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Fugitive Ionel Arsene appeals to ECHR to prevent extradition to Romania
The lawyers of the fugitive Ionel Arsene have notified the ECHR to prevent his extradition to the country, arguing that in Romania his right to live would be violated and he would be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment, the minister of Justice Alina Gorghiu said.
"The liaison magistrate with Italy within the Ministry of Justice informed me that the lawyers of the convicted fugitive Ionel Arsene have notified the ECHR on the grounds that in Romania his right to live would be violated and he would be subjected to inhuman/degrading treatments (art. 2, 3 and 4 of the ECHR). The Ministry of Justice and the National Administration of Penitentiaries have submitted to the file in which the Italian court has already ordered the return of the convicted fugitive documents in which we highlight the conditions in the penitentiary according to European standards," Gorghiu said.
At the same time, an Italian court is to rule on Thursday on a request by lawyers who want to establish that Arsene is mentally unstable.
"Moreover, the convicted fugitive Ionel Arsene and his team of lawyers have filed a request to suspend the surrender and order a medical examination to establish mental instability. The Italian court will decide, today (Thursday, ed. n.), also on this request. I mention that the Romanian state continues the procedures for the surrender of the convicted fugitive Ionel Arsene and to implement the final decision of the court in Italy," stated the minister of Justice.
On November 4, the Italian Court of Cassation decided to extradite Ionel Arsene, who has to serve a sentence of 6 years and 8 months in prison for influence peddling in Romania.
Arsene's Italian lawyers are trying to prevent his extradition, arguing that the former president of Neamt County Council suffers from a "severe depressive disorder" and there would even be a "very high risk" of committing suicide if he is brought to Romania and imprisoned.
AGERPRES
