Some prisons in Romania formerly housed political prisoners, both during successive dictatorships of 1938–1944 and during the subsequent Communist regime. As of 2016[update] there are 45 prisons under the control of the Ministry of Justice, housing about 27,600 prisoners.[1]
Prison | Image | Opening/Closing date | City or Town | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aiud Prison | ![]() |
Constructed in the 1800s | Aiud, Alba County | The prison is operated by the Ministry of Justice. |
Bright Light (CIA) | Bucharest | The prison is operated as a black site by the Central Intelligence Agency. | ||
Doftana Prison | 1895 to about 1945 | Doftana, a village in Telega commune, Prahova County | "The Romanian Bastille": housed communist political prisoners and others | |
Gherla Prison | 1785 | Gherla | Maximum security prison | |
Jilava Prison | Converted from a fort in 1907 | Jilava commune, Ilfov County | The prison was created from a converted fort built by Carol I of Romania. Adrian Nastase, former Prime Minister of Romania, was held in Jilava prison for 8 months of a 2-year sentence.[2] | |
Pitești Prison | about 1942–1952 | Pitești | Political prison: scene of abusive re-education practices 1949–51 | |
Râmnicu Sărat Prison | 1901-1963 | Râmnicu Sărat | Political prison both before and during the Communist regime | |
Sighet prison | ![]() |
1897: is now Sighet Memorial Museum | Sighetu Marmației | Held political prisoners in the early part of the Communist regime |
Târgșor Prison | Built in 1857 for a monastery, it was converted in 1882 into a prison | Târgșoru Nou, Ariceștii Rahtivani, Prahova County | From 1948 to 1952, it held children and political prisoners; it now serves as a women's prison | |
Name | Image | Date | Place | Description |
References
[edit]- ^ World Prison Brief, Institute for Criminal Policy Research
- ^ Mutler, Alison (18 March 2013). "Former Romanian PM is freed from prison". The San Diego Union-Tribune. AP. Retrieved 2 April 2013.