Andrew Tate's appeal of release rejected by Bucharest Court
[b]• A Romanian court has upheld the 30-day arrest of social media personality Andrew Tate
• The Bucharest Court of Appeal also rejected appeals from Tate's brother Tristan
• Both face charges of organized crime, human trafficking, and rape
• Romanian Police announce fresh raids on 7 homes of Andrew Tate[/b]
Social media personality, Andrew Tate, has been arrested in Romania on charges of organized crime, human trafficking and rape. The court in Romania's capital Bucharest upheld the 30-day arrest, rejecting an appeal by Tate against a judge’s earlier decision to extend his arrest from 24 hours to 30 days. Tate, 36, is a British-U.S. citizen who has 4.5 million followers on Twitter. He was initially detained on December 29th along with his brother Tristan, who was charged in the same case, and two Romanian women also were taken into custody.
The Bucharest Court of Appeal also rejected appeals from Tate's brother Tristan, and the two Romanian women who were also taken into custody. The court cited the possibility that Tate and his brother would try to evade investigation and flee the country due to their wealth. "The possibility that the suspects would evade investigation, leave Romania and settle in countries that do not allow extradition given their financial possibilities and public comments to that regard cannot be ignored," the judge said, according to Euro News.
Romanian authorities have also launched fresh raids in the investigation, searching seven homes in Bucharest, Ilfov counties, and Prahova. Ramona Bolla, a spokesperson for Romanian anti-organized crime agency DIICOT, announced that the raids were carried out on Thursday morning and were part of the ongoing investigation against Andrew Tate. Prosecutors can now seek to extend the detention period for the 36-year-old former kickboxer and controversial influencer to 180 days.
Despite his arrest and court case, Andrew Tate’s Twitter account is continuing to reach millions of followers on Twitter. Several tweets have referenced the arrest with cryptic references to a so-called “Matrix” that is claimed to be working against him.
The lawyer hired by the Tates, Eugen Vidineac, told Romanian outlet Gândul that he was "disappointed" by the decision to deny the Tates' release and that it seemed "excessive" to keep them locked up. Vidineac previously told local news that there was no evidence against the brothers.
The charges against Andrew Tate are serious and the investigation is ongoing. As the case unfolds, it will be important to wait for all the evidence to be presented in court before making any conclusions. In the meantime, it is important to remember that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and that the individuals involved are entitled to a fair trial.
