Arrests, Data Breaches, Ransomware, and False Bomb Threats Rock Online Environments

Romania cracks down on online violations

Romania has taken a strong stance against online violations with a series of arrests and convictions in recent months. Law enforcement agencies have been cracking down on individuals and organizations engaging in illegal activities, resulting in arrests and convictions.

A banner, reading 'YOU KILL THEM !!!', and a pair of children shoes were left by a protester at the entrance of the Interior Ministry building during a protest against the way Romanian authorities handled the kidnapping and killing of a 15-years old girl in the southern city of Caracal, in front of the Interior Ministry Headquarters, in Bucharest, Romania, 03 August 2019. Photo: EPA-EFE/ROBERT GHEMENT

Romania has seen a number of digital rights violations that led to arrests and convictions of perpetrators. A man accused of rape and child pornography was arrested in Gorj, southwest Romania, on December 17. According to the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Corruption, the man raped a 15-year-old girl in March 2022. He also filmed the teen's ordeal and shared the pornographic material with on Facebook.

On December 22, the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Corruption dropped a child pornography probe based on a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, NCMEC.

The US-based NGO had alerted Romanian authorities after detecting pornographic material involving a Romanian teen girl being shared on Instagram by an IP address in Alba County, in central Romania. The tip led prosecutors to a 15-year-old boy. He admitted guilt. However, prosecutors argued that the culprit had limited consent due to his youth.

In another incident, on December 31,...