Former prime minister Vlad Filat has announced today through his lawyers that he lodged a second application with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

In particular, the convicted politician complained that, despite being elected in a democratic election, he had been stripped of parliamentary immunity and unseated as an MP “in brazen violation” of the domestic law.

Filat also complained of an unfair trial. Specifically, he complained that he had been denied public court proceedings and that many of his requests for witness summons and for special expert opinion had been rejected with no apparent reason. Further, Filat believes that the equality of arms principle was violated, with the prosecution favored, and that his judges didn’t “produce guarantees of impartiality”.

A further part of the complaint concerns alleged violations of his private and family life, as case-related information had been constantly leaked throughout the proceedings and footage had been circulated with him handcuffed and guarded exclusively by police wearing masks and balaclavas. “This inoculated the public opinion with the idea of Vlad Filat being guilty” before being proven an such in court.

The former prime minister also complained that he had been kept in detention during the trial without sufficient proof of this being necessary.

Igor Popa, the lawyer representing Vlad Filat before the ECHR, thinks the move will force the domestic courts to review Filat’s case.

In 2015, Vlad Filat submitted another application to the Strasbourg-based court complaining about detention conditions in Prison no.13, where he was placed pending trial following and allegedly illegal arrest.