Romanian Communist-era prison chief charged with genocide Alexandru Visinescu, 88, was the commander of the Ramnicu Sarat prison in eastern Romania between 1956 and 1963, a period when Communist repression against dissidents reached its peak. He faces life in prison if found guilty. The Romanian body investigating Communist-era crimes has said it has given prosecutors evidence showing his alleged involvement in the deaths of at least five political prisoners. More than 600,000 people were sentenced and jailed in Romania for political reasons between 1945 and 1989, according to the Sighet Memorial for the victims of Communism. Very few former Communist leaders and commanders have been prosecuted in Romania. Former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife were convicted of genocide in 1989 in a makeshift trial. They were executed on December 25, 1989. Genocide is defined by the United Nations as an "act committed with intent to destroy in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group." It was made an international crime under a 1948 UN treaty.