Bucharest: Influencer Andrew Tate and his brother made an appearance in court in Romania on Wednesday, with their solicitors arguing that the two should be released from house arrest because they have been charged with human trafficking.

According to a source familiar with the case, Tate, a self-described misogynist with a sizable online following whose case has drawn attention from around the world, has also been charged with rape.

Late last year, Tate, his brother, and two Romanian women were arrested. At the end of March, they were given house arrest. They have contested the decision to keep them under house arrest on numerous occasions.

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A day after prosecutors announced their indictment, the brothers showed up at the court for a new hearing on the matter flanked by bodyguards.

They vehemently oppose remaining under house arrest, according to their attorney Ioan Gliga, who also called the measure "unjustified."
On June 23, the court is scheduled to make a decision. When their trial will begin is still unknown.

The two brothers and the two women, according to the prosecution, organised a criminal enterprise and sexually exploited a number of victims "through acts of physical violence and psychological coercion."

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The victims claimed that they were coerced into performing pornographic acts in order to create and publish pornographic content on social media.
Tate, a former kickboxer who holds dual citizenship with the US and the UK, stated that he was "looking forward to being found innocent at the end of everything."

"We are not the first wealthy, affluent men who have been unfairly attacked," the 36-year-old told reporters. "Unfortunately, it happens quite frequently in our situation."

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Years ago, Tate relocated to Romania after first launching a webcam company in the UK.
Tate made an appearance on the British reality television programme "Big Brother" in 2016, but he was later fired after a video surfaced of him assaulting a woman.
Then, in order to spread his divisive ideas, he turned to social media platforms. On Twitter, he currently has 6.9 million followers.

His videos have made him one of the most well-known influencers in the world by offering misogynistic and occasionally violent maxims along with advice on how to succeed.