6.  The second applicant is the first applicant's uncle. 7.  The second applicant, who then had a criminal record of two previous convictions, was arrested on 18 July 1997 and questioned in the context of criminal proceedings for theft. He was released on 21 July 1997. 8.  The first applicant, then having a criminal record of four convictions, was arrested on 19 July 1997 and questioned in the context of another set of criminal proceedings for theft. He was released on 21 July 1997. 9.  On 22 July 1997 the second applicant was arrested in the context of criminal proceedings for murder of VB, a third person. On the same date the Tauragė District Court ordered his detention on remand for two months on the ground that he might abscond from the investigation and commit fresh crimes. 10.  On 31 July 1997 the second applicant was charged with murder. 11.  On 2 August 1997 the first applicant was arrested in the context of criminal proceedings for attempted robbery. 12.  On 4 August 1997 the Tauragė District Court ordered the first applicant's detention on remand for two months because of the danger of his absconding, committing fresh crimes and obstructing the investigation. 13.  On 11 August 1997 the second applicant was also questioned in the attempted robbery case. 14.  On 13 August 1997 a prosecutor charged the first applicant with attempted robbery. 15.  On 15 August 1997 the Tauragė District Court ordered compulsory psychiatric examination of the second applicant. 16.  On 19 August 1997 the Klaipėda Regional Court rejected the first applicant's appeal against the detention order. 17.  On 21 August 1997 the two criminal cases for murder and attempted robbery were joined. 18.  On 15 September 1997 the Tauragė District Court extended the term of the second applicant's remand in custody until 22 November 1997 on the same grounds. 19.  On 2 October 1997 the Tauragė District Court extended the first applicant's remand in custody until 2 December 1997 on the same grounds. 20.  On 21 October 1997 two more criminal cases, concerning unlawful possession of firearms and robbery, were joined to the criminal proceedings against the applicants. 21.  On 19 November 1997 the Tauragė District Court extended the term of the second applicant's detention until 21 January 1998 on the ground that he may abscond from the investigation, commit fresh crimes and influence witnesses. 22.  On 27 November 1997 the court prolonged the first applicant's remand in custody for two months on the same grounds. 23.  On 20 January 1998 the Šiauliai Regional Court extended the term of both applicants' detention on remand until 1 March 1998 because of the danger of their absconding and influencing the investigation. 24.  On 18, 24 and 25 February 1998 a number of new alleged episodes from other criminal cases, namely in relation to damaging property of another, assault, unlawful possession of weapons, causing bodily harm, aggravated murder, attempted robbery and theft were joined in the criminal proceedings against the applicants. 25.  On 26 February 1998 the investigation was concluded, and the applicants and their defense counsel had access to the case-file. 26.  On 27 February 1998 a prosecutor rejected the applicants' request to discontinue the proceedings. 27.  On 2 March 1998 the bill of indictment was confirmed, and the case was sent to the Klaipėda Regional Court. 28.  On 15 April 1998 the Klaipėda Regional Court committed the applicants for trial. It further stated in the decision that their remand measures should remain unchanged pending the adoption of a judgment in the case. 29.  On 21 September 1998 the Klaipėda Regional Court returned the case to the prosecutors for further investigative measures to be carried out. Thereafter the courts extended the term applicant's detention on various occasions. 30.  A new bill of indictment was confirmed on 29 December 1998. 31.  On 11 May 1999 the case was transmitted to the Šiauliai Regional Court. 32.  On 13 March 2000 the court returned the case for further investigation to be carried out in view of the prosecutors' request to bring a fresh charge against the first applicant. Subsequently, the charges against the applicants were again reformulated. 33.  On 11 July 2000 a new bill of indictment was confirmed, and the case was sent to the Šiauliai Regional Court. 34.  On 10 April 2001 the applicants were convicted: a) the first applicant on one count of attempted robbery; b) the second applicant on five counts of murder, attempted robbery, causing bodily harm, and unlawful possession of two types of weapons. 35.  On 3 December 2001 the Court of Appeal amended the first applicant's conviction, but his sentence of imprisonment remained unchanged. The Court of Appeal also reclassified the second applicant's actions to aggravated murder, sentencing him to 13 years' imprisonment. 36.  On 30 April 2002 the Supreme Court quashed the decision of the Court of Appeal insofar as it concerned the second applicant's conviction for aggravated murder, reinstating his sentence of 7 years and 6 months' imprisonment as it had been imposed by the first instance court. 37.  On an unspecified date the second applicant completed the sentence, and was released from prison.