Criminal investigations reported in Romania and Moldova involving minors

In Romania, authorities in Prahova County have launched an investigation into the sexual assault of a 17-year-old student in Plopeni. The victim was reportedly coerced into non-consensual sexual acts with three classmates in a derelict building during September 2026. Two other students allegedly witnessed the incident. Following searches in Băicoi, Slănic, and Dumbrăvești, five youths aged 15 to 18 were detained. A judge has ordered preventive arrest for one individual, house arrest for two, and judicial control for two others for a 60-day period.

In Moldova, the Cahul Court has fined seven parents after their children used artificial intelligence to create and distribute deepfake pornographic images. The incident involved students using an online tool to modify personal photos of a school director, a teacher, and several female students into nude images, which were then shared in a Telegram group. Because the perpetrators were minors and the actions were classified as administrative offenses rather than criminal ones, prosecutors pursued the parents for failing to fulfill their educational obligations toward their children.