The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) ordered to pay 72,000 lei from the state budget to a man who was unlawfully deprived of liberty. By its decision, the SCJ ascertained the violation of the right to liberty, for a period of 36 days, of plaintiff Vladimir Karatun, who was represented by a lawyer of Promo-LEX Association, by awarding him by 2,000 lei damages for each of these days, IPN reports.

The man was to be set free from detention on August 9, 2019. As the judgment of the Ciocana branch of the Chisinau City Court wasn’t transmitted immediately for execution to the penitentiary, Vladimir Karatun was set free on September 18, 2019.

The Centru branch of the Chisinau City Court awarded the plaintiff 15,200 lei, even if he asked for 72,000 lei. The judgment was challenged, but the appeal was rejected. In April 2021, the plaintiff and the National Administration of Penitentiaries disputed the Chisinau City Court’s decision of March 11, 2021. On June 16, 2021, the SCJ ordered to repair the damage caused to him and to compensate him for the court costs with 72,000 lei.

According to Promo-LEX lawyer Victoria Donica, the Supreme Court of Justice ascertained the violation of provisions of Article 5, par. 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights and set the damages in accordance with the ECHR case law in relation to just satisfaction.