A Romanian court on Monday sentenced the three co-owners of Colectiv nightclub to 11 years and eight months each for fatal security shortcomings. They were also convicted of manslaughter.

As many as 400 young people had gathered for a pre-Halloween gig by the heavy rock group Goodbye to Gravity in October 2015.

A pyrotechnics display during the concert set fire to the Soviet-era building and claimed the lives of 65 people and sparked huge protests against corruption.

Mass protests in Romania 2017 rallies in the capital Demonstrators joined several rallies in the capital Bucharest in February last year to protest against the government for decriminalizing certain corruption offences. The country's left-wing government adopted an emergency law to make abuse of power punishable only when it concerns sums that exceed 200,000 lei (44,000 euros)

Mass protests in Romania Crowds hit the streets Protesters set fire to street signs during scuffles with police. The government claims the new laws were necessary to bring the eastern European country's criminal code in line with recent constitutional court rulings.

Mass protests in Romania Police firing tear gas Protesters say the proposed changes would be a blow to anti-corruption drives in Romania that have been ongoing for several years. Some demonstrators hurled bottles, firecrackers and stones at security forces, who responded by firing tear gas.

Mass protests in Romania Nationwide riots Hundreds of thousands of protesters braved freezing temperatures in cities across the country. President Klaus Iohanis called the adoption of the law "a day of mourning for the rule of law ... which has received a grave blow from the enemies of justice."

Mass protests in Romania Riot police called out Four police and two demonstrators sustained minor injuries after protests turned violent in front of the Romanian parliament, police said. Twenty protesters were arrested and a number of Molotov cocktails were seized, according to a police statement.

Mass protests in Romania Protest in front of the government headquarters Between 200,000 and 300,000 demonstrators were reported to have turned out. Many shouted "Thieves!" and called on the government to step down in the light of the emergency decree. Author: Nadine Berghausen



Heavy sentences

Two pyrotechnicians who had installed the fireworks and two firefighters who ignored breaches of safety standards were sentenced to prison terms ranging from nine years and two months to ten years.

The mayor of a Bucharest district — accused of having authorised the club to operate despite its shortcomings — was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison.

Three city hall officials and one employee of the pyrotechnic company were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to eight and a half years.

Read more: EU slams Romania for not tackling corruption

Up to 400 young people were in the nightclub, which had no emergency exits, at the time of the blaze

National tragedy

The eastern European country declared three days of national mourning for what was described as the worst bloodshed in the country since the 1989 anti-Communist revolution.

According to witnesses, the fireworks that were let off at the underground club as part of a show to promote the band's latest album immediately set ablaze a pillar and the ceiling, causing panic among the audience as thick smoke engulfed the hall.

"People were fainting. They were fainting because of the smoke. It was total chaos, people were trampled," Victor Ionescu, a witness, told local media.

Alin Panduru, another witness, said the fire spread "in 30 seconds."

"People could not get out of the club because there was only one exit open and the stampede happened immediately," he said.

Protests against Romanian's political class forced the Social Democrat Victor Ponta and his government to resign.

Watch video 04:48 Share Romania: 30 years after the Iron Curtain Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3OB6z Romania: 30 years after the Iron Curtain

Worst club disasters

Fireworks and restricted exits have been a lethal combination in many nightclub fires around the world.

In January, 2013, at least 232 people were killed in a fire at the Kiss nightclub in southern Brazil. Local media reported that a band's pyrotechnics show caused the building to catch fire.

In one of the worst such disasters, 156 clubbers in the Russian city of Perm died in 2009 in a blaze caused by pyrotechnics, and 83 were injured. Seven people were jailed for up to nine years after the tragedy.

Read more: Romania's parliament passes bill to weaken corruption rules

kw/aw (AFP, dpa)

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