Romania court lifts Andrew Tate's house arrest order

A Romanian court Friday lifted a house arrest order on controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother as the men await trial on human trafficking charges.

Tate -- a self-described misogynist with a large online presence -- has also been indicted on charges of rape and forming a criminal group to sexually exploit women.

The court ruled that it "replaces the measure of house arrest of the defendants... with the preventive measure of judicial control, for a period of 60 days, from 4 August 2023 to 2 October 2023".

Tate, his brother and two accomplices have to report to police and are not allowed to leave the wider Bucharest region without prior approval.

The Tate brothers are not allowed to meet with the two Romanian women also accused in the case.

"We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the Romanian judicial system for their fair consideration," a spokesperson for the Tate brothers said in a statement after the ruling.

"This positive outcome gives us confidence that more favorable developments are on the horizon," the statement added.

All four accused were detained late last year and then placed under house arrest at the end of March. They have repeatedly challenged the house arrest order.

A trial date has not yet been set.

Prosecutors allege the two brothers and the two women set up a criminal organization and sexually exploited several victims "through acts of physical violence and psychological coercion".

The victims were allegedly forced to engage in pornographic acts with a view to producing and disseminating such material via social media platforms.

Tate moved to Romania years ago after first starting a webcam business in the UK.

In 2016, Tate appeared on the "Big Brother" reality television show in Britain but was removed after a video emerged showing him attacking a woman.

He then turned to social media platforms to promote his divisive views.

Giving tips on how to be successful, along with misogynistic and sometimes violent maxims, Tate's videos have made him one of the world's best-known influencers.