CEDH · PRESS;GENERAL;ENG — 5 juillet 2000

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .sA1D3DA2E { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s94935B0F { width:389.85pt; display:inline-block } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .sCB27B9E { width:16.66pt; display:inline-block } .sC5412BEF { width:51.05pt; display:inline-block } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS   511   5.7.2000   Press release issued by the Registrar   Case of Ilaşcu, Leşco, Ivanţoc and Petrov-Popa v. Moldova and Russia considered by a Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights   A Chamber composed of seven judges today met in private to consider an application brought by Mr Ilie Ilaşcu, Mr Alexandru Leşco, Mr Andrei Ivanţoc and Mr Tudor Petrov-Popa against Moldova and Russia, which was lodged with the Court on 5 April 1999 and registered on 14   June 1999.   The applicants, Moldovan nationals, are currently in custody in Transdniestria, a region of Moldova which unilaterally declared itself an independent republic in 1991. The first applicant, Mr Ilie Ilaşcu, was sentenced to death in 1993 by a court in that self-proclaimed republic and an order was made for the confiscation of his property; the sentence has not yet been carried out. The other applicants were convicted by the same court and sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from twelve to fifteen years, and their property was likewise ordered to be confiscated.   The applicants complain of a violation of Article 6 of the Convention on the ground that they were not convicted by a competent court and that at all events the proceedings that led to their conviction were not fair. They also allege that their detention is unlawful, in breach of Article 5 of the Convention. The applicants further complain of their prison conditions, relying on Articles 2, 3 and 8 of the Convention.   They consider that the Moldovan authorities are responsible for the foregoing violations as they have taken no measures to put a stop to them, and they maintain that the Russian Federation shares that responsibility as the territory of Transdniestria is under the de facto control of Russia. Under Rule 54 § 3 (b) of the Rules of Court, and without prejudging the merits, the Chamber decided to give notice of the application to the respondent Contracting Parties and to invite them to submit written observations on the admissibility and merits of the application.   ***   Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Contacts:   Roderick Liddell (telephone: (0)3 88 41 24 92)   Emma Hellyer (telephone: (0)3 90 21 42 15) Fax: (0)3 88 41 27 91   The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. On 1 November 1998 a full-time Court was established, replacing the original two-tier system of a part-time Commission and Court.