Obreja’s death brought into public attention a question that has been asked before, but to no avail: should terminally ill prisoners be released on humanaitarian grounds, so they can access treatments and paleative care with dignity? Or should they be treated as second hand citizens and left to pay for their mistakes in a prison cell? Rudel Obreja’s life was one marked by both success and controversy. Born in Romania in 1959, he grew up with a love for boxing and quickly rose through the ranks of the sport. He won numerous national and international titles and represented Romania in the 1980 Olympics. After retiring from boxing, Obreja became involved in the administration of the sport. He served as the president of the Romanian Boxing Federation from 2004 until his arrest in 2014. During his tenure, he oversaw the development of the sport in Romania and was credited with helping to bring boxing back to prominence in the country. However, Obreja’s success came at a price. In 2012, the Romanian Ministry of Youth and Sports launched an investigation into the finances of the Romanian Boxing Federation. The investigation revealed a pattern of financial irregularities, including unaccounted-for expenses, missing funds, and unauthorized payments to Obreja and other members of the federation.

The ”Gala Bute” Indictment

Back in 2014, in the indictment, prosecutors showed that a service contract was awarded – through negotiation – without publishing a tender notice, between the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism (MDRT) and the company owned by Rudel Obreja. Obreja’s company was to provide promotion services for Romania within the events held on the occasion of the organization of the International Professional Boxing Gala (“‘Gala Bute”) by the Romanian Boxing Federation.

According to this contract, on February 1, 2012, the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism paid for promotional services an amount that reached 8,116,800 lei.

“Public funds were used in a way prohibited by the law, namely for the financing of a sports event organized by a commercial company, and the amount paid under the contract is entirely a damage caused to the ministry’s patrimony.” the prosecutors pointed out.

“ By concluding the contract, the aim was in reality to secure the necessary funds for the organization of the mentioned boxing gala, and the purchase of advertising services represented only a formal justification, for which there was no real need of the ministry, with the sole purpose of giving an appearance of legality to the contract. Moreover, the contract was awarded in violation of the legal public procurement procedures, and services were purchased that are not among the categories of expenses eligible for the programs with European funding”, they argued. The investigation eventually led to Obreja’s arrest in 2014. He was charged with embezzlement and money laundering and faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. His trial lasted for several years, with Obreja maintaining his innocence throughout.

The sentences received in this case were initially suspended in December of 2018, when the Constitutional Court ruled that the law was not respected when panels of five Supreme Court judges were constitute,. In the end, the court’s decision was taken with a majority of votes and became final.  Therefore, in 2019, Obreja, amongst others, was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison. The court found that he had embezzled over $6 million from the Romanian Boxing Federation and had used the money to purchase luxury cars, jewelry, and other expensive items. He was also ordered to pay over $8 million in damages to the federation.

Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time?

Obreja’s conviction was a significant blow to the Romanian boxing world, which had already been struggling with corruption and allegations of impropriety. Many people were disappointed to see a figure as prominent as Obreja implicated in such a scandal.

However, his troubles were far from over. Shortly after his incarceration, Rudel Obreja’s health started to deteriorate, but the doctors in the penitentiary did not treat him for cancer, but for scoliosis, giving him Nospa, a mild, over the counter pain medicine. According to Cotidianul.ro, a Romanian newspaper “It is clear from our point of view that the injustice suffered in the “Gala Bute” case, caused by the refusal of the judges to respect the CCR decision that would have led to the retrial of the case, did nothing but accelerate his illness, due to stress. Moreover, according to our information, before being thrown in prison Rudel Obreja did not show any signs of having such a health problem.”

Cotidianul (and other noteworthy Romanian publications) claim that “Rudel Obreja had the chance to change his fate, to escape from prison, to remain free, and perhaps to be protected from all this misfortune that befell him. However, he preferred to go to prison and finally die with dignity, rather than to become a whistleblower of the DNA (National Anti Corruption Agency)  and be part of the political execution launched against Elena Udrea” – another proeminent political figure sentenced in the “gala Bute” trail.

These accusations were supported by the former boxing champion, who, in 2019 claimed that he was told four times to file denunciations against Elena Udrea: “Give us Udrea, and you can walk away a free man” he claims to have been told by prosecutors. Each time he refused, explaining that: “even if I had a reason to snitch, I wouldn’t do it because I will not allow DNA to mock me in the eyes of my children and my family. How would it be for me to look into people’s eyes and know that I am both a whistleblower and a liar. How would that benefit me?”. So he had to serve his sentence. In April 2022, the High Court of Cassation and Justice rejected Rudel Obreja’s annulment appeals as unfounded, so he returned behind bars. In July 2022, the Ilfov Court ordered the release of Rudel Obreja so that he could be treated for cancer in a civil hospital in the country. He underwent surgery to remove the tumor, but the cancer had already spread to other parts of his body. This month, he passed away in a hospital in Bucharest.

And now, his friends, family and supporters are left to wonder who – if anyone – is responsible for the death of Rudel Obreja?

Death by negligence or…a mere coincidence?

Obreja’s daughter launched a furious attack after her father’s death. Leyla Denisa is asking for honorable resignations “Let Romania disappear if corruption still reigns,” she said. “In the last moments of his life, my father, with the strength and faith that characterized him, forgave his tormentors: judges, prosecutors, politicians, prison directors and all the others, who gave you the impression that they followed the virtue of the law and save you from corruption.

What did those we elect do – the People’s Advocate, the President – when THEIR CHAMPION, THE ONE who put the silver and bronze medals at their feet in 1989, THE ONE they welcomed home with applause, THE ONE whose name will not be lost in history, was desperately crying out his pain from behind bars? I ask you all to join the efforts to request the honorable resignations of some dishonorable people, namely the Minister of Justice Cătălin Predoiu and the Director General of the National Administration of Penitentiaries, Dan Halchin! May these “Gods” before whom we stood begging for 9 months give us a little more life! Let Romania disappear if corruption, greed, opportunism and venality reign supreme. My dad had a huge love for Romania, and the country’s destiny now remains in our hands. Are we fighting?”, Leyla Denisa Obreja wrote on her Facebook account.

It might seem weird that Leyla Obreja is talking about corruption and pointing fingers to State officials, when her father was the one who was serving time for exactly that. However, the allegations made by Obreja’s supporters, friends and family are notable and accurately depict the reality of Romanian prisons. In 2020, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) released a report on their visit to several Romanian detention facilities. The report noted several issues, including overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions, inadequate medical care, and allegations of physical and verbal abuse by staff. The CPT also raised concerns about the treatment of prisoners with mental health issues, including the use of restraint and isolation as a form of punishment. In addition, in 2018, an investigation by the Romanian newspaper Libertatea revealed that prisoners in several Romanian jails were subjected to beatings, extortion, and other forms of violence by fellow inmates. The report noted that prison staff were often complicit in the abuse, either by turning a blind eye or actively participating.

Another notable example of alleged mistreatment of prisoners in Romania involved the case of Vasile Păvăloiu, a former police officer who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for murder. In 2016, Păvăloiu claimed that he was beaten by prison guards and subjected to other forms of physical and psychological abuse during his time in prison. He also alleged that he was denied medical treatment for his injuries. So Obreja’s case is not the first, and will definitely, sadly not be the last.

Obreja’s death was met with mixed reactions. Some people mourned the loss of a prominent figure in the Romanian boxing world, while others saw it as a just end to a life marked by corruption and greed. Many people also criticized the prison authorities for their handling of Obreja’s medical care, arguing that he had been denied proper treatment for too long. Should Obreja have been released from prison on humanitarian grounds, given his illness? In the end, he had been convicted of a serious crime and had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment. Releasing him would have set a dangerous precedent and undermined the rule of law. The limits between human rights and abuse seem to be blurred in Romanian prisons, and the fact that the justice system cannot agree on proper procedures for such situations, makes matters worse.

The case of Rudel Obreja is another tragic reminder of the dangers of corruption and the importance of holding those in positions of power accountable for their actions. But who is here to blame? It’s impossible – and, to be fair, not medically accurate- to determine with certitude that Obreja’s pancreatic cancer was caused (or amplified) by stress associated with his sentence and time in jail. Is it safe to assume that if he was given proper medical care in due time, even if it wouldn’t have cured him, it might have given him more time? After all, he was not a threat to society, and he could have, from the very start, undergone treatment without needing to be behind bars.

In the end, his death serves as a cautionary tale, but it also highlights the need for humane treatment of prisoners, particularly those who are suffering from serious illnesses. Romania, like all European countries, does not uphold the death penalty. Yet, it seems that going to prison in Romania can sentence you to death! And nothing will change if those in positions of powers, along with the Justice system, keep turning a blind eye to inmate’s suffering.

Ultimately, Obreja’s legacy will be shaped by the many contradictions of his life – his success as a boxer and administrator, his alleged corruption, and his tragic end.

By Ioana Constantin