The MP of the Social Democrat Party (PSD) Liviu Plesoianu addressed an open letter to the members of the European Parliament, asking them to react towards “the gross manner by which MEP Monica Macovei and MEP Sven Giegold have violated and disregarded” the Directive on the presumption of innocence.
“As a member of the European Parliament, I am asking you with all due respect to publicly react towards the gross manner by which MEP Monica Macovei and MEP Sven Giegold have violated and disregarded the Directive (EU) 2016/343 of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 9, 2016 (on the strengthening of certain aspects of the presumption of innocence)” PSD MP Liviu Plesoianu wrote on Facebook in the letter addressed to the MEPs.
Liviu Plesoianu mentioned that the EU Directive is clearly calling for the abstention to present people who are suspected or accused, in front of the courts or in public, wearing penitentiary uniforms, in order to avoid giving the impression that they are guilty.
“On January 30, 2018, at 18.00, in the European Parliament, MEP Monica Macovei and MEP Sven Giegold organized and hosted the photo exhibition <<Romania in the street. We want justice, not corruption>>. Among other photos made during the protests stimulated by MEP Monica Macovei, there was an exhibited photo presenting several politicians wearing penitentiary uniform” Plesoianu said.
The PSD MP claimed that “there are two big problems with this photo”.
Plesoianu said that most of the politicians graphically placed in penitentiary uniforms are people who have never been declared guilty by a court.
“Moreover, the photo also includes the face of a person who is not even suspected or accused of something!” the PSD MP claims.
MEP Monica Macovei and MEP Sven Giegold organized this exhibition and decided to exhibit at the European Parliament a photo that violates the presumption of innocence by a gross manner, by “presenting people who are suspected or accused, (…) in public, wearing penitentiary uniforms, in order to GIVE the impression that they are guilty!” Plesoianu stated.
Liviu Plesoianu urges the members of the EP to “publicly stand against this serious violation of the presumption of innocence”.
“As a Romanian parliamentarian, I trust in your good faith ad I am sure you will not decide to ignore this open letter. Ensuring you of all due respect, I am asking you to publicly stand against this serious violation of the presumption of innocence, which is subject to both the Directive (EU) 2016/343 of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 9, 2016 on strengthening certain aspects of the presumption of innocence, and to the articles 47 and 48 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (hereinafter called <<the Charter>>), article 6 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), article 14 of the International Covenant on the Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and article 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” he said.
Plesoianu says that such “horrible attacks against the foundation of the Human Rights cannot remain unsanctioned”.
“Such scandalous deviations from the essential European values are not tolerable! I remain at your disposal for any questions you wish to ask me, and I am eager to see your reaction, as a MEP, on the scandalous behavior of your colleagues” Plesoianu concluded his letter.
