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Alexei Tretiacov and Andrei Mernii, both citizens of Moldova and residents of Chisinau, are new reported victims of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment by the police.

After a series of trials in national courts, where they tried unsuccessfully to find justice, on 30 April 2010, they submitted an application to the European Court. On 25 January 2012, the ECtHR communicated the Government about the case Tretiacov and others v. Moldova.

On 4 April 2008, the applicants were detained by police officers from the Police Commissariat of the Center district of Chisinau, and were charged with administrative offenses of insulting and resisting police. According to the applicants, both of them were subjected to ill-treatment by the police of the Center district Police Commissariat in order to obtain self-incriminating statements that they had attacked police officers inside a cafe. The torture and inhuman and degrading treatment included hitting with various objects, including a rubber baton, over different parts of the body, as well as other actions by the police. The consequences include a fractured hand finger viciously enhanced in absence of medical care, a closed head trauma, chronic viral hepatitis C, and other health problems. The applicants filed a complaint to the Center for Human Rights, where they reported the circumstances and conditions in which they were beaten by the police. With reference from the Ombudsman, the applicants were visited by doctors of RCTV “Memoria”, and later received rehabilitation assistance from the Center.

The applicants filed a complaint with the ECtHR, alleging a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention, police ill-treatment, detention in inhuman and degrading conditions, lack of medical care while in detention, and failure to effectively investigate their complaint of ill-treatment. The applicants also claim that they did not have an effective remedy before a national authority to invoke violation of Article 3 of the European Convention, and allege a violation of Article 13 of the Convention.

The applicants are represented at the European Court for Human Rights by lawyer Alexandru Postica, Director of the Human Rights Program at Promo-LEX.