Justice Minister Radu Marinescu announced on Wednesday that a security breach at Targu Jiu Penitentiary had been 'immediately stopped' after several inmates allegedly accessed the prison's internal IT system via an information kiosk terminal.
Speaking to Digi24 private television broadcaster, Marinescu explained that while the Ministry of Justice is informed of developments, operational decisions fall under the legal competence of the National Administration of Penitentiaries (ANP).
Marinescu said that measures have already been taken, the security breach was swiftly contained, the necessary evidence gathered, and individuals who may bear responsibility have been identified. 'There is an ongoing process of accountability, alongside steps to strengthen IT security and prevent future incidents," the minister said.
Marinescu pointed out that it is the ANP's duty to identify all vulnerabilities across Romania's prison network, which houses over 20,000 inmates and employs more than 10,000 staff.
'This is a vast and complex system, and the responsibility lies in identifying and swiftly addressing any situation that poses a risk to prison operations,' he added.
The minister firmly rejected allegations of a cover-up, arguing that there was no evidence to suggest that any inmates had been released or had the ability to alter sentences or privileges through access to the system.
'Inmates do not have direct access to the IT system in a way that would allow such actions,' Marinescu clarified.
However, the National Union of Prison Police Officers (SNPP) claimed on its website that several inmates had allegedly created administrator-level accounts with full access to the Penitentiary Police's internal IT network, accounts originally intended for staff, but reportedly left unchecked and unretracted.
'Inmates had ample time to create other accounts and study the system. They had full access, not just to view, but to modify data, including sentence records, inmate rights, mobility decisions, essentially everything,' the SNPP also said.
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