US condemns suspension of Romanian judge over TikTok posts

By STEPHEN McGRATH
Associated Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A well-known judge in Romania has been suspended from his position over videos he posted on the social media platform TikTok. The move has drawn widespread criticism and condemnation from the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday. A judge in Romania’s northern city of Cluj was suspended Monday by the Superior Council of Magistrates over two videos he posted on TikTok last year which a panel decided amounted to “behavior that affects the image of the justice system.” Judge Cristi Danilet told The Associated Press on Tuesday that in one video he appeared cutting a garden hedge and in another cleaning his at-home swimming pool and that neither video which led to the disciplinary action had anything to do with his profession. The decision can be appealed.