The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on September 14 issued its judgment in the case of Petrenco and others versus the Republic of Moldova by which it ascertained the violation of a number of articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, IPN reports, quitting a press release of Promo-LEX Association.
The case concerns the applicants’ arrest and detention following a demonstration on criminal charges of participation in mass disorders and the imposition on them of a prohibition on participating in public gatherings after their release from pre-trial detention for some three years.
The applicants argued that the accusations against them had been invented and that there was no evidence to support the allegations that they had conducted a violent demonstration. The Government disagreed and argued that the applicants’ remand in custody and house arrest had been lawful, based on a reasonable suspicion that they had committed an offence and necessary in view of the risks of absconding and hindering the investigation.
The Court held that the Republic of Moldova is to pay, within three months from the date on which the judgment becomes final, a total of €63,750 in respect of non‑pecuniary damage and €4,000 in respect of the costs and expenses incurred before the Court.
In connection with this judgment, Promo-LEX lawyer Vadim Vieru said that this case reveals serious systemic problems related to the legality and reasonableness of the arrest and detention and of the limitation of the freedom of assembly by banning presence in places where protests are mounted. Nicoleta Hriplivyi, of the Association, noted that in that period society was witness to the degradation of democracy in the Republic of Moldova, where the freedom of expression, the right to liberty and security of persons were violated most often.
