Israeli businessman Beny Steinmentz, detained last week in Cyprus, was already freed from arrest and will challenge the five-tear final jail sentence issued by Romania after it succeeded in similar attempts in other European countries, Profit.ro reported.

According to his spokesman, he will try to obtain the annulment of the European arrest warrant issued by Romania, invoking previous similar steps that have been successful in other countries as a result of some alleged defects present in the process in Romania.

His spokesman stated that Steinmetz was released on bail after he was retained based on the European arrest warrant, with immediate effect. The European arrest warrant was issued on January 12, 2021, by the Brașov Court of Appeal.

The businessman was sentenced to five years in prison in Romania in December 2020, in the Băneasa Farm case. This case, which dates back several years, refers to his involvement in a criminal group that allegedly tried to obtain rights to some land in Romania illegally.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Vladek/Dreamstime.com)