Nearly three million lei were paid until now, from the state budget, for law enforcement actions following the events of April 7^th-8^th, 2009 as a result of the youth that suffered then turning to the European Court of Human Rights. Emptying the budget due to ineffectiveness of institutions at that time will continue, even if they try amicable settlement of cases that reach the High Court.

Even five years after the events of April 2009, there are no people sent to jail. Many of the police officers who abused then the young people in police stations continue to work, most of them at more important functions, that although even today the state pays millions of lei for their “acts”,  unsanctioned or sanctioned formally. In fact, so far, in three cases the European Court of Human Rights  ECHR) has found violations of the Convention by Moldova. In other 9 cases, state representatives have reached an “amicable regulation”, but paying similar amounts to those decided by the ECHR.

3 judgments of 700 thousand lei

The first victim of the events of April 7^th that won the High Court was Andrei Taraburca. Thus, on December 6^th, the European Court has recognized violation of the European Convention on Fundamental Rights and Liberties of the Republic of Moldova and gave the young man, detained and tortured on April 7^th, 2009, 15 000 euros (approximately 275 thousand lei ) for compensation for non-pecuniary damage and EUR 1,500 (approximately 28 thousand lei) for trial costs.

Last year, on April 9^th, 2009, the ECHR also took a decision in the case of Vitalie Iurcu, who during the protests in 2009 was only 15, but was detained and beaten by police. The applicant claimed 112,000 euros to recover moral damages, but the Court offered him 12,000 euros (approximately 220 thousand lei) and other 1,500 euro, to cover trial costs.

In early 2014, the ECHR issued a new decision on April 7^th, 2009. This time, the Court ruled that the state is guilty that Sergiu Buhaniuc, another protester, was beaten, but he had an ineffective investigation. Buhaniuc received 15,000 euros in moral damages and another 1,370 euros (approximately 25 thousand lei), for trial costs, after the young sought 30 000 euros.

Mocanu and Stepuleac – compensated, Stati did not want money

Besides the three ruling by the ECHR, the state pleaded guilty on events from April 7^th in 9 cases, paying applicants amounts similar to those that could be granted by the High Court. According to information provided for ZdG by Lilian Apostol, the Government Agent of the Republic of Moldova at ECHR, the state settled amicably several cases in which there is imminent violation of the Convention to be found.

Thus, Iurii Craciuneac, detained and beaten on April 7^th, 2009, received from the state 15 thousand euro, as received Radu Banari, another young detained and tortured, his friend, Radu Calancea, and Ion Nedelcu. Meanwhile, the brothers Gheorge and Anatolie Stepuleac, detained during those events and accused of organizing and participating in mass disorder received from the state, following an amicable settlement, in total, 14 000 euros (about 260 thousand lei). Sergiu Mocanu as well, leader of the Anti-Mafia Movement, arrested then, got 10 thousand euros (about 185 thousand lei), negotiating with the state. Radu Popa, another protester, received 6000 euros (about 110 thousand lei) and priest Jonathan Netanyahu, accused that participated in the destruction of property during protests from April 7^th, 4000 euros.

The only ones who, during the friendly settlement, have not requested money was Gabriel Stati and Aurel Marinescu, chief bodyguard of the businessman. The two were arrested after Vladimir Voronin, then president of Moldova, was declaring that the riots from Chisinau were planned and paid for by sponsors, and one of them was the businessman Gabriel Stati.

April 7^th. What is next?

Lilian Apostol stated that, currently, at the European Court there are three cases relating to the events of April 2009, and the state is trying to regulate them amicably as well. Now, the case of sisters Ludmila and Oxana Radu is in negotiations, who on the night of 7^th to 8^th of April were taken to the police station, stripped and humiliated by police and about whom ZdG has written several articles, the case of Anatol Matasaru, also retained and beaten on 7^th of April 2009, and the case of Sergiu Duminica, another young man who claims he was the victim of police.

“Certainly, there were refusals too. Many claims have been made without exhaustion of remedies and were rejected without being communicated to the Government”, says Lilian Apostol. Related to amicable settlements in cases of the victims of April 7^th, he says that some clauses of these regulations are confidential. “There is negotiating with the parties. Money is just a way of amicable settlement of one case”, said governmental agent, who does not exclude that in the future other claims related to the April 7^th events will be communicated to the Government, requiring other millions of lei for payment of compensations.

Lawyer Vitalie Zama claims that the amount paid by state till this day in cases of April 7^th is very high, “the money could have been used for other needs, and not for compensation due to mistreatment of young people. The price paid is not a correct one, as it is insufficient, the awarded compensations can not recover full mental and physical suffering of abused people”. However, the lawyer does not think there will be other appeals to the ECHR, because the deadlines have expired. Meanwhile, he says that “one of the effects of decisions of the ECHR is taking measures to prevent future similar violations, what is missing in conditions when are not identified those responsible and are not held accountable”.

Victor Mosneag