RUJA AND OTHERS v. ROMANIA

  FOURTH SECTION DECISION Application no. 41188/23 Adrian-Sebastian RUJA 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, 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 had 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    41188/23 15/12/2023 Adrian-Sebastian RUJA 1989       Arad Prison 18/02/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 14 day(s)    41661/23 21/02/2024 Cătălin VASILIU 1967   Vasiliu Cristian Motca Giurgiu, Poarta Albă, Tulcea and Slobozia Prisons 10/06/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 22 day(s)    43003/23 04/12/2023 Ştefan RUJAN 1980       Giurgiu and Poarta Albă Prisons 06/09/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 26 day(s)    43031/23 12/01/2024 Daniel-Vasile GORGA 2000       Iași and Vaslui Prisons 21/12/2022 pending More than 2 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 11 day(s)    43091/23 06/12/2023 Ionuţ-Bogdan RĂDUCEL 1990       Târgu Jiu, Aiud, Oradea 04/04/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 28 day(s)    4582/24 05/02/2024 Cornel OPREA 1970       Argeș, Vâlcea, Pitești and Slatina County Police Stations; Mioveni Prison 27/07/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 23 day(s)    4671/24 31/01/2024 Ovidiu VASILE 1994       Gherla, Bistrița and Oradea Prisons 22/07/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 28 day(s)    4692/24 01/02/2024 Cătălin DENEȘ 1980       Bistrița Prison 22/09/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 28 day(s)    5533/24 14/02/2024 Mihai SOLYOM 1981       Oradea and Satu Mare Prisons; Dej Prison Hospital 28/03/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 22 day(s)  6844/24 26/02/2024 Ilie LĂUTARU 1991       Craiova Prison 01/01/2019 pending More than 6 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 20 day(s)  6852/24 28/02/2024 Florin POPOIAC 1994       Giurgiu County Police Station; Giurgiu and Jilava Prisons 25/01/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 25 day(s)  6882/24 01/03/2024 Florin VASILE 1984       Galați and Brăila Prisons 27/12/2023 pending More than 1 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 23 day(s)  7082/24 27/02/2024 Costel OSTAHIE 1970       Bacău, Vaslui, Iași and Miercurea Ciuc Prisons; Piatra Neamț County Police Station 16/01/2020 pending More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 3 day(s)  8241/24 14/03/2024 Vasile DOBRE 1980       Tulcea Prison 23/12/2019 pending More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 27 day(s)  9722/24 20/03/2024 Călin VARGA 1994       Gherla, Bistrița and Baia Mare Prisons 22/02/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 28 day(s)  10127/24 26/03/2024 Alexandru-Daniel TRANDAFIR 1998       Mioveni Prison 22/07/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 28 day(s)  10260/24 25/03/2024 Dumitru-Aurelian PLOSCAR 1987       Gherla Prison 16/10/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 3 day(s)  10500/24 20/03/2024 Florin ȘERBĂNESCU 1978       Giurgiu, Mioveni and Jilava Prisons 27/10/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 23 day(s)  10632/24 03/04/2024 Marius-Ionuţ GEAPANA 1996       Giurgiu, Rahova and Pelendava Prisons 22/12/2019 pending More than 5 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 28 day(s)  10889/24 27/03/2024 Marian-Renato ROMAN 1984       Galați and Brăila Prisons 25/02/2020 pending More than 5 year(s) and 8 month(s) and 26 day(s)  11049/24 01/04/2024 Ciprian-Marius VARZAR 1984       Bacău, Iași, Oradea, Focșani, Giurgiu and Botoșani Prisons 17/10/2019 pending More than 6 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 3 day(s)  11285/24 08/04/2024 Alin-Cătălin PETRE 1998       Focșani and Mărgineni Prisons 19/06/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 1 day(s)  12657/24 22/04/2024 Dumitru ŞERBAN 1989       Botoșani Prison 17/07/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 3 day(s)  12754/24 22/04/2024 Constantin-Gabriel MIROIU 1998       Mărgineni Prison 17/02/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 3 day(s)  13345/24 24/04/2024 Iosif SANDOR 1976       Brașov County Police Station; Codlea, Miercurea Ciuc, Aiud and Deva Prisons 29/09/2019 pending More than 6 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 22 day(s)  13592/24 23/04/2024 Claudiu VARGA 2000       Oradea, Bistrița and Gherla Prisons 03/06/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 17 day(s)  14767/24 15/05/2024 Mircea TALMACIU 1977       Brăila Prison 03/04/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 17 day(s)  15267/24 20/05/2024 Dorin-Licu TODOR 1993       Arad Prison 14/01/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 6 day(s)  15452/24 02/05/2024 Costică ŞERBAN 1984       Brăila and Iași Prisons 08/04/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 12 day(s)  15463/24 22/05/2024 Liviu-Marian FILIP 1989       Tulcea, Slobozia and Jilava Prisons 17/05/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 6 month(s) and 4 day(s)  15686/24 20/05/2024 Laurenţiu BOJĂ 1981       Teleorman County Police Station; Giurgiu Prison; Dej Prison Hospital 11/08/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 9 day(s)  15881/24 30/05/2024 Vasile APROFIREI 1968       Iași Central Arrest; Târgu Ocna, Mioveni and Rahova Prison Hospitals; Tulcea, Botoșani and Iași Prisons 14/08/2019 pending More than 6 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 6 day(s)  15910/24 27/05/2024 Virgil NECHITA 1965       Gherla and Baia Mare Prisons 18/08/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 3 day(s)  17368/24 10/06/2024 Cristi-Marius PERJU 1987       Galați and Brăila Prisons 06/06/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 15 day(s)  17813/24 13/06/2024 Florin VULCU 1974       Satu Mare Prison 10/07/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 11 day(s)  18282/24 26/06/2024 Florin SCARLET 1983   Petrescu-Filote Cătălina-Alexandra Focșani Rahova, Brăila and Galați Prisons 08/01/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 14 day(s)  18356/24 17/06/2024 Cristian-Nelu STRECHE 1997       Argeș County Police Station; Giurgiu, Mioveni, Craiova and Arad Prisons 08/02/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 9 month(s) and 13 day(s)  18443/24 19/06/2024 Radu PETI 1992       Drobeta-Turnu Severin Prison 29/03/2024 pending More than 1 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 23 day(s)  21202/24 03/07/2024 Razvan-Mircea RENTEA 1984       Satu Mare Central Arrest; Oradea and Satu Mare Prisons; Dej Prison Hospital 28/11/2017 pending More than 7 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 24 day(s)  21269/24 19/07/2024 Gheorghe-Ion STĂNESCU 1992       Brăila Prison 19/07/2024 pending More than 1 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 2 day(s)  21305/24 18/07/2024 Constantin PURCARU 1986       Drobeta-Turnu Severin Prison 25/08/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 27 day(s)  21498/24 04/07/2024 Ionel RĂDUCANU 1967       Găesti Prison 18/11/2016 pending More than 9 year(s) and 3 day(s)  22444/24 29/07/2024 Dumitru PRIALA 1969       Gherla Prison 29/03/2024 pending More than 1 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 23 day(s)  26777/24 10/09/2024 Alin TIFOIU 1981       Poarta Albă, Giurgiu and Tulcea Prisons; Poarta Albă, Rahova and Dej Prison Hospitals 08/10/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 14 day(s)  27973/24 23/09/2024 Eduard OPREA 1976       Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Găești, Jilava, Mărgineni, Focșani and Tulcea Prisons; Târgu Ocna, Poarta Albă, Rahova Prison Hospitals 30/09/2020 pending More than 5 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 23 day(s)  28058/24 20/09/2024 Constantin NECHITA 1957       Rahova, Tulcea, Jilava, Botoșani, Slobozia and Aiud Prisons; Dej Prison Hospital 06/01/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 16 day(s)  28601/24 28/09/2024 Petrişor Valentin TUDOR 2004   Ene Georgeta Pitești Rahova and Mioveni Prisons; Craiova Central Arrest 01/01/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 21 day(s)  29811/24 04/10/2024 Mihai TUDOSE 1980       Craiova, Mioveni and Găești Prisons 20/12/2020 pending More than 4 year(s) and 10 month(s) and 30 day(s)  29991/24 04/10/2024 Silviu TĂNASE 1977       Galați and Brăila Prisons 07/12/2023 pending More than 1 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 12 day(s)  30214/24 01/10/2024 Dragoș-Ionuț PETRE 1989       Mărgineni and Mioveni Prisons 07/09/2020 pending More than 5 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 12 day(s)  30247/24 01/10/2024 Ioan POP 1975   Bistrița County Police Station; Gherla, Bistrița and Rahova Prisons; Dej and Rahova Prisons 02/12/2020 pending More than 4 year(s) and 11 month(s) and 17 day(s)  30454/24 11/10/2024 Nicolae VÎLCIOIU 1980       Craiova, Mioveni and Târgu Jiu Prisons 08/09/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 2 month(s) and 11 day(s)  31096/24 14/10/2024 Savu ABUCULESEI 1976       Iași and Botoșani Prisons 05/07/2024 pending More than 1 year(s) and 4 month(s) and 14 day(s)  31104/24 14/10/2024 Sorin ABUCULESEI 1974       Iași and Botoșani Prisons 19/01/2024 pending More than 1 year(s) and 10 month(s)  31961/24 23/10/2024 Gheorghe-Suraj BĂDALĂ 1978       Mioveni, Mărgineni, Aiud, Iași, Giurgiu, Craiova and Arad Prisons 23/03/2004 pending More than 21 year(s) and 7 month(s) and 27 day(s)  32419/24 28/10/2024 Florian PANTAN 1963       Olt County Police Station; Craiova and Pelendava Prisons 06/10/2021 pending More than 4 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 13 day(s)  32608/24 30/10/2024 Iosif BOCA 1991       Arad, Timișoara, Codlea, Aiud, Oradea, Ploiești, Drobeta‑Turnu Severin and Jilava Prisons 26/10/2017 pending More than 8 year(s) and 24 day(s)  32785/24 24/10/2024 Szilamér SONDA 1987       Codlea, Târgu Mureș, Miercurea Ciuc and Aiud Prisons 04/08/2020 pending More than 5 year(s) and 3 month(s) and 15 day(s)  33301/24 31/10/2024 Vasile REDNIC 1978       Timișoara and Arad Prisons 15/06/2022 pending More than 3 year(s) and 5 month(s) and 4 day(s)  33702/24 08/11/2024 Fănică CHIRILĂ 1960       Găești Prison 13/10/2023 pending More than 2 year(s) and 1 month(s) and 6 day(s)