4.  The applicant was born in 1972. 5.  On 16 January 2006 the police arrested him on suspicion of several drug-related crimes. 6.  On 19 January 2006 the Kostyantynivka Court ordered the applicant’s detention on remand pursuant to Article 165-2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (“CCP”) on the grounds of gravity of charges and that, if the applicant remained at liberty, he might abscond and obstruct justice. It rejected the applicant’s lawyer’s request for the applicant’s release under bail having stated that there were no grounds for choosing that preventive measure, without any further details. 7.  On 17 March 2006, following the completion of the pre-trial investigation, the case was referred to the same court for trial. 8.  On 5 April 2006 during the preliminary hearing the court ordered that the applicant should remain in detention, without any further details. 9.  On 12 October 2006 it found the applicant guilty as charged and sentenced him to six years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property. 10.  The applicant and his lawyer appealed against the above judgment requesting, inter alia, the applicant’s release. 11.  On 23 February 2007 the Donetsk Regional Court of Appeal instructed the local prosecutor to carry out some further investigatory actions in the case. It also ruled that the applicant should remain in detention, without any further details. 12.  Following the completion of the investigatory actions, the case was sent back to the Court of Appeal, which on 6 July 2007 quashed the judgment of 12 October 2006 and remitted the case for fresh consideration. It stated that the applicant should remain in detention, without any further details. 13.  On 3 October 2007 the Kostyantynivka Court examined the applicant’s and two other co-defendants’ requests for the release and rejected them on the ground of the gravity of charges. 14.  On 27 March 2008 the same court convicted the applicant of two counts (repeated production, purchase, storage and sale of narcotics and precursors by a group of persons) and sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property. 15.  The applicant’s lawyer appealed against the above judgment requesting, inter alia, the applicant’s release. 16.  On 22 August 2008 the Court of Appeal quashed that judgment and remitted the case for fresh consideration. It stated that the applicant should remain in detention, without any further details. 17.  On 21 August 2009 the Kostyantynivka Court convicted the applicant of the same counts as in its judgment of 27 March 2008 and sentenced him to five years’ and eight months’ imprisonment with confiscation of property. The applicant did not appeal. 18.  In the course of the proceedings apart from the applicant two other co-defendants and thirty four witnesses were interrogated and heard. Five hearings were adjourned due to the defendants’ lawyers’ failure to appear. Twenty one hearings were adjourned due to the witnesses’ and victims’ failure to appear, in respect of which the courts applied compulsory summonses.