On July 14, Mohamed Benzid Buidi was expelled from Romania after seven months in which he worked and studied freely although he had been accused of being suspected of terrorism and had been expelled, the SNOOOop investigative site had revealed last day. Mohamed challenged the decision received last year in December, but lost the trial and had to leave although he claims that he never showed him to accuse him. Snoop reporters accompanied him on the last day in Romania.
Upon returning from the Christmas holiday, from 2024, spent in France, Mohamed Benzid Buidi is stopped by the Security forces at Otopeni Airport and informed that, in his absence, he was revoked the residence permit in Romania. He is not given a reason. The young Tunisian spends 12 days in detention at the Center for Accommodation of Foreigners taken in public custody Otopeni. After months of fighting in the courts, he learns that he is suspected of terrorism. But not on the basis of which evidence. With the final judgment, it is expelled on July 14.
“I would like to stay, but with my rights, that is, not so with abuses,” Mohamed tells Snoop reporters on the day he leaves Romania.
“I did not understand anything and I am in shock.”
Before leaving for the airport, a Mohamed's friend came to say goodbye to Ahmed's store. He wanted to remain anonymous, for fear of not suffering the same. They met in college, and since then they have remained indistinguishable. He has red eyes from crying.
Mohamed is “always happy, cool, calm”, but now he sees him changed. “As a man sentenced to death.” He tries to explain: “He is alive, he is in front of you, but he no longer smiles, he cannot speak. As if the life of him has drained.”
“What criminal or terrorist?! We are students, we came here to study,” he replies in relation to the accusation made to Mohamed. He says that their program looked like this: from 9 or 10 in the morning, the courses started at college, then went to work, and sometimes they met after 10 or 11 in the evening, to stay. The next day, from the end. “I don't think he had time for something else, nor his friend, me, or other friends. I don't have time for my friends because I work, study.”
“I am very disappointed. I wanted to make a life here, I came to this country and I was even well received. Now I consider myself Romanian,” says Ahmed. “But I no longer trust this system that offended my brother.” He continues: “I respect the laws and send my brother at home, but we will fight.”
Mohamed and Mihaela, Ahmed's girlfriend, sit on the car's rear seat, while he's driving. Through the embassy, they obtained permission to leave without escort. Mohamed looks quietly on the window. The sunglasses hide his swollen eyes from crying. He smokes from time to time a cigarette, sends messages, calls the embassy. “I think about what I lost,” he says with the suffocated voice, “Life, diploma, friends, love, I have lost my whole family, freedom. Now I am convicted of life for something I have not done. And I will leave.”
Disturbed and trying to retain tears, Ahmed asks him if he took his phone, the charger, the passport. In Tunisia, his family has already hired a lawyer to start the steps at International Courts of Justice. “We, because we are also Muslim and Arabs, we are always so taken, without any accusation, we are always taken as danger,” says Ahmed. “But God is great, we trust that it will be protected by Him, at least.”
In total, Mohamed had three files in court, the last one is to be tried at the end of September, in his absence, against the prohibition to enter the territory of Romania and in the Schengen area for a period of 15 years.
Arriving at the airport, I find Larisa, who wears the black ring from Mohamed on her thumb. After his lover's departure, he confesses that he wanted to keep himself hard, not to cry, so that he does not grieve him even more.
“How quickly your heart beats,” says Mihaela to Ahmed.
“And Mohamed the same.”
Two friends came to stay with Mohamed while waiting to open the Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul. A team of athletes passes through them, and Mihaela notes them. “That's how he had to leave, not like now,” says Ahmed.
They are allowed to accompany him to the security area, where the hand luggage is checked. Mohamed passes through the labyrinth marked with bands. Being so tall, it's easy to spot it in the crowd. With tears in her eyes, Ahmed, Mihaela and Larisa look at him as she is scanned and do them from time to time. Ahmed motions him to call him after he passes the Security. It will not calm down until Mohamed does not confirm that he has recovered his stamp passport and that everything is fine. He will also send the father of the father, who will sound alarmed several times on the way back.
Near the blinds, behind Mohamed, is the IGI officer who accompanies him to the plane. Although it goes on the charge that it is a danger to national security, the presence of the officer is more symbolic. He took over at the airport gate, without any weapon, allowing Mohamed to leave the building, smoke, wait with everyone in the departure hall.
Mohamed will travel unaccompanied to Tunisia, where a friend will be waiting for him at the airport. His parents are in France, visiting his sister who was born two months ago. He knows he returns to an empty house in the monastir, his beautiful city on the seafront, which is sad.
While waiting for his luggage to be scanned, Mohamed looks long, still to the loved ones he leaves, “willingly”, according to the IGI officer. That is, without being escorted.
In his movement, you do not see anything from a young hopeful young man, who came to Romania, thinking that here he will finally start his life.
There is no smile to improve the situation, as during the interviews. Just a fixed look that encompasses everything he lost.
Read all the investigation on snoop.
