption Protests
Thousands have taken to the streets in rolling protests over the past week (Daniel MIHAILESCU)(Daniel MIHAILESCU/AFP/AFP)
Dozens of Romanian journalists and several non-governmental organisations have signed an open letter defending Recorder, the investigative outlet whose two-hour documentary into alleged judicial corruption has ignited nationwide protests.
The film, published last Tuesday, has been watched nearly five million times on YouTube and accuses senior court officials of manipulating procedures to help prominent suspects avoid convictions. The documentary struck a nerve in Romania, a country Transparency International ranks among the most corruption-prone in the European Union.
Thousands of citizens have taken to the streets in rolling demonstrations over the past week, demanding the resignation of the justice minister and other senior figures as well as new laws to guarantee judicial independence.
Recorder has faced sharp criticism from senior judicial bodies named in the investigation. The Bucharest Court of Appeal held a press conference to denounce what it described as "public incitement against the constitutional order," while the Judges' Section of the Superior Council of Magistracy called the coverage part of an "intensification of the campaign to destabilise the judiciary by undermining confidence in the justice system."
By contrast, hundreds of rank-and-file judges and prosecutors signed a separate public letter acknowledging "deep and systemic dysfunctions" in the judicial system, signaling a split within the judiciary over the revelations.
Journalists and NGOs said in their open letter that they "stand in solidarity with the Recorder editorial team and strongly condemn the attacks on their work, which we consider to be factually unfounded and, in some cases, motivated by obvious interests."
President Nicusor Dan told demonstrators in front of the Romanian Embassy in London that reforms would follow a period of debate: "We will have a debate, we will make changes. But I don't want to do this in a week or 10 days. Let's say in two months, so that it can be something stable."
The episode has amplified concerns about transparency and rule of law in Romania and has prompted a wider public discussion about how to strengthen judicial independence and public trust in the justice system.
