CEDH · CASELAW;JUDGMENTS;COMMITTEE;ENG — 28 mars 2024

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padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s1D97E42E { width:14.42%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s9E5ABA13 { width:12.64%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s97D37130 { width:15.52%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s2E15CC4 { width:6.42%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s5CDDED00 { width:11.26%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s287CEBC2 { width:10.82%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .sC2B0EE75 { width:11.8%; border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } .s5FFF0A7E { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:8pt } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s2EB42ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt } .s653E6C45 { font-family:Arial; font-size:6.67pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 }       FOURTH SECTION CASE OF TĂNASE AND OTHERS v. ROMANIA (Application no. 73821/16 and 10 others – see appended list)             JUDGMENT   STRASBOURG 28 March 2024       This judgment is final but it may be subject to editorial revision.   In the case of Tănase and Others v. Romania, The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting as a Committee composed of:   Anja Seibert-Fohr , President ,   Anne Louise Bormann,   Sebastian Răduleţu , judges , and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar, Having deliberated in private on 7 March 2024, Delivers the following judgment, which was adopted on that date: PROCEDURE 1.     The case originated in applications against Romania lodged with the Court under Article 34 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (“the Convention”) on the various dates indicated in the appended table. 2.     The Romanian Government (“the Government”) were given notice of the applications. THE FACTS 3.     The list of applicants and the relevant details of the applications are set out in the appended table. 4.     The applicants complained of the inadequate conditions of their detention. THE LAW JOINDER OF THE APPLICATIONS 5.     Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single judgment. ALLEGED VIOLATION OF ARTICLE 3 OF THE CONVENTION 6.     The applicants complained principally of the inadequate conditions of their detention. They relied on Article 3 of the Convention. 7.     As regards the admissibility of applications nos. 73821/16, 10081/20, 11197/20 and 30762/20, the Government raised a preliminary objection concerning loss of victim status for certain periods of detention specified in the appended table because adequate redress based on Law no. 169/2017 amending and completing Law no. 254/2013 on the execution of sentences was afforded for those specific periods of detention. 8.     The Court notes that the domestic remedy introduced in respect of the inadequate conditions of detention in Romania and applicable until December   2019 was held to be an effective one in the case of Dîrjan and Ştefan v. Romania (dec.), nos. 14224/15 and 50977/15, §§ 23-33, 15 April   2020. The Court therefore finds that the relevant parts of applications nos. 73821/16, 10081/20, 11197/20 and 30762/20 (details described in the appended table) are incompatible ratione personae with the provisions of the Convention because the applicants were, indeed, afforded adequate redress for certain periods of their detention, specified in the appended table. Those parts of the applications must be declared inadmissible in accordance with Article 35 §§ 3 (a) and 4 of the Convention. 9.     The Government further argued that the applicants had failed to exhaust the available effective remedies for the complaints about the inadequate conditions of their detention, as an action in tort was an effective remedy for grievances similar to those of the applicants, allowing them to have the violation of the Convention acknowledged, either explicitly or in substance, and to receive adequate and sufficient compensation at the domestic level, and invited the Court to declare these applications inadmissible. 10.     The Court recalls that in Polgar v. Romania , no. 39412/19, §§ 94-96, 20 July 2021, it held that an action in tort, based on Articles 1349 and 1357 of the Romanian Civil Code, as interpreted consistently by the national courts, had represented since 13 January 2021 an effective remedy for individuals who considered that they had been subjected to inadequate conditions of detention and who were no longer held in conditions that were allegedly contrary to the Convention (see also Vlad v. Romania , (dec.), no.   122/17, §§ 30-33, 15 November 2022). 11.     However, the applicants in the present applications either ceased to be held in conditions that were allegedly contrary to the Convention before 13   January 2021 or continue to be held in such conditions. Therefore, the Court dismisses the Government’s objection as to the non-exhaustion of domestic remedies and finds that the applicants did not have at their disposal an effective domestic remedy for their grievances considering their situations (for the periods specified in the appended table). 12.     Turning to the remaining periods of the applicants’ detention, the details of which are indicated in the appended table, the Court notes that the applicants were kept in detention in poor conditions. The Court refers to the principles established in its case-law regarding inadequate conditions of detention (see, for instance, Muršić v. Croatia [GC], no. 7334/13, §§ 96-101, 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 “degrading” from the point of view of Article 3 and may disclose a violation, both alone or taken together with other shortcomings (see Muršić , cited above, §§ 122-41, and Ananyev and Others v. Russia , nos. 42525/07 and 60800/08, §§ 149-59, 10   January 2012). 13.     In the leading case of Rezmiveș and Others v. Romania , nos. 61467/12 and 3 others, 25 April 2017, the Court already found a violation in respect of issues similar to those in the present case. 14.     Having examined all the material submitted to it, 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-law on the subject, the Court considers that in the instant case the applicants’ conditions of detention during the periods specified in the appended table were inadequate. 15.     These complaints are therefore admissible and disclose a breach of Article 3 of the Convention. REMAINING COMPLAINTS 16.     In applications nos. 76296/16, 5184/18, 14055/18, 32478/20, 34804/20, the applicants also raised other complaints under Article 3 of the Convention related to the conditions of their detention served during other periods. 17.     The Court has examined the applications listed in the appended table 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 34 and 35 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. It follows that this part of the applications must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 § 4 of the Convention. APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 41 OF THE CONVENTION 18.     Regard being had to the documents in its possession and to its case ‑ law (see, in particular, Rezmiveș and Others , cited above), the Court considers it reasonable to award the sums indicated in the appended table. FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT, UNANIMOUSLY, Decides to join the applications; Declares the complaints concerning the inadequate conditions of detention, for the periods specified in the appended table, admissible, and the remainder of the applications inadmissible; Holds that there has been a breach of Article 3 of the Convention concerning the inadequate conditions of detention during the periods specified in the appended table; Holds (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; (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.   Done in English, and notified in writing on 28 March 2024, pursuant to Rule   77 §§ 2 and 3 of the Rules of Court.     Viktoriya Maradudina   Anja Seibert-Fohr   Acting Deputy Registrar   President     APPENDIX List of applications raising complaints under Article 3 of the Convention (inadequate conditions of detention) No. Application no. Date of introduction Applicant’s name Year of birth Representative’s name and location Facility Start and end date Duration Sq. m per inmate Specific grievances Domestic compensation awarded (in days) based on total period calculated by national authorities Amount awarded for pecuniary and non-pecuniary damage and costs and expenses per applicant (in euros) [1]     73821/16 23/12/2016 Marian TĂNASE 1967     Ialomița County Police Station; Slobozia, Jilava, Poarta Albă Prisons; Jilava Prison Hospital 14/06/2001 to 12/09/2017 16 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 30 day(s)   Slobozia and Rahova Prison Hospital 13/11/2018 to 25/04/2019 5 month(s) and 13 day(s)   Rahova Prison Hospital 22/05/2019 to 30/05/2019 9 day(s)   Jilava Prison Hospital 24/09/2019 to 03/10/2019 10 day(s) 1.44 – 2.82 m²   overcrowding, bunk beds, insufficient number of sleeping places, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities 48 days in compensation for a total period of 268 days spent in detention in inadequate conditions between 22/05/2018 – 23/12/2019 (save for the periods between 13/11/2018 – 25/04/2019, 22/05/2019 – 30/05/2019, and 24/09/2019 – 03/10/2019) 5,000     76296/16 16/01/2017 Ciprian BOLOHAN 1983     Iași and Arad Prisons 19/08/2021 to 21/03/2022 7 month(s) and 3 day(s)   The applicant continues being held in detention in allegedly poor conditions, after 21/03/2022, which is not the subject of the present application 2.12 m² overcrowding (save for the periods between 19/08/2021-24/09/2021, and 26/11/2021-21/03/2022), lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack or inadequate furniture, poor quality of food   1,000     5184/18 19/01/2018 Marius-Costel COSTEA 1987 Paul Cristea Oradea Oradea Prison 15/02/2017 to 17/08/2017 6 month(s) and 3 day(s) 2.24 m² overcrowding (save for the period between 15/02/2017-23/07/2017), poor quality of food, no or restricted access to toilet, no or restricted access to shower, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, inadequate temperature   1,000     5810/18 22/01/2018 Gheorghe Valentin CRIŞAN 1982 Nicoleta Trif Arad Arad County Police Station; Arad and Timişoara Prisons 06/06/2012 to 20/09/2017 5 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 15 day(s) 1.59 – 2.54 m² overcrowding (save for the periods between 13/07/2012-17/06/2015, and 26/08/2016-10/02/2017), lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, mouldy or dirty cell, poor quality of food, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to warm water, infestation of cell with insects/rodents   5,000     14055/18 07/03/2018 Cornel IRIMIEA 1978 Andreea-Gabriela Cadar Galati Poarta Albă Prison 22/05/2017 to 13/10/2017 4 month(s) and 22 day(s) 1.28 – 2.76 m² overcrowding, bunk beds, insufficient number of sleeping places, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, no or restricted access to running water, infestation of cell with insects/rodents   1,000     10081/20 07/04/2020 Constantin-Cătălin PANȚIRU 1988     Arad Prison 18/01/2018 to 20/09/2018 8 month(s) and 3 day(s)   Arad Prison 08/11/2018 to 25/11/2019 1 year(s) and 18 day(s)   Arad, Iași and Botoșani Prisons 30/11/2019 to 12/12/2022 3 year(s) and 13 day(s)   Botoșani Prison 20/01/2023 to 18/07/2023 5 month(s) and 29 day(s)   The applicant continues being held in detention in allegedly poor conditions, after 18/07/2023, which is not the subject of the present application 2.33 – 2.9 m²   overcrowding (save for the periods between 18/01/2018-20/09/2018, 08/11/2018-25/11/2019, 30/11/2019-21/06/2022, 24/06/2022-12/07/2022, and 13/02/2023-18/07/2023), mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, no or restricted access to shower, no or restricted access to warm water   72 days in compensation for a total period of 366 days spent in detention in inadequate conditions between 14/03/2017 – 29/11/2019 (save for the periods between 18/01/2018-20/09/2018, and 08/11/2018-25/11/2019) 5,000     11197/20 13/02/2020 Sebastean-Radu MUREŞAN 1996     Gherla and Baia Mare Prison 24/12/2019 to 23/03/2020 3 month(s) 2.27 – 2.8 m² overcrowding, no or restricted access to toilet, lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient natural light, lack or inadequate furniture, mouldy or dirty cell 18 days in compensation for a total period of 100 days spent in detention in inadequate conditions between 11/09/2019 – 23/12/2019 1,000     30762/20 24/08/2020 Viorel COȘCODAR 1981     Aiud Prison 24/12/2019 pending More than 3 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 28 day(s) 2.34 – 2.65 m² overcrowding (save for the period between 23/12/2019-30/08/2022), bunk beds, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of or insufficient natural light, inadequate temperature, poor quality of food, mouldy or dirty cell 228 days in compensation for a total period of 1,165 days spent in detention in inadequate conditions between 29/09/2016 – 23/12/2019 3,000     32478/20 26/08/2020 Ioan GHEŢIE 1952     Baia Mare Prison 24/09/2021 pending More than 2 year(s) and 1   month(s) and 18 day(s) 2.25 m² overcrowding, no or restricted access to shower, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, poor quality of food   3,000   34804/20 12/10/2020 Gheorghe LUPU 1960     Tulcea Prison 08/12/2022 to 09/01/2023 1 month(s) and 1 day(s)   Tulcea Prison 17/01/2023 to 22/06/2023 5 month(s) and 6 day(s)   Tulcea Prison 26/10/2023 pending More than 26 day(s)   The applicant continued being held in detention in allegedly poor conditions between 22/06/2023 and 26/10/2023, the period which is not the subject of the present application -   mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack or inadequate furniture, lack of or inadequate hygienic facilities, lack of privacy for toilet     1,000   48732/20 08/02/2021 Florin-Daniel VOICU 1983     Bucharest Police Station no. 19, Slobozia, Jilava and Rahova Prisons 24/06/2020 pending More than 3 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 29 day(s) 2.06-3.26 m² overcrowding (save for the periods between 29/12/2020-06/12/2021 and 05/08/2022-11/03/2023), lack of or insufficient natural light, lack of privacy for toilet, mouldy or dirty cell   3,000   [1] Plus any tax that may be chargeable to the applicants.