6.  The applicant was born in 1958 and lives in Ploieşti, Romania. 7.  On 27 February 1997 the Prahova Prosecutor’s Office brought criminal proceedings against the applicant for first degree murder following the death of a third party whom the applicant had stabbed. 8.  On 4 March 1997 the applicant was detained pending trial at the Prahova Police Department. 9.  On 6 June 1997 the Prahova Prosecutor’s Office committed the applicant for trial before the Prahova County Court on charges of first degree murder. 10.  By a judgment of 7 October 1997 the Prahova County Court convicted the applicant and sentenced him to twenty-two years’ imprisonment on the basis of documentary, testimonial, expert and forensic evidence. The applicant appealed against the decision. 11.  By a judgment of 13 January 1998 the Ploieşti Court of Appeal dismissed the applicant’s appeal on the merits and upheld the judgment of 7 October 1997. The applicant allegedly appealed on points of law (recurs) against the judgment to the Court of Cassation. 12.  On 11 February 1998 the Registry of the Court of Cassation informed the applicant, following his enquiry, that there was no file concerning him pending before the said court. The judgment of 13 January 1998 was final. 13.  On 19 March 1997 the applicant was detained in Ploieşti Prison. The applicant served his prison sentence in that prison until 2 December 2008 when he was transferred to other prison facilities in Romania; he did not return to Ploieşti Prison. 14.  Between 19 March 1997 and 2 December 2008 the applicant was transferred repeatedly from Ploieşti Prison to other prison facilities for medical examinations and treatment or in order to appear before domestic courts. For example, he spent time in Colibaşi Prison Hospital (from 19 May to 4 June 2004), Jilava Prison Hospital (from 10 to 20 November 2000; 26 January to 13 February 2001; 18 October to 21 November 2005; 6 to 17 July, 21 to 31 August, 7 September to 13 November, and 14 to 20 December 2007; and from 4 to 17 March 2008) and Rahova Prison Hospital (from 29 March to 6 April, 14 to 20 June, and 11 to 17 October 2005; 22 to 28 August 2006; and from 19 to 22 February 2008). 15.  According to his medical file, between 4 March 1997 and 1 October 2010 the applicant was examined and was provided treatment and a special diet for various medical conditions including venous thromboses in civilian hospitals and in Ploieşti, Jilava, Rahova, Dej, Colibaşi and Mărgineni Prison Hospitals. 16.  According to a record made on 10 November 2000 in the applicant’s medical file by the examining doctor, he had been suffering from venous thromboses for four years and had received treatment for the condition. 17.  Forensic medical reports produced by the Mina Minovici Forensic Institute and by the Prahova County Forensic Medical Service on 14 May 2001 and 17 July 2003 respectively stated that the applicant was suffering from venous thromboses in his legs, an acute ulcer for which no surgery was recommended, and antisocial personality disorder. They concluded that these conditions could be treated in prison hospitals. 18.  The forensic medical reports produced by the Târgovişte County Forensic Medical Service and by the Mina Minovici Forensic Institute on 3 November 2004 and 30 November 2005 respectively noted that the applicant was suffering inter alia from peripheral vascular disease and chronic venous thromboses. They concluded that he could be treated in prison hospitals, and consequently, his temporary release from prison on medical grounds was unjustified. The report of 3 November 2004 recommended that the peripheral vascular disease be monitored in a cardiovascular clinic if the applicant’s medical condition so required. 19.  In a letter of 12 June 2006 to the Court the applicant stated, inter alia, that he was in danger of losing his legs. He argued that he had become ill after he was detained because of the poor food and inappropriate detention conditions in Ploieşti Prison. In addition, he contended that the conditions of detention in Prahova Police Department were inhuman, but he failed to provide any additional information. 20.  In a letter of 18 September 2006 to the Court the applicant stated that on an unspecified date in 1999 he had developed thromboses in his legs. The applicant alleged that he had developed the condition on account of the detention conditions in Ploieşti Prison, in particular the lack of physical exercise, overcrowding, lack of water and poor nutrition. He also informed the Court that the lack of medication had aggravated his condition and that although he had been transferred several times from Ploieşti Prison to civilian and prison hospitals across the country for treatment and surgery, the lack of medicines and budget to pay for the medical expenses had made it impossible for him to be treated. 21.  In the same letter of 18 September 2006 the applicant contended that his condition had reached the final stage of development and that his legs might have to be amputated. 22.  The forensic medical reports produced by the Prahova County Forensic Medical Service and by the Mina Minovici Forensic Institute on 24 May and 9 August 2007, respectively, stated that the applicant was suffering from inter alia chronic venous thromboses in his legs. The reports concluded that he could be treated both in prison and civilian hospitals and that his medical condition could not justify his temporary release from prison. 23.  On 14 September 2011 the Government informed the Court that on 6 September 2011 there were a total of 578 beds in Ploieşti Prison for 619 detainees, resulting in an occupancy rate of 107.09%. 24.  On an unspecified date the applicant brought proceedings against the Ploieşti Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison on account of his family situation. 25.  By a judgment of 20 January 1999 the Prahova County Court dismissed the applicant’s action on the ground that he could not provide for his family in the short period of time allowed by law for staying the execution of a sentence and the State could provide support for his family if needed. The applicant’s appeal and appeal on points of law against the judgment were dismissed as ill-founded by the Ploieşti Court of Appeal on 1 March 1999 and by the Court of Cassation on 30 June 1999 respectively. 26.  On an unspecified date in 2003 the applicant brought proceedings against the Ploieşti Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison on medical grounds. 27.  By a judgment of 17 December 2003 the Ploieşti Court of Appeal dismissed the applicant’s action on the ground that according to the forensic medical reports available in the file his medical problems could be treated in prison hospitals. It does not appear from the evidence available in the file that the applicant appealed on points of law (recurs) against the judgment. 28.  On 30 August 2004 the applicant brought proceedings against the Mărgineni Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison on medical grounds. 29.  By a judgment of 11 February 2005 the Ploieşti Court of Appeal dismissed the applicant’s action against the Mărgineni Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison on the ground that according to the forensic reports available in the file his medical condition could be treated in prison hospitals. Moreover, although the problems with his legs required check-ups in civilian cardiovascular clinics, the Mărgineni Prison authorities could take the applicant to those check-ups whenever his state of health required it. It does not appear from the evidence available in the file that the applicant appealed on points of law against the judgment. 30.  On an unspecified date in 2005 the applicant brought proceedings against the Ploieşti Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison on medical grounds. 31.  By a judgment of 5 September 2005 the Ploieşti Court of Appeal dismissed the applicant’s action against the Ploieşti Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison for medical reasons on the ground that the applicant had withdrawn his request after he had been notified of the conclusion of the medical forensic report produced in his case. It does not appear from the evidence available in the file that the applicant appealed on points of law against the judgment. 32.  On an unspecified date in 2005 the applicant brought proceedings against the Ploieşti Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison on medical grounds. 33.  By a judgment of 27 March 2006 the Ploieşti Court of Appeal dismissed the applicant’s action on the ground that the detailed medical examinations he had undergone between 19 October and 30 November 2005 at Bucharest Prison Hospital and at the C.C. Iliescu Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases, as well as the forensic report produced by the Mina Minovici Forensic Institute, had established that his medical condition could be treated in prison hospitals. The applicant did not lodge an appeal on points of law against the judgment. 34.  On an unspecified date in 2006 the applicant brought proceedings against the Ploieşti Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison on account of his family situation. 35.  By a final judgment of 11 May 2006 the Prahova County Court dismissed the applicant’s action on the ground that his allegation that his family lacked any income was contradicted by the social services’ report available in the file. 36.  On unspecified dates in 2007 and 2008 the applicant brought two more sets of proceedings against the Ploieşti Prison authorities seeking temporary release from prison on medical grounds. He argued, inter alia, that his medical problems could not be treated in prison hospitals and that he needed to be released so he could have access to adequate treatment in civilian hospitals. 37.  By a final judgment of 18 February and a judgment of 27 November 2008 respectively, the Ploieşti Court of Appeal and the Prahova County Court dismissed the applicant’s actions on the ground that according to the forensic medical reports produced on 24 May 2007 by the Prahova County Forensic Medical Service and on 9 August 2007 by the Mina Minovici Forensic Institute the applicant could be treated in prison hospitals. It does not appear from the evidence available in the file that the applicant appealed against the judgment of 27 November 2008. 38.  On unspecified dates in 2003, 2004 and 2008 the applicant contested the enforcement of the judgment of 13 January 1998 on the grounds that the domestic authorities had influenced the witnesses against him, that he had committed the offence of which he had been convicted under special attenuating circumstances, and that the sentence he had received was disproportionately high in relation to the seriousness of the offence. 39.   The applicant’s actions were dismissed by final judgments of the Prahova County Court on 13 January 2003 and 27 March 2008 and of the Ploieşti Court of Appeal on 23 February 2004 on the ground that the reasons raised by him were not among those recognised by law for contesting the enforcement of a judgment. 40.  On an unspecified date in 2004 the applicant brought proceedings against the governor of Ploieşti Prison contesting the ten days he was made to spend in isolation as a disciplinary measure. 41.  By a final judgment of 8 April 2004 the Prahova County Court allowed on the merits the applicant’s action against the governor of Ploieşti Prison and reduced his punishment to seven days in isolation. 42.  By final judgments of 6 and 20 April 2004 the Ploieşti District Court dismissed the criminal proceedings brought by the applicant against third parties for abuse of trust on the ground that the parties had reconciled. 43.  On an unspecified date in 2005 the applicant brought proceedings seeking conditional release on account of the fact that he had served the amount of his sentence lawfully required to qualify for conditional release and that his medical condition did not allow him to continue serving his sentence. 44.  By a judgment of 19 July 2005 the Ploieşti District Court dismissed the applicant’s action for conditional release on the ground that he had not served the amount of his sentence lawfully required to quality for conditional release. The applicant appealed on points of law against the judgment. 45.  By a final judgment of 24 August 2005 the Prahova County Court dismissed the applicant’s appeal on points of law against the judgment of 19 July 2005 on the ground that he had expressly withdrawn his appeal. 46.  By an interlocutory judgment of 26 January 2009 the judge responsible for the execution of prison sentences attached to Mărgineni Prison dismissed on the merits the applicant’s action contesting the decisions of the Ploieşti and Mărgineni Prison Commissions on the Execution of Prison Sentences, delivered on 17 June and 19 December 2008 respectively, not to change the applicant’s detention regime from a closed one to a semi-open one. The applicant’s appeal against the interlocutory judgment was dismissed as ill-founded by a final judgment of the Dâmboviţa District Court on 19 March 2009.