Mercenary Horațiu Potra will be released from pre-trial detention and placed under house arrest, following a final decision pronounced on Wednesday by the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ÎCCJ).
The supreme court accepted Potra’s appeal against a decision of the Bucharest Court of Appeal from June 10 and replaced the preventive arrest measure with house arrest for a period of 30 days.
According to the court's ruling, the measure is valid from June 17 to July 16, 2026.
Will wear an electronic bracelet and cannot possess weapons
The judges have determined that during house arrest, Horațiu Potra will not be allowed to leave the residence without the judicial authority's permission and must appear before the court whenever summoned.
Additionally, the court has ordered him to permanently wear an electronic monitoring device and prohibited him from possessing, using, or carrying weapons.
The compliance with the measure will be monitored by the Sibiu County Police, through the Mediaș Police.
The ÎCCJ has also imposed the obligation not to communicate, directly or indirectly, with the other defendants in the case, including Călin Georgescu, as well as with the witnesses proposed in the indictment.
The court warned that in case of a willful violation of the established obligations, house arrest can be replaced again with preventive detention.
Potra is being tried alongside Călin Georgescu and 20 other defendants
The judges have decided for the immediate release of Horațiu Potra from pre-trial detention, with the condition not to be detained or arrested in another case.
Horațiu Potra has been in pre-trial detention since November 2025, after being brought to Romania from Dubai together with his son and nephew. The three had fled to the United Arab Emirates after arrest warrants were issued and were captured by local authorities in September 2025, about six months after leaving the country.
Potra has been indicted by the General Prosecutor's Office for attempting actions against the constitutional order, failure to comply with the regime of arms and ammunition, failure to comply with the regime of explosives, unauthorized operations with pyrotechnic articles, and public instigation.
In the same case, 20 other members of his group are being tried, as well as the former presidential candidate, Călin Georgescu.
According to prosecutors, Horațiu Potra and his mercenary group allegedly aimed to infiltrate the protests organized after the cancellation of the presidential elections in December 2024 to provoke violence and destabilization.
Investigators claim that the plan was discussed at a meeting held at a farm in Ciolpani, attended by Călin Georgescu and his associates.