Article 3 of 5. Read article 1 and article 2. In the previous article of this series, I described how the French police raids of November 28, , against students of MISA, the Movement for the Spiritual Integration into the Absolute, were perceived by the MISA yoga students who were there and had returned to Romania, where I interviewed some of them in January They complained that their rights were repeatedly violated. I said I would not sign anything without my Romanian lawyer, but they said there was a lawyer at the police station who was free.
I said I need my own lawyer. You are jeopardizing the investigation! Another woman asked if she had a designated lawyer.
But I said I would not sign anything except in the presence of a lawyer. Wait until you are in the presence of the magistrate. He has the same attitude as the prosecuting attorney. I am sure you will remain in custody for more than 48 hours. One Romanian reports he was asked by the police if he would agree to take a psychological test that would prove he was mentally manipulated. I had sore muscles and did a lot of yoga.
I could not sleep. There was no night and no day. I had two cell colleagues who were very hostile. A policeman took⦠brought us to a cell that was very cold. There was a thin mattress on the cement floor, one blanket, no pillow. Lights were on all night and there were drugs addicts with withdrawal symptoms screaming their heads off, and all night there were prisoners brought in and out. My informants complained of being very uncomfortable in police custody.
They were interrogated for up to five hours at a time, often handcuffed to a chair, and had to beg to be escorted to the toilet. They gave us some foodβbut then we realized it was from our own storage unit in the house, like they gave us these very familiar Romanian biscuits. In most cases, after being held for 48 hours, the detainees were suddenly told they had to leave. This usually occurred between p. They found themselves on the street late at night with their ID, but no money or cellphone.
