FOURTH SECTION
DECISION
Application no. 36846/23
Daniel LĂCĂTUŞ 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
Joinder of the applicationsHaving regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single decision.
Complaints under Article 3 of the Convention (inadequate conditions of detention)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, 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.
Remaining complaintsSome applicants also raised other 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
   36846/23
26/09/2023
Daniel LĂCĂTUŞ
1972
 
 
 
Timișoara, Gherla and Bistrița Prisons
14/05/2020
pending
More than 5 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 1 day(s)
   36903/23
31/10/2023
Cătălin BORZOS
2002
 
 
 
Brașov County Police Station and Codlea Prison
01/08/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 3 month(s)
   37963/23
06/10/2023
Nicu-Cristi IFTINCA
1992
 
 
 
Bucharest-Rahova and Tulcea Prisons
30/03/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 15 day(s)
   38521/23
28/11/2023
George-Gabriel DULDURUC
1995
 
 
 
Argeș County Police Station, Vâlcea County Police Station and Mioveni Prison
01/11/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 10 day(s)
   39126/23
24/11/2023
Laurenţiu-Costel BUZATU
1990
 
 
 
Giurgiu and Bucharest-Jilava Prisons
25/02/2021
pending
More than 4 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 11 day(s)
   39238/23
04/12/2023
Andrei-Cătălin MĂMĂLIGĂ
1989
 
 
 
Bucharest-Rahova, Craiova and Craiova-Pelendava Prisons
13/10/2019
pending
More than 6 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 2 day(s)
   39259/23
20/12/2023
Marius ANTON
1985
 
 
 
Galați, Bucharest‑Rahova, Iași, Bacău, Aiud, Târgu Mureș, Satu Mare, Oradea, Mărgineni, Botoșani, Gherla, Craiova and Tulcea Prisons; Bucharest‑Jilava and Constanța‑Poarta Albă Prison Hospitals
11/06/2011
pending
More than 14 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 14 day(s)
   39704/23
30/10/2023
Gheorghe BIRĂU
1957
 
 
 
Mehedinți County Police Station and Drobeta‑Turnu Severin Prison
16/03/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 15 day(s)
   40993/23
27/12/2023
Marian-Daniel CÎRCIUMARU
1994
 
 
 
Bucharest-Rahova, Aiud, Gherla and Găești Prisons;
Dej and Mioveni Prison Hospitals
15/03/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 22 day(s)
 41562/23
23/07/2024
Ciprian-Alin SECIANSCHI
1988
 
 
 
Arad, Timișoara and Bucharest‑Rahova Prisons
26/09/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 25 day(s)
 41735/23
16/01/2024
Remus BALOG
1999
 
 
 
Baia Mare Prison
18/10/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 10 day(s)
 42952/23
07/02/2024
Marius-Viorel HORVATH
1994
 
 
 
Oradea Prison
22/01/2019
pending
More than 6 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 23 day(s)
 3781/24
25/01/2024
Nicolae BUTURUGĂ
1982
 
 
 
Bucharest Police Station, and Bucharest‑Rahova, Craiova and Giurgiu Prisons
27/04/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 9 day(s)
 6675/24
19/02/2024
Adrian-Gheorghe MIRON
1970
 
 
 
Brașov County Police Station; Codlea and Slobozia Prisons
30/05/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 19 day(s)
 8693/24
11/03/2024
Constantin BRICEAG
1972
 
 
 
Giurgiu and Craiova-Pelendava Prisons; Bucharest-Jilava Prison Hospital
27/10/2015
pending
More than 10 year(s) and 8 day(s)
 9832/24
28/03/2024
Sorin BULGARU
1966
 
 
 
Iași, Vaslui and Tulcea Prisons
08/06/2020
pending
More than 5 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 27 day(s)
 10507/24
19/03/2024
Ionel CHIȚU
1999
 
 
 
Craiova and Giurgiu Prisons
10/07/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 27 day(s)
 10701/24
03/04/2024
Marian CĂLIN
1966
 
 
 
Craiova Prison
10/06/2020
pending
More than 5 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 27 day(s)
 10891/24
01/04/2024
Elvis ALIŞ
1989
 
 
 
Giurgiu Prison
15/06/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 9 day(s)
 11976/24
11/04/2024
Iosif BOCZ
1996
 
 
 
Timișoara and Arad Prisons
14/12/2022
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 18 day(s)
 12655/24
18/04/2024
Aurel BURLEASCĂ
1985
 
 
 
Giurgiu Prison
14/02/2017
pending
More than 8 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 21 day(s)
 12663/24
17/04/2024
Ionel CALOTĂ
1972
 
 
 
Craiova Prison
17/04/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 20 day(s)
 13156/24
29/04/2024
Tibor-Zsolt BINDER
1989
 
 
 
Miercurea Ciuc, Mărgineni, Mioveni, Galați, Arad, Gherla
and Aiud Prisons; Dej Prison Hospital
24/03/2011
pending
More than 14 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 7 day(s)
 13221/24
29/04/2024
Vişan-Mădălin BANDALEA
1994
 
 
 
Brașov County Police Station and Codlea Prison
03/11/2023
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 26 day(s)
 13254/24
24/04/2024
Levente BARTOS
2001
 
 
 
Bucharest-Jilava Prison Hospital; Craiova, Mioveni, Bacău, Târgu Mureș and Arad Prisons
23/01/2017
pending
More than 8 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 7 day(s)
 14416/24
10/05/2024
Ionuţ-Florin ŞIMON
1997
 
 
 
Arad, Gherla and Baia Mare Prisons
24/11/2022
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 28 day(s)
 15906/24
07/05/2024
Constantin NEAGU
1971
 
 
 
Bucharest-Rahova Prison Hospital and Bucharest-Jilava Prison
12/03/2021
pending
More than 4 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 7 day(s)
 16847/24
06/06/2024
Florin-Adrian AVRAM
1989
 
 
 
Craiova, Târgu Jiu and Arad Prisons
05/06/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 23 day(s)
 17387/24
10/06/2024
Ciprian ABUCULESEI
1984
 
 
 
Iași Prison
04/04/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 19 day(s)
 17842/24
11/06/2024
Petrică-Ionel IOVAN
1979
 
 
 
Bucharest-Rahova and Arad Prisons
02/02/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 12 day(s)
 18290/24
13/06/2024
Adrian BIRO
1976
 
 
 
Deva Prison
19/03/2025
pending
More than 7 month(s) and 12 day(s)
 18360/24
19/06/2024
Zavor BOROŞ
1991
 
 
 
Maramureș County Police Station; Gherla and Baia Mare Prisons
14/04/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 21 day(s)
 19523/24
02/07/2024
Petrică BORTOȘ
1981
 
 
 
Bacău and Tulcea Prisons
23/02/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 9 day(s)
 20504/24
12/07/2024
Belmondo-Ionuţ BRATU
2022
 
 
 
Buzău County Police Station; Focșani, Mărgineni,
Bucharest-Rahova and Arad Prisons
24/05/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 8 day(s)
 20967/24
09/07/2024
Neculai LUPU
1959
 
 
 
Tulcea, Aiud and Bucharest-Jilava Prisons; Dej and Bucharest-Rahova Prison Hospitals
14/09/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 1 day(s)
 20993/24
12/07/2024
Gabriel BUCALEŢ
1973
 
 
 
Craiova, Craiova-Pelendava and Bucharest-Jilava Prisons
08/12/2022
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 27 day(s)
 21281/24
15/07/2024
Marian-Cristian NEACȘU
1993
 
 
 
Focșani, Galați, Giurgiu and Craiova Prisons
29/09/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 21 day(s)
 21309/24
16/07/2024
Vasile MARȘAVELA
1991
 
 
 
Codlea Prison
14/08/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 1 day(s)
 22171/24
22/07/2024
Lică-Marian BUCUR
1981
 
 
 
Galați and Brăila Prisons
15/08/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 20 day(s)
 23519/24
02/08/2024
Romeo CONDURACHE
1967
 
 
 
Codlea and Giurgiu Prisons
24/08/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 14 day(s)
 23892/24
13/08/2024
Ion CREŢU
1985
 
 
 
Bucharest-Rahova and Bucharest‑Jilava Prisons;
Bucharest-Jilava Prison Hospital
07/01/2021
pending
More than 4 year(s) and 10 month(s)
 24750/24
09/08/2024
Szilárd BAKK
2000
 
 
 
Codlea, Aiud, Gherla, Târgu Mureș and Deva Prisons
09/09/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 19 day(s)
 24765/24
20/08/2024
Mihai BÎRCEA
1988
 
 
 
Aiud, Bucharest-Rahova, Giurgiu, Gherla and Arad Prisons; Dej, Bucharest-Rahova, Bucharest-Jilava and Mioveni Prison Hospitals
18/03/2021
pending
More than 4 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 18 day(s)
 25478/24
22/08/2024
Titi-Sorin PUIU
1974
 
 
 
Timișoara Prison
21/08/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 30 day(s)
 27138/24
30/08/2024
Constantin-Gabriel AGAFIȚEI
2002
 
Rusu Ovidiu
Iași
Iași, Giurgiu and Aiud Prisons
30/06/2021
pending
More than 4 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 24 day(s)
 27770/24
17/09/2024
Radu CORNEA
1996
 
 
 
Iași and Botoșani Prisons
01/11/2020
pending
More than 5 year(s) and 6 day(s)
 28059/24
16/09/2024
Petre Ştefan BOBEŞ
1974
 
 
 
Deva and Aiud Prisons; Dej Prison Hospital
01/01/2014
pending
More than 11 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 30 day(s)
 28077/24
16/09/2024
Dan-Alin BĂDOI
1989
 
 
 
Craiova-Pelendava Prison
11/05/2016
pending
More than 9 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 17 day(s)
 29863/24
04/10/2024
Vasile-Daniel SERGHIE
1985
 
 
 
Mărgineni, Baia Mare and Ploiești Prisons
13/05/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 8 day(s)
 30088/24
08/10/2024
Ion NISTOR
1964
 
Mărăcinică Claudia Feli
Pitești
Mioveni and Giurgiu Prisons
12/08/2021
pending
More than 4 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 7 day(s)
 31932/24
21/10/2024
Petrică -Cosmin GRIGORE
1998
 
 
 
Mioveni, Craiova and Găești Prisons
28/11/2019
pending
More than 5 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 16 day(s)
 33302/24
04/11/2024
Dorel-Florian BARŞON
1980
 
 
 
Aiud, Bucharest-Rahova, Deva, Târgu Mureș, Timișoara and Gherla Prisons
09/05/2012
pending
More than 13 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 21 day(s)
 33551/24
08/11/2024
Alexandru-Iuliu VARGA
1991
 
 
 
Gherla, Bistrița and Baia Mare Prisons
25/04/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 28 day(s)
 34787/24
14/11/2024
Daniel FARCAŞ
1974
 
Farcău Claudiu Beniamin
Satu Mare
Satu Mare Prison
05/08/2024
pending
More than 1 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 8 day(s)
 35172/24
15/11/2024
Laurenţiu BORCEA
1979
 
 
 
Tulcea, Vaslui, Galați and Botoșani Prisons
26/01/2020
pending
More than 5 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 6 day(s)
 36040/24
25/11/2024
Simplon BRADU
1988
 
 
 
Iași, Tulcea and Giurgiu Prisons
30/07/2022
pending
More than 3 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 2 day(s)
 36926/24
06/12/2024
Alexe DEGERATU
1980
 
Degeratu Vasilica
Bucharest
Bucharest Central Arrest; Bucharest-Rahova and Giurgiu Prisons
06/02/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 1 day(s)
 37452/24
09/12/2024
Vladimir POP
1979
 
Duţu Simona‑Andreea
Teșila
Bucharest-Rahova and Ploiești Prisons
01/11/2023
pending
More than 2 year(s) and 19 day(s)
 37737/24
10/12/2024
Trainel BEUCEANU
1964
 
 
 
Bucharest-Jilava, Giurgiu, Mărgineni and Găești Prisons; Mioveni Prison Hospital
04/11/2007
pending
More than 17 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 27 day(s)
 443/25
12/12/2024
Ionuţ-Cătălin CAZACU
1977
 
 
 
Mioveni, Craiova, Bucharest‑Jilava and Găești Prisons
11/03/2021
pending
More than 4 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 26 day(s)