Omar Hayssam granted conditional release after terrorism conviction

Omar Hayssam, a Syrian national convicted of terrorism and serious economic crimes, has been granted conditional release by the Ilfov Tribunal. The court's decision is final, overturning a previous rejection by the Sector 4 Bucharest Court.

Hayssam was serving a combined sentence of 24 years and 4 months stemming from multiple cases, most notably his involvement in the 2005 kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Baghdad, Iraq. Having been in detention since 2013, his release comes nearly nine years earlier than his original sentence would have required.

Following his release from Jilava Penitentiary, Hayssam faces potential deportation. Because he lost his Romanian citizenship in 2016 and does not currently hold a valid right of residence, the General Inspectorate for Immigration will conduct investigations to determine his legal status. He may be transferred to an asylum center or expelled from the country depending on the findings.