Bănuţă and Others v. Romania

FOURTH SECTION

Application no. 444/23 Constantin-Dumitru BĂNUŢĂ against Romania and 59 other applications

(see appended table)

The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting on 18 December 2025 as a Committee composed of:

Anne Louise Bormann , President , Sebastian Răduleţu, András Jakab , judges ,

and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,

Having regard to the above applications lodged on the various dates indicated in the appended table,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

FACTS AND PROCEDURE

The list of applicants and the relevant information is set out in the appended table.

The applicants complained under Article 3 of the Convention about the inadequate conditions of their detention (see the appended table for details).

THE LAW

Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single decision.

Having examined all the material before it, the Court considers that, for the reasons stated below, the applicants’ complaints under Article 3 of the Convention about poor conditions of their ongoing detention are inadmissible.

The Court recalls that in Văscăuțanu v. Romania (dec.), no. 10120/23, §§ 47–59, 18 November 2025, it held that the remedy, which consists of lodging a complaint with the judge responsible for supervising the deprivation of liberty ( plângerea în fața judecătorului de supraveghere a privării de libertate ), provided for by Article 56 of Law no. 254/2013, has constituted, as of 6 April 2023, an effective remedy enabling individuals who allege that they are being held in inadequate conditions of detention to put an end to their situation that they denounced as being contrary to Article 3 of the Convention.

In light of all the material in its possession, the Court observes that the applicants, who allege that they are being held in inadequate conditions of detention, did not indicate that they pursued the available remedy before the domestic courts (see Văscăuțanu , cited above, § 65).

In view of the above, the Court finds that the applicants’ complaints concerning the periods set out in the appended table must be rejected for failure to exhaust the domestic remedy laid down in Article 56 of Law no. 254/2013, in accordance with Article 35 §§ 1 and 4 of the Convention.

Some applicants also raised additional complaints under various Convention provisions.

The Court has examined the applications listed in the appended table and considers that, in the light of all the material in its possession and in so far as the matters complained of are within its competence, these complaints either do not meet the admissibility criteria set out in Articles 34 and 35 of the Convention or do not disclose any appearance of a violation of the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Convention or the Protocols thereto.

It follows that this part of the applications must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 § 4 of the Convention.

For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,

Decides to join the applications;

Declares the applications inadmissible.

Done in English and notified in writing on 29 January 2026.

Viktoriya Maradudina Anne Louise Bormann Acting Deputy Registrar President

APPENDIX

List of applications raising complaints under Article 3 of the Convention

(inadequate conditions of detention)

No.

Application no.

Date of introduction

Applicant’s name

Year of birth

Representative’s name and location

Facility

Start and end date

Duration

444/23

30/01/2023

Constantin Dumitru BĂNUȚĂ

1990

Giurgiu Prison

22/12/2019

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 7 day(s)

1617/23

12/04/2023

Vasile-Cătălin BARBU

1999

Giurgiu and Bucharest-Jilava Prisons

03/06/2020

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 23 day(s)

1820/23

02/02/2023

Mircea Adrian PANAITE

1981

Oradea and Tulcea Prisons

13/04/2022

pending

More than 10 month(s) and 16 day(s)

2986/23

24/07/2023

Constantin IONESCU

1975

Bucharest Police detention facility no. 9 and Teleorman County Police Station; Giurgiu, Focșani, Bucharest-Rahova and Bucharest ‑ Jilava Prisons

22/09/2020

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 23 day(s)

3629/23

12/01/2023

Botond Szilamer BENEDEK

1981

Codlea Prison

08/02/2021

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 21 day(s)

3896/23

08/01/2023

Radu ADAM

1989

Botoșani, Vaslui, Tulcea, Arad and Iași Prisons

25/12/2011

pending

More than 13 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 28 day(s)

4058/23

10/02/2023

Ștefan-Marin DEINEȘ

1985

Bucharest-Rahova, Baia Mare, Aiud and Gherla Prisons

05/11/2021

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 2 day(s)

5680/23

03/04/2023

Liviu-Gabriel ANDREESCU

1967

Bucharest-Rahova and Bucharest ‑ Jilava Prisons

06/05/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 22 day(s)

5787/23

10/03/2023

Cristian-Marius CARABIŢEANU

1982

Bucharest-Rahova and Bucharest ‑ Jilava Prisons

01/10/2019

pending

More than 6 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 5 day(s)

5820/23

11/04/2023

Cătălin NACU

1988

Giurgiu, Craiova and Arad Prisons

23/12/2019

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 26 day(s)

5857/23

23/03/2023

Emanuel CIOTLOŞ

1998

Bacău, Bucharest-Rahova, Gherla and Arad Prisons

12/09/2019

pending

More than 6 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 25 day(s)

7635/23

09/03/2023

Emil BORDEI

1944

Mioveni Prison

20/01/2014

pending

More than 11 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 12 day(s)

9434/23

14/03/2023

Ionel TĂNASE

1980

Mioveni and Găești Prisons

21/01/2021

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 1 day(s)

9691/23

17/02/2023

Ovidiu Cristian BOGDAN

1993

Aiud, Târgu Mureș and Deva Prisons

29/07/2019

pending

More than 6 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 3 day(s)

10768/23

25/04/2023

Gabriel DUMITRU

1993

Slobozia, Bucharest-Rahova, Mioveni and Bucharest-Jilava Prisons; Bucharest-Rahova Prison Hospital

12/05/2021

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 30 day(s)

11431/23

10/04/2023

Marin LIBIU

1954

Bucharest-Rahova, Mărgineni, Ploiești and Mioveni Prisons

01/03/2016

pending

More than 9 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 14 day(s)

11493/23

06/04/2023

Robert-Alin MANU

1991

Galați County Police Station and Galați Prison

14/07/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 1 day(s)

13300/23

26/07/2023

Florin Marius CANDOI

1993

Aiud, Oradea, Deva, Bucharest ‑ Jilava, Timișoara and Arad Prisons

29/11/2017

pending

More than 7 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 8 day(s)

13411/23

25/04/2023

Mihai-Gheorghe VĂDANA

1986

Mioveni and Arad Prisons

14/04/2014

pending

More than 11 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 8 day(s)

13962/23

02/05/2023

Constantin RĂDUCU

1989

Aiud Prison

02/11/2022

pending

More than 6 month(s) and 30 day(s)

14383/23

28/04/2023

Cornel-Adrian BOCIOC

1979

Focșani, Mărgineni, Arad, Galați and Giurgiu Prisons

23/12/2019

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 9 day(s)

14441/23

29/05/2023

Marian-Viorel BULMĂU

1987

Galați and Brăila Prisons

22/10/2020

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 13 day(s)

14738/23

03/07/2023

Ninel BUNOAICĂ

1980

Giurgiu and Tulcea Prisons

24/01/2018

pending

More than 7 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 11 day(s)

15567/23

17/05/2023

Vasile BARBU

1964

Craiova and Drobeta-Turnu Severin Prisons; Mioveni Prison Hospital

20/04/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 9 day(s)

15572/23

03/05/2023

Nelu ASAVEI

1986

Codlea, Miercurea Ciuc, Aiud and Deva Prisons; Dej Prison Hospital

20/05/2013

pending

More than 12 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 5 day(s)

15588/23

12/05/2023

George BUJOR

1973

Bucharest Police detention facility no. 15; Giurgiu and Bucharest ‑ Rahova Prisons

20/10/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 15 day(s)

15766/23

19/07/2023

Mihăiţă ARAMĂ

1990

Brăila County Police Station and Galați Prison

18/12/2022

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 7 day(s)

16893/23

17/05/2023

Radu CIURAR

1970

Alba County, Mureș County and Maramureș County Police Stations; Gherla Prison

25/06/2020

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 13 day(s)

17464/23

07/06/2023

Paul-Cristian MUREŞAN

1988

Maramureș County and Alba County Police Stations, and Gherla Prison

05/10/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 13 day(s)

17973/23

20/06/2023

Constantin BĂDULESCU

1985

Bucharest-Rahova, Mărgineni and Mioveni Prisons

24/03/2021

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 4 day(s)

18701/23

06/07/2023

Ionel CORBU

1973

Focșani, Ploiești and Găești Prisons

02/11/2017

pending

More than 8 year(s) and 5 day(s)

19083/23

02/06/2023

Damian-Vasile CIERNOVICI

2001

Gherla, Aiud and Craiova Prisons

01/01/2020

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 5 day(s)

19572/23

13/06/2023

Costel BĂTRÎNU

1980

Brăila Prison

30/09/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 1 month(s)

20457/23

16/05/2023

Gelu BĂLAN

1972

Galați and Vaslui Prisons

03/11/2022

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 26 day(s)

20781/23

25/07/2023

Florică DUMITRU

1965

Giurgiu and Mioveni Prisons

21/09/2023

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 21 day(s)

21768/23

03/07/2023

Sergiu BĂHĂIAN

1962

Slobozia, Bucharest-Rahova and Giurgiu Prisons; Bucharest-Jilava Prison Hospital

16/01/2010

pending

More than 15 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 12 day(s)

21811/23

22/06/2023

Cătălin HASAN

1977

Petrescu-Filote

Cătălina-Alexandra

Focșani

Focșani, Galați, Mărgineni, Tulcea, Vaslui, Ploiești and Bucharest-Jilava Prisons

10/12/2019

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 4 day(s)

22180/23

16/08/2023

Tiberiu Edgar BARBU

1987

Bucharest-Jilava Prison

23/12/2019

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 7 day(s)

23331/23

24/05/2023

Cosmin-Ilie ASTRATINEI

2000

Iași, Botoșani and Giurgiu Prisons

06/07/2021

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 19 day(s)

24230/23

30/06/2023

Vasile BUSUIOC

1985

Aiud Prison

22/03/2023

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 14 day(s)

24369/23

25/07/2023

Andrei-Constantin TODORESCU

1994

Arad Prison

04/12/2021

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 18 day(s)

24861/23

25/07/2023

Florin BORZAŞI

1992

Mărgineni, Gherla and Bistrița Prisons

04/02/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 28 day(s)

24862/23

22/08/2023

Dumitru SECHEI

1950

Deva Police Station, Dej Prison Hospital, and Aiud, Arad and Deva Prisons

06/03/2021

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 14 day(s)

25994/23

23/10/2023

Ioan ALBU

1984

Nichita-Costescu Cezara ‑ Maria

Timișoara

Arad and Timișoara Prisons

11/10/2021

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 13 day(s)

26987/23

29/08/2023

Ionut Andrei Cristian ZIEGLER

1996

Bucharest-Rahova and Bucharest-Jilava Prisons

09/03/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 13 day(s)

27105/23

25/07/2023

Marian STANCIU

1980

Bucharest-Rahova and Giurgiu Prisons

20/10/2020

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 1 day(s)

27845/23

08/08/2023

Gheorghe BALABAN

1976

Galați and Brăila Prisons

14/02/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 14 day(s)

28753/23

13/07/2023

Janos MIHALY

1996

Aiud Prison

02/01/2018

pending

More than 7 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 16 day(s)

29673/23

16/08/2023

Gheorghe-Ciprian GHERASIM

1984

Bacău County Police Station; Bacău, Miercurea Ciuc, Vaslui and Bistrița Prisons

28/12/2020

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 16 day(s)

29798/23

18/08/2023

Marius CORDOVAN

1972

Oradea, Timișoara, Satu Mare and Deva Prisons

07/05/2019

pending

More than 6 year(s) and 6 month(s)

29846/23

11/01/2024

Radu-Viorel BAIDOK

1975

Pîrciu Ionel ‑ Ciprian

Arad

Bucharest-Rahova and Arad Prisons

12/11/2020

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 16 day(s)

30814/23

05/09/2023

Gheorghe BREAZU

1990

Arad Prison

11/05/2023

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 21 day(s)

31567/23

09/08/2023

Stelea VINTILĂ

1965

Giurgiu Prison

07/08/2019

pending

More than 6 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 15 day(s)

32249/23

04/10/2023

Lucian-Mihai POPA

1970

Bucharest-Rahova and Bucharest ‑ Jilava Prisons

22/09/2019

pending

More than 6 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 29 day(s)

32412/23

21/11/2023

Ionuţ BOBU

1987

Suceava County Police Station; Botoșani, Poarta Albă, Arad and Bucharest-Rahova Prisons; Bucharest ‑ Jilava Prison Hospital

22/07/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 10 day(s)

34171/23

03/01/2024

Florin-Alexandru PREDOI

1999

Craiova, Mioveni and Arad Prisons

13/11/2015

pending

More than 10 year(s) and 7 day(s)

34954/23

22/11/2023

Vasile-Florin MORAR

1977

Iași and Timișoara Prisons

26/11/2020

pending

More than 4 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 23 day(s)

35250/23

25/10/2023

Teodor TAMAS

1966

Gherla and Baia Mare Prisons

18/01/2023

pending

More than 2 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 4 day(s)

36158/23

07/02/2024

Lucian Dumitru BRATU

1979

Teleorman County Police Station and Giurgiu Prison

22/02/2022

pending

More than 3 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 10 day(s)

36656/23

09/11/2023

Laurenţiu CĂLIN

1969

Mărgineni and Mioveni Prisons

23/12/2019

pending

More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 14 day(s)