A number of persons with disabilities, among who members of the Coalition “Without Barriers” and of other non-governmental organizations, mounted a protest in front of the Centru Court against the inaccessibility to courtrooms on June 8, IPN reports.

The participants in the event said that at the end of 2015, they filed a lawsuit concerning the non-fulfillment of the accessibility requirements and the repair of a road segment on Grenoble St. The case was to be examined by the Centru Court that is situated on the third floor of the building of the Centru district head’s office. Some of those who signed the complaint, being persons with disabilities, could not enter the courtroom in this building.

Afterward, an application was lodged with the Centru Court concerning the change of the trying place so that the persons with disabilities also had access to it. The application was accepted and the hearing was to take place in the meeting hall of the Centru district head’s office, which is located on the first floor. But this place also turned out to be inaccessible to persons with locomotor disabilities.

As a result, a number of hearings were put off because the members of the Coalition could not come to these as they were unable to enter the building. The protest organizers demanded free access to justice and to hold the hearings in a hall accessible to persons with disabilities.

Executive director of the Association “Motivatie” Igor Meriacre said the participants with locomotor disabilities and visual impairments, who are confined to wheelchairs, could not attend the June 8 hearing as well because they could not use the ramps on the stairs in front of the Centru district head’s office even if they were accompanied by someone. If the free access to justice is not ensured, the members of these NGOs will continue to protest.

Vitalie Mester, the head of the Center for Legal Assistance for Persons with Disabilities, said the judge repeatedly rejected the application concerning the ensuring of the disabled persons’ access. Thus, the complainers requested to replace the judge and to hold the hearings in a courtroom accessible to persons with disabilities.

The protesters said the organizations involved in the trial will not stop here and will challenge the decision in the Appeals Court.