ECHR Issues Annual Report

ECHR

The European Court of Human Rights has issued a review of 2021. In 2021 the Court ruled on more than 36,000 applications. The number of Grand Chamber or Chamber judgments rose to 428 (relating to 1,037 applications), an increase of 9% compared to 2020. At the end of 2020 there were 62,000 pending applications. At…

2021 in Review: Romania’s Justice System Under Scrutiny

London High Court

One of the most significant rulings in 2021, for those who keep a close eye on human rights, was the decision by the High Court of Justice inLondon that Romanian businessman Gabriel Popoviciu must not be extradited to Romania, highlighting concerns about Romania’s legal system. Popoviciu’s  case drew attention to the fact that the Romania…

UK blocks Popoviciu’s extradition exposing “denial of fair trial rights”

Popoviciu extradition denied by British Courts

The High Court decision in London that Romanian businessman Gabriel Popoviciu must not be extradited to Romania highlighted concerns about that country’s legal system. Popoviciu’s  case exposed that the Romania legal system does not meet the standards expected of a country with membership of the European Union. The robust judgment from the appeal court went…

High Court in London quashes extradition order for Gabriel Popoviciu, as his “extraordinary” Romanian conviction was a “flagrant denial of justice”

On 11 June 2021, the High Court in London handed down judgment quashing an order for the extradition to Romania of Mr Gabriel Popoviciu, a high-profile, successful Romanian businessman. The Court described Mr Popoviciu’s case as “extraordinary”. The Court found that there was credible evidence to show that the trial judge who convicted Mr Popoviciu…

Romania’s prisons “persistently” poor conditions the focus of Council of Europe meeting

Between 9-11 March, the representatives of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe met to examine the implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, in accordance with the supervisory role of the Committee of Ministers under Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights. On the agenda was Romania and…

Romania’s justice system under further scrutiny as senior judge criticises ministerial decision to abolish department investigating judicial system crimes

In Romania, a battle is under way regarding the essential watchdog organisation that investigates crimes within the justice system. Known as the Special Section for Investigating Crimes in the Judicial System (SIJCO), the organisation is seen by many as an essential defence of the independence of the justice system during an era when Prosecutors have…

Băneasa case judge charged with abuse of office and Wrongfully Convicting Defendant #Romania

Judge Corneliu-Bogdan Ion-Tudoran, who ruled in Romania’s high profileBăneasareal estate development case,has been charged with wrongly convicting a defendant and for abuse of office for his conduct in the case. The Băneasa development involved businessman Gabriel Popoviciu and concerned 221 hectares which was owned by the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (USAMV), through…