BUCHAREST, ROMANIA: Andrew Tate, the controversial figure known for his presence on social media and his past as a professional kickboxer, has been unsuccessful in his appeal to overturn a court's decision to keep him confined to his home. Tate currently faces serious charges in Romania, including rape, human trafficking, and leading a criminal organization involved in the sexual exploitation of women.

The legal dispute involving Andrew and his younger brother Tristan Tate began following their arrest at their residence in Bucharest in December 2022. Despite their efforts, the brothers have remained in custody, with their confinement transitioning to house arrest on March 31. The ongoing legal battle continues to keep them restricted to their home.

'3 months in a dungeon'

Following the disappointing decision from the Bucharest Court of Appeal on Thursday, July 6, Andrew expressed his frustration on Twitter. The court had ruled against his appeal, which aimed to contest the extension of his house arrest. Initially granted on June 23, the extension allowed for an additional 30 days of house arrest while the ongoing criminal case unfolds. The decision came shortly after Romania's anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, formally charged Andrew Tate, his brother Tristan, and two Romanian women involved in the same case. The initial arrests took place near Romania's capital in late December, and all four individuals have consistently denied the allegations against them.

Before the appeal court's final ruling, two judges had differing opinions regarding the continuation of the house arrest measure. As a result, a third judge was called upon to oversee the final decision. Although the appeal did not go in their favor, the Tate brothers' spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, expressed some optimism due to the initial lack of unanimity among the judges. Since their arrest, this marked the first instance of a divergence of opinions. She said, "A judge has ruled that the brothers should be allowed to move freely in Romania, without restrictions. We consider this to be a great step toward the rightful exoneration of Andrew and Tristan."

Andrew, a prominent figure with 7 million Twitter followers, has faced accusations of spreading conspiracy theories online. He has consistently maintained his innocence, asserting that the prosecutors lack evidence to support their claims. Furthermore, he alleges that there exists a political plot aimed at suppressing his viewpoints.

Andrew wrote on Twitter, "Very strange that one judge can think the file is garbage and should be dismissed. And another can believe your liberty should remain permanently deprived. Based on the same file? I’ll let you speculate. 3 months in a dungeon. 4 months at home with strict conditions. I haven’t been outside in 7 months. They’ve just decided I must remain on house arrest into month 8 - this can continue indefinitely."

'That judge got paid'

After witnessing Andrew's display of pent-up frustration, numerous users flocked to Twitter to voice their own opinions on the matter. One user wrote, "Democracy and righteous judicial system.. the joke of the modern era." Another user wrote, "Injustice at it‘s finest. Sad to see." A user stated, "That judge got paid clearly 100%." Another user stated, "I think it's a great sign that one of the judges deemed you innocent. They both looked at the same file & one said you're free to go, the other judge can't have a good argument for long." A user took a dig at Andrew and wrote, "Didn’t you say that country was great? lol."