{"id":18014,"date":"2022-02-10T09:53:24","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T09:53:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=18014"},"modified":"2022-02-10T09:55:36","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T09:55:36","slug":"case-of-mihai-and-others-v-romania-european-court-of-human-rights-31539-16-and-6-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=18014","title":{"rendered":"CASE OF MIHAI AND OTHERS v. ROMANIA (European Court of Human Rights) 31539\/16 and 6 others"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOURTH SECTION
\nCASE OF MIHAI AND OTHERS v. ROMANIA<\/strong>
\n(Application no. 31539\/16 and 6 others \u2013 see appended list)<\/em>
\nJUDGMENT
\nSTRASBOURG
\n10 February 2022<\/p>\n

This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.<\/p>\n

In the case of Mihai and Others v. Romania,<\/strong><\/p>\n

The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:<\/p>\n

Armen Harutyunyan, President,
\nJolien Schukking,
\nAna Maria Guerra Martins, judges,
\nand Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,<\/p>\n

Having deliberated in private on 20 January 2022,<\/p>\n

Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date:<\/p>\n

PROCEDURE<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. The case originated in applications against Romania lodged with the Court under Article\u00a034 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (\u201cthe Convention\u201d) on the various dates indicated in the appended table.<\/p>\n

2. The Romanian Government (\u201cthe\u00a0Government\u201d) were given notice of the applications.<\/p>\n

THE FACTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

3. The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table.<\/p>\n

4. The applicants complained of the inadequate conditions of their detention.<\/p>\n

THE LAW<\/strong><\/p>\n

I. JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS<\/p>\n

5. Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment.<\/p>\n

II. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE\u00a03 OF THE CONVENTION<\/p>\n

6. The applicants complained principally of the inadequate conditions of their detention. They relied on Article 3 of the Convention, which reads as follows:<\/p>\n

Article 3<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. The Court notes that the applicants were kept in detention in poor conditions. The details of the applicants\u2019 detention are indicated in the appended table. The Court refers to the principles established in its case\u2011law regarding inadequate conditions of detention (see, for instance, Mur\u0161i\u0107\u00a0v.\u00a0Croatia [GC], no.\u00a07334\/13, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a096\u2011101, ECHR 2016). It reiterates in particular that a serious lack of space in a prison cell weighs heavily as a factor to be taken into account for the purpose of establishing whether the detention conditions described are \u201cdegrading\u201d from the point of view of Article\u00a03 and may disclose a violation, both alone or taken together with other shortcomings (see Mur\u0161i\u0107, cited above, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0122\u201141, and Ananyev and Others v. Russia, nos.\u00a042525\/07 and 60800\/08, \u00a7\u00a7\u00a0149\u201159, 10\u00a0January 2012).<\/p>\n

8. In the leading case of Rezmive\u0219 and Others v. Romania, (nos. 61467\/12 and 3 others, 25 April 2017), the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case.<\/p>\n

9. Having examined all the material submitted to it and the arguments submitted by the parties, including the Government\u2019s objection related to the non-exhaustion of domestic remedies, the Court has not found any fact or argument capable of persuading it to reach a different conclusion on the admissibility and merits of these complaints. Having regard to its case-law on the subject, (including its findings in the recent case of Polgar v Romania, no. 39412\/19, \u00a7\u00a7 94-97, 20 July 2021), the Court considers that in the instant case the applicants\u2019 conditions of detention, as described in the appended table below, were inadequate.<\/p>\n

10. These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 3 of the Convention.<\/p>\n

III. REMAINING COMPLAINTS<\/p>\n

11. In application no. 48278\/16 the applicant also raised another complaint under Article 3 of the Convention.<\/p>\n

12. The Court has examined this complaint and considers that, in the light of all the material in its possession and in so far as the matter complained of is within its competence, this complaint does not meet the admissibility criteria set out in Articles\u00a034 and\u00a035 of the Convention. It follows that this part of the application no. 48278\/16 must be rejected in accordance with Article\u00a035\u00a0\u00a7\u00a04 of the Convention.<\/p>\n

IV. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE\u00a041 OF THE CONVENTION<\/p>\n

13. Article\u00a041 of the Convention provides:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the Court finds that there has been a violation of the Convention or the Protocols thereto, and if the internal law of the High Contracting Party concerned allows only partial reparation to be made, the Court shall, if necessary, afford just satisfaction to the injured party.\u201d<\/p>\n

14. Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case\u2011law (see, in particular, Rezmive\u0219 and Others, cited above), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table.<\/p>\n

15. The Court considers it appropriate that the default interest rate should be based on the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank, to which should be added three percentage points.<\/p>\n

FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY,<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Decides to join the applications;<\/p>\n

2. Declares the complaints concerning the inadequate conditions of detention, for the periods specified in the appended table, admissible, and the remainder of the applications inadmissible;<\/p>\n

3. Holds that these complaints disclose a breach of Article\u00a03 of the Convention concerning the inadequate conditions of detention for the periods specified in the appended table below;<\/p>\n

4. Holds<\/p>\n

(a) that the respondent State is to pay the applicants, within three months, the amounts indicated in the appended table, to be converted into the currency of the respondent State at the rate applicable at the date of settlement;<\/p>\n

(b) that from the expiry of the above-mentioned three months until settlement simple interest shall be payable on the above amounts at a rate equal to the marginal lending rate of the European Central Bank during the default period plus three percentage points.<\/p>\n

Done in English, and notified in writing on 10 February 2022, pursuant to Rule\u00a077\u00a0\u00a7\u00a7\u00a02 and\u00a03 of the Rules of Court.<\/p>\n

Viktoriya Maradudina\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Armen Harutyunyan
\nActing Deputy Registrar\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 President<\/p>\n

___________<\/p>\n

APPENDIX<\/strong>
\nList of applications raising complaints under Article 3 of the Convention
\n(inadequate conditions of detention)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
No.<\/strong><\/td>\nApplication no.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Date of introduction<\/strong><\/td>\n

Applicant\u2019s name<\/strong><\/p>\n

Year of birth<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n

Facility<\/strong><\/p>\n

Start and end date<\/strong><\/p>\n

Duration<\/strong><\/td>\n

Sq. m per inmate<\/strong><\/td>\nSpecific grievances<\/strong><\/td>\nAmount awarded for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per applicant (in euros) [1]<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1.<\/td>\n31539\/16<\/p>\n

06\/07\/2016<\/td>\n

Bogdan MIHAI<\/strong><\/p>\n

1979<\/td>\n

T\u00e2rgovi\u0219te County Police Station; M\u0103rgineni, G\u0103e\u0219ti and Ploie\u0219ti Prisons; Coliba\u0219i (Mioveni) Prison Hospital<\/p>\n

28\/10\/2013 to<\/p>\n

22\/02\/2017<\/p>\n

3 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 26 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.23 – 2.87 m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (except for the periods 05\/06 – 12\/06\/2014; 18\/03 – 27\/04\/2015; 13\/11\/2015 – 22\/02\/2017), mouldy or dirty cell, lack or inadequate furniture, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, bunk beds, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to running water, inadequate temperature, insufficient number of sleeping places, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, poor quality of food, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2.<\/td>\n42413\/16<\/p>\n

10\/08\/2016<\/td>\n

Rancu RANCU<\/strong><\/p>\n

1985<\/td>\n

M\u0103rgineni and Ploie\u0219ti Prisons; Coliba\u0219i (Mioveni) and Jilava Prison Hospitals<\/p>\n

18\/03\/2014 to<\/p>\n

21\/02\/2017<\/p>\n

2 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 4 day(s)<\/td>\n

0.83 – 2.58 m\u00b2<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

overcrowding (except for the periods 22\/12\/2015 – 29\/03\/2016), insufficient number of sleeping places lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, no or restricted access to shower, inadequate temperature, poor quality of food, lack of or insufficient natural light<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3.<\/td>\n44262\/16<\/p>\n

14\/09\/2016<\/td>\n

Iov-Mihai GANEA<\/strong><\/p>\n

1990<\/td>\n

M\u0103rgineni Prison<\/p>\n

21\/10\/2011 to<\/p>\n

22\/03\/2012<\/p>\n

5 month(s) and 2 day(s)<\/p>\n

M\u0103rgineni Prison<\/p>\n

27\/03\/2012 to<\/p>\n

04\/08\/2015<\/p>\n

3 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 9 day(s)<\/p>\n

M\u0103rgineni Prison<\/p>\n

07\/08\/2015 to<\/p>\n

28\/09\/2016<\/p>\n

1 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 22 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.38 – 2.99 m\u00b2<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.38 – 2.99 m\u00b2<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.38 – 2.99 m\u00b2<\/td>\n

overcrowding (except for the periods 25\/06 – 05\/07\/2014; 17\/07 – 27\/07\/2015; 23\/03 – 24\/03\/2016; 12\/04 – 15\/07\/2016), lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to potable water, lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, poor quality of food, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, mouldy or dirty cell, no or restricted access to running water, lack or inadequate furniture<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4.<\/td>\n47007\/16<\/p>\n

01\/08\/2016<\/td>\n

Alexandru-Ionu\u021b BOBOCIC\u0102<\/strong><\/p>\n

1985<\/td>\n

Br\u0103ila Prison<\/p>\n

13\/07\/2013 to<\/p>\n

01\/03\/2016<\/p>\n

2 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 18 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.35 – 1.76 m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding, lack of fresh air, mouldy or dirty cell, lack or inadequate furniture, lack of or insufficient natural light, bunk beds, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5.<\/td>\n48278\/16<\/p>\n

02\/09\/2016<\/td>\n

Ionu\u0163 SIMIONESCU<\/strong><\/p>\n

1992<\/td>\n

Rahova, Jilava and G\u0103e\u0219ti Prisons<\/p>\n

29\/08\/2014 to<\/p>\n

21\/12\/2016<\/p>\n

2 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 23 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.29 – 2.5 m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (except for the periods 10\/05 – 30\/09\/2015 and 24\/03 – 21\/12\/2016), infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, inadequate temperature, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to warm water, mouldy or dirty cell, lack or inadequate furniture, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of fresh air, lack of toiletries, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, no or restricted access to potable water, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, lack of or insufficient electric light, bunk beds, poor quality of food, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6.<\/td>\n48534\/16<\/p>\n

21\/03\/2017<\/td>\n

Alexandru-Gabriel ONIL\u0102<\/strong><\/p>\n

1986<\/td>\n

Dolj County Police Station, G\u0103e\u0219ti, Craiova and Craiova Pelendava Prisons<\/p>\n

22\/12\/2014 to<\/p>\n

30\/08\/2017<\/p>\n

2 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 9 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.30 – 2.64 m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (except for the periods 25\/03 -15\/04\/2015 and 14\/02 – 12\/06\/2017), lack of fresh air, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of privacy for toilet, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack or inadequate furniture, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to toilet<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7.<\/td>\n67621\/16<\/p>\n

21\/12\/2016<\/td>\n

Alexandru PERSU<\/strong><\/p>\n

1980<\/td>\n

Bucharest Police detention facility no. 12, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Craiova, M\u0103rgineni, Craiova – Pelendava, G\u0103e\u0219ti, T\u00e2rgu-Jiu, Jilava and Rahova Prisons<\/p>\n

11\/12\/2012 to<\/p>\n

20\/12\/2016<\/p>\n

4 year(s) and 10 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.13 – 2.50 m\u00b2<\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

overcrowding (except for the periods 07\/10 – 08\/10\/2015 and 29\/04 – 13\/06\/2016),<\/p>\n

lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to shower, inadequate temperature, lack or inadequate furniture, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities, poor quality of food, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, bunk beds, lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient natural light<\/td>\n

3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/a>\u00a0[1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.<\/p>\n