Romanian President Pardons Journalists Jailed on Libel Charges

BUCHAREST, Romania (Reuter) - Outgoing Romanian President Ion Iliescu has pardoned two journalists sentenced to jail on libel charges, an official said Wednesday.

Iliescu, defeated by reformist Emil Constantinescu in elections this month, signed a decree to cancel seven-month terms for the editor of Telegraf, a daily in the Black Sea port of Constanta, and a staff reporter.

"The pardon decree was signed by the president last week and will be published in the official gazette later today," an adviser on Iliescu's staff told Reuters.

Editor Radu Mazare and reporter Constantin Cumpana were sentenced in July and fined the equivalent of $8,000 on charges linked to 1992 reports alleging corruption in the Constanta city council.

The city's mayor was later dismissed.

The chief prosecutor had twice suspended the sentence. The two journalists said previously they had not sought the pardon but had asked the prosecution to re-examine the case.

Two other Romanian journalists were sentenced to jail last month on charges of defaming Iliescu by alleging he was recruited in his youth by the defunct Soviet KGB secret service.

Iliescu has denied the accusations. A court has yet to rule on the reporters' appeal.

Reuters/Variety