Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu

Constantin-Grigore Dumitrescu, also known as Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu or Ticu Dumitrescu (27 May 1928 – 5 December 2008), was a Romanian politician and president of the Association of Romanian Former Political Prisoners. He was noted as a leading figure in the anti-communist resistance in Romania[1] and for initiating the country's Uncovering the Securitate law.[2]

Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu
Romanian Senator
In office
1992–2000
Member of the College of the National Council for the Study of the Securitate Archives
In office
2005–2008
Personal details
Born
Constantin-Grigore Dumitrescu

(1928-05-27)May 27, 1928
Olari, Prahova County, Kingdom of Romania
DiedDecember 5, 2008(2008-12-05) (aged 80)
Bucharest, Romania
Resting placeOlari, Romania
Political partyPNȚCD
OccupationPolitician

Background

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Dumitrescu was born on May 27, 1928, in Ciumați (now Olarii Vechi), a village in Olari commune, Prahova County.[1] He studied law at the University of Bucharest, but was arrested by the Communist authorities in 1949 due to his political activities.[1] He then worked as a construction laborer[3] after he was rejected by Romanian universities when he attempted to go back to school.[1] Dumitrescu was incarcerated again in 1958 and was sentenced to 23-year forced labor on the charge of conspiring against the state.[1] He went through many prisons, including those in Ploiești [ro], Târgșor, Brașov, Jilava, Mărgineni [ro], Galați, Botoșani, and Văcărești, and the forced labor camp at Poarta Albă, on the Danube–Black Sea Canal.[2] He was freed in 1964.

Dumitrescu became a member of the Christian Democratic National Peasants' Party and was elected to the Senate of Romania from 1992 to 2000.[1] During his tenure, he promoted laws that protect citizens against the persecutions of the Romanian secret police as well as the interests of political prisoners.[1] For instance, he drafted the legislation that opened the files of the Securitate, which included documents that contain information on people spying on citizens.[3]

Dumitrescu died December 5, 2008, in Bucharest due to liver cancer[3] and was buried in Olari.[4] A street in Arad has been named after him.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Sánchez Costa, Raúl (December 6, 2008). "C. Ticu Dumitrescu, símbolo de la lucha contra Ceausescu". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Iancu, Mariana (December 5, 2018). "Cum a fost umilit Ticu Dumitrescu în instituția înființată de el. Istoric: "A plecat cu ochii în lacrimi, batjocorit de ticăloșia aranjamentelor din CNSAS"". Adevărul (in Romanian). Archived from the original on December 5, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Hevesi, Dennis (December 6, 2008). "Constantin Dumitrescu, Romanian Dissident, Dies at 80". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2017-03-02. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  4. ^ Dobrescu, Petre (2008-12-07). "Ticu Dumitrescu, înmormântat cu onoruri militare". Libertatea (in Romanian). Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  5. ^ "Strada Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu". orasul.biz (in Romanian). Retrieved October 25, 2023.