Asger Risom
Journalists investigating extremist activity in Romania face renewed death threats from a radical group.
In a disturbing escalation of threats against media freedom, the Romanian neo-Nazi group “Unitatea 731” has once again targeted investigative journalists with death threats and bounties for personal information.
Targeting Journalists and Officials
Two journalists named Răzvan Filip and Renata Mogîldea of PressOne, known for their in-depth investigations into the activities of “Unitatea 731,” were specifically named in the group’s Telegram messages, according to HotNews.
The extremist network, which operates mainly in Romania and Moldova, reactivated its Telegram channel on May 11 to issue the latest threats.
“We’ll find and kill them soon, but we have to catch them in a secluded place,” the message read.
The group also posted a bounty, offering rewards for verified information about Filip’s whereabouts, including a tactical airsoft weapon as a “symbol” for the one who “hunts” him in Râmnicu Vâlcea.
Additionally, the group issued a violent threat against Romania’s interim president, Ilie Bolojan, stating:
“I will kill Premier Ilie Bolojan with an improvised explosive device (in real life).”
A Pattern of Threats and Extremism
This is the third time “Unitatea 731” has targeted PressOne’s journalists. Filip stated that the newsroom had filed police complaints after previous threats.
HotNews reports that the Romanian Police have yet to respond to inquiries about investigations into the latest incident.
The PressOne investigations have revealed the group’s recruitment of young people—some minors—for activities ranging from vandalism of Jewish monuments to violent attacks and drug trafficking.
Political Infiltration and Radicalization
The investigation also exposed attempts by Vlad Petre, a former member of AUR’s youth wing in Bucharest’s Sector 5, to align “Unitatea 731” with the nationalist party. Petre suggested that the group’s extremist ideology aligned with AUR’s hidden beliefs, allegedly claiming that the party’s pro-Jewish statements were “just political theater.”
The proposal reportedly split the group, with some seeing it as an opportunity to operate under legal cover while others rejected cooperation due to AUR’s perceived tolerance toward minorities.