Two brothers will receive 30 thousand euros for the torture they were subjected to while in police custody. The Government of Moldova admitted a violation of Art. 3, and namely the freedom from torture, and the European Court for Human Rights has acknowlegded the amicable solution in the case Repesco v. Moldova (application no. 64785).

In August 2007, Adrian and Constantin Repesco were violently seized and taken to the police inspectorate of sector Botanica under allegations of having committed a crime. While at the inspectorate, physical force was used against them to force them to admit to committing the crime. According to the statements by the two brothers, they were repeatedly beaten by several representatives of the police, up to losing conscience.

The mother of the two men says that she felt humliated for the whole period of these events: “The assigned compensation cannot be compared to a broken family. I fought and will continue to fight  fr my children, I knocked on the doors of every state body and institutions, and was met with shut doors. After my case changed hands of 18 differeent lawyers, I learned about the Promo-LEX Association, and they helped me and provided assistance for the whole duration of the trial at the EctHR, for which I am very grateful”.

During they stay in polcie custody, the two brothers received no medical assistance. Later, Constantin Repesco requested the help of the Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture “Memoria”. The ill treatments were confirmed in the Center’s conclusions, after having conducted multiple psychlogical examinations and tests, and Constantin Repesco requires rehabilitation, continuous observation, and long-term psychological and medical assistance.

In their application to the High Court in Strasbourg, the applicants reported violation of Art.3 of the European Convention for Human Rights, and namely ill treatments by the police, inhuman and degrading detention conditions, absence of medical care during the reporting period, and failure to efficiently investigate their complaint on ill treatments. A violation of Art.13 of the Conventon was also cited, in that the applicants did not have an effective remedy against the ill treatments they suffered.

The applicants were represented before the Court by lawyers and defense attorneys from the Promo-LEX Association. See details about the EctHR decision here.

For more details, please contact: Alexandru Postica, Program Director with the Promo-LEX Association, Defense Attorney. tel: (22) 450024, GSM: 069104851, email: [email protected].