Romanian court lifts house arrest for mercenary Horațiu Potra in alleged coup plot case

04 September 2026 Romania’s High Court of Cassation and Justice lifted the house arrest imposed on mercenary Horațiu Potra on Thursday, September 3, allowing him to remain free under judicial supervision while standing trial. The court granted Potra’s appeal against the previous preventive measure, Agerpres reported. Horațiu Potra is one of the main defendants in a case concerning an alleged plot to destabilize Romania following the annulment of the 2024 presidential election. The High Court released him from pre-trial detention in mid-June and placed him under house arrest, ordering him to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. He had been in custody since November 2025, when he was brought back to Romania from Dubai together with his son and nephew. Prosecutors indicted Potra on charges