{"id":18036,"date":"2022-02-10T10:40:23","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T10:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=18036"},"modified":"2022-02-10T10:40:23","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T10:40:23","slug":"case-of-grecu-and-others-v-romania-european-court-of-human-rights-73686-16-and-9-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laweuro.com\/?p=18036","title":{"rendered":"CASE OF GRECU AND OTHERS v. ROMANIA (European Court of Human Rights) 73686\/16 and 9 others"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOURTH SECTION
\nCASE OF GRECU AND OTHERS v. ROMANIA<\/strong>
\n(Application no. 73686\/16 and 9 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 Grecu 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 Depty 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 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 v.\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\u00a0122-41, and Ananyev and Others v.\u00a0Russia, 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.\u00a061467\/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 raised by the parties, including the Government\u2019s objection related to the non\u2011exhaustion 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\u2011law on the subject (including its findings in the recent case of Polgar v.\u00a0Romania, no.\u00a039412\/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\u00a03 of the Convention.<\/p>\n

III. REMAINING COMPLAINTS<\/p>\n

11. In applications nos.\u00a09179\/17, 13242\/17, 14064\/17, 46683\/17 and 49808\/17 the applicants also raised other complaints under Article\u00a03 of the Convention.<\/p>\n

12. The Court has examined these applications and considers that, in the light of all the material in its possession and in so far as the matters complained of are within its competence, these complaints either do not meet the admissibility criteria set out in Articles\u00a034 and\u00a035 of the Convention or do not disclose any appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Convention or the Protocols thereto.<\/p>\n

It follows that this part of the applications 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 further 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,\u00a0and 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;<\/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\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\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\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><\/td>\n

Representative\u2019s name and location<\/strong><\/td>\nFacility<\/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\u2011pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per applicant<\/strong><\/p>\n

(in euros)[1]<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

1.<\/td>\n73686\/16<\/p>\n

02\/02\/2017<\/td>\n

Marian GRECU<\/strong><\/p>\n

1970<\/td>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

Jilava Prison<\/p>\n

07\/05\/2015 to<\/p>\n

17\/11\/2016<\/p>\n

1 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 11 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.79-2.20\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (save for 09\u201110\/06\/2016), bunk beds, inadequate temperature, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of toiletries, lack or inadequate furniture, mouldy or dirty cell, no or insufficient disinfection of barbering and haircutting tools, no or restricted access to warm water, poor quality of food, poor quality of potable water<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2.<\/td>\n7337\/17<\/p>\n

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

Cengiz CATALTEPE<\/strong><\/p>\n

1986<\/td>\n

Irina Maria Peter<\/p>\n

Bucharest<\/td>\n

Bucharest Central Arrest, Bucharest Police detention facility no. 4, Rahova, Jilava and G\u0103esti Prisons<\/p>\n

13\/03\/2014 to<\/p>\n

26\/01\/2017<\/p>\n

2 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 14 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.35-2.76\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (save for 06\u201107\/10\/2016), infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, no or restricted access to warm water, mouldy or dirty cell, poor quality of food, lack or inadequate furniture, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient natural light, constant electric light, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, poor quality of potable water<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3.<\/td>\n9179\/17<\/p>\n

27\/02\/2017<\/td>\n

Ionel-Florin COSTACHE<\/strong><\/p>\n

1980<\/td>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

Tulcea and Jilava Prisons<\/p>\n

23\/05\/2016 to<\/p>\n

27\/02\/2017<\/p>\n

9 month(s) and 6 day(s)<\/p>\n

Jilava Prison<\/p>\n

16\/03\/2017-30\/05\/2017<\/p>\n

2 month(s) and 14 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.39-2.08\u00a0m\u00b2<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.30-1.60\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\n

overcrowding<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

overcrowding<\/td>\n

1,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4.<\/td>\n11047\/17<\/p>\n

03\/02\/2017<\/td>\n

Oancea ANTON<\/strong><\/p>\n

1962<\/td>\n

Ionela M\u0103rg\u0103rit<\/p>\n

Bucharest<\/td>\n

Br\u0103ila, Gala\u0163i and Tulcea Prisons<\/p>\n

21\/12\/2006 to<\/p>\n

28\/12\/2016<\/p>\n

10 year(s) and 8 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.16-2.25\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (save for 27\/02\u201104\/03\/2012), poor quality of food, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of or insufficient electric light, poor quality of potable water, no or restricted access to running water, mouldy or dirty cell, bunk beds, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack or inadequate furniture, no or restricted access to potable water, no or restricted access to warm water, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air<\/td>\n5,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5.<\/td>\n12613\/17<\/p>\n

06\/02\/2017<\/td>\n

Florin ARDELEAN<\/strong><\/p>\n

1987<\/td>\n

Vasile Rare\u015f Biro<\/p>\n

Satu Mare<\/td>\n

Rahova, Jilava and Satu Mare Prisons<\/p>\n

08\/05\/2015 to<\/p>\n

28\/12\/2016<\/p>\n

1 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 21 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.17-2.06\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (save for 08\u201128\/05\/2015), lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, poor quality of food, lack of fresh air, lack or inadequate furniture, lack of or insufficient natural light, no or restricted access to warm water, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, no or restricted access to shower, mouldy or dirty cell, inadequate temperature<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6.<\/td>\n13242\/17<\/p>\n

28\/03\/2017<\/td>\n

Daniel POPESCU<\/strong><\/p>\n

1982<\/td>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

Rahova and Jilava Prisons<\/p>\n

25\/11\/2014 to<\/p>\n

30\/03\/2017<\/p>\n

2 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 6 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.51-2.45\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (save for 03\u201105\/02\/2015), lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, lack or inadequate furniture, no or restricted access to potable water, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of fresh air, poor quality of food, poor quality of potable water, inadequate temperature, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to warm water, lack of toiletries, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, bunk beds, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7.<\/td>\n14064\/17<\/p>\n

05\/03\/2017<\/td>\n

Gheorghe PUTINEANU<\/strong><\/p>\n

1977<\/td>\n

Irina Maria Peter<\/p>\n

Bucharest<\/td>\n

Jilava and G\u0103e\u015fti Prisons<\/p>\n

12\/06\/2015 to<\/p>\n

30\/11\/2016<\/p>\n

1 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 19 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.36-2.64\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (save for 11\/07\u201105\/08\/2016; 11\/08-30\/11\/2016), bunk beds, no or restricted access to shower, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, poor quality of potable water, poor quality of food, lack or inadequate furniture, inadequate temperature, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to running water, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air<\/td>\n3,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8.<\/td>\n46055\/17<\/p>\n

19\/06\/2017<\/td>\n

Robert R\u0102SC\u0102RACHE<\/strong><\/p>\n

1988<\/td>\n

Andreea-Gabriela Cadar<\/p>\n

Gala\u021bi<\/td>\n

Slobozia, Rahova and Poarta Alb\u0103 Prisons; Poarta Alb\u0103 Prison Hospital<\/p>\n

09\/11\/2011 to<\/p>\n

19\/04\/2017<\/p>\n

5 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 11 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.23-2.94\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (save for 23-25\/09\/2013; 31\/03-14\/04\/2015), bunk beds, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, poor quality of potable water, no or restricted access to running water, lack of toiletries, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of or insufficient electric light, inadequate temperature, lack or inadequate furniture, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, poor quality of food, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities, lack of privacy for toilet, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to potable water, lack of fresh air<\/td>\n5,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9.<\/td>\n46683\/17<\/p>\n

22\/06\/2017<\/td>\n

Nicolae GAVRILESCU<\/strong><\/p>\n

1976<\/td>\n

Andreea-Gabriela Cadar<\/p>\n

Gala\u021bi<\/td>\n

Poarta Alb\u0103 and Rahova Prisons<\/p>\n

06\/10\/2016 to<\/p>\n

23\/01\/2017<\/p>\n

3 month(s) and 18 day(s)<\/td>\n

1.76-2.08\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\novercrowding (save for 20\u201123\/01\/2017), poor quality of potable water, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to shower, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature, lack or inadequate furniture, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen<\/td>\n1,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10.<\/td>\n49808\/17<\/p>\n

30\/06\/2017<\/td>\n

Daniel RADU<\/strong><\/p>\n

1981<\/td>\n

Andreea-Gabriela Cadar<\/p>\n

Gala\u021bi<\/td>\n

Poarta Alb\u0103 Prison<\/p>\n

21\/06\/2016 to<\/p>\n

05\/01\/2017<\/p>\n

6 month(s) and 16 day(s)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Slobozia Prison<\/p>\n

16\/01\/2017 to<\/p>\n

13\/02\/2017<\/p>\n

28 day(s)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Poarta Alb\u0103 Prison<\/p>\n

02\/03\/2017 to<\/p>\n

11\/05\/2017<\/p>\n

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

1.49-1.71\u00a0m\u00b2<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

–<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1.89-2.00\u00a0m\u00b2<\/td>\n

overcrowding, bunk beds, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to shower, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, inadequate temperature, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack or inadequate furniture, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, poor quality of food, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of toiletries, poor quality of potable water<\/p>\n

poor quality of potable water, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to warm water, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, inadequate temperature, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack or inadequate furniture, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air<\/p>\n

overcrowding, bunk beds, no or restricted access to running water, no or restricted access to warm water, no or restricted access to shower, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, inadequate temperature, lack of or insufficient electric light, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack or inadequate furniture, infestation of cell with insects\/rodents, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, poor quality of food, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of toiletries, poor quality of potable water, no or restricted access to toilet<\/td>\n

1,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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