Published on 23 March 2026
FIFTH SECTION
Application no. 23401/19
Roman SLUTU
against the Republic of Moldova
lodged on 26 April 2019
communicated on 5 March 2026
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE
The application concerns the applicant’s detention pending trial for more than 12 months, which is more than what the Moldovan Constitution allows.
The applicant was arrested on 1 November 2017 on suspicion of being part of a criminal organisation which had mounted an international illegal drug smuggling operation from Spain into Russia, partly transiting the territory of the Republic of Moldova. He was detained until 30 October 2018 (the last court decision extending his detention was adopted on 19 October 2018).
On 30 October 2018 the prosecution started a new criminal investigation into the applicant’s alleged participation in a criminal organisation which had mounted an international illegal drug smuggling operation. The applicant was re-arrested. On 2 November 2018 an investigating judge ordered the applicant’s detention pending trial. The applicant’s detention pending trial was extended at regular intervals at least until 28 April 2019 (the last court decision extending his detention was adopted on 20 March 2019).
The applicant complains under Article 5 § 1 of the Convention that he was detained for more than 12 months based on essentially the same charges, which is more than the Moldovan Constitution allows (Savca v. the Republic of Moldova, no. 17963/08, 15 March 2016), as well as under several other provisions of Article 5.
QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES
1. Has there been a violation of Article 5 § 1(c) of the Convention in the present case? In particular, was the applicant’s detention after the expiry of 12 months since his arrest lawful, within the meaning of that provision (Savca v. the Republic of Moldova, no. 17963/08, 15 March 2016)?
2. Do the applicant’s complaints and the materials of the case reveal any other violations of any other Convention rights?
The parties are requested to submit a copy of the court decision initially ordering the applicant’s detention pending trial in 2017.