Victims hope for justice at first trial over Romania's 1989 revolution Family members of Romanians who were killed during the 1989 revolution hope for justice as the first day of the trial of former president Ion Iliescu for crimes against humanity begins. Romania was the last Soviet satellite to overthrow a communist regime during a bloody revolution that began on 15 December 1989 in the western city of Timisoara. Seven days later, in Bucharest, hundreds of thousands took over the centre of the city. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES