5.  The applicant was born in 1962 and lives in Szczecin. 6.  On 20 March 2003 the Krakow District Court ordered the applicant's detention on remand. The court referred to the fact that the evidence collected in the case indicated a high probability that the applicant had committed fraud and money laundering while acting in an organised criminal gang. It further stressed that it was impossible to establish the applicant's domicile and it appeared that he resided outside the country. 7.  On 22 July 2003 the Kraków Appeal Prosecutor issued an international wanted notice for the applicant. 8.  On 16 September 2004 the Kraków Regional Court issued an European Arrest Warrant for the applicant. 9.  On 8 March 2005 the applicant was arrested on suspicion of fraud and money laundering committed while acting in an organised criminal gang. 10.  On 10 March 2005 the Krakow District Court remanded the applicant in custody. The court stressed that the evidence collected in the case indicated a high probability that the applicant had committed the offences in question. In addition, it referred to the need to secure the proper course of the proceedings as there was a fear that the applicant would attempt to avoid the trial and also influence witnesses. 11.  During the proceedings the applicant's detention was extended on 7 June, 2 September, 5 December 2005 and 7 March 2006. The court referred to the reasons previously given. 12.  On 23 June 2006 a bill of indictment against the applicant and twenty three co-accused was lodged with the Kraków District Court. It appears that only two other co-accused were remanded in custody. The applicant was charged with various counts of fraud, money laundering, and organising and leading a criminal group. The bill of indictment comprised 1,092 pages and the prosecutor requested to hear evidence from 200 witnesses. 13.  On 28 June 2006 the Kraków District Court extended the applicant's detention. The court relied on the reasonable suspicion that he had committed the offences in question. It attached importance to the likelihood of a severe sentence of imprisonment being imposed on the applicant and the risk that he would attempt to obstruct the proceedings. 14.  On 12 July 2006 the applicant lodged an appeal against this decision. He claimed that the investigation of the present case had already been terminated. In addition, he stressed that he had reported himself voluntarily to the District Prosecutor on 8 March 2005. It appears that his appeal was dismissed at a later, unknown date. 15.  During the trial, the courts further extended the applicant's detention on several occasions, namely on 27 September 2006 (to 30 December 2006), 21 December 2006 (to 8 March 2007), 2 March 2007 (to 8 September 2007) and 6 September 2007 (to 8 March 2008). The courts repeated the grounds previously given for the applicant's continued detention. They attached importance to the likelihood of a severe sentence of imprisonment being imposed on the applicant and the risk that he would obstruct the proceedings. 16.  The applicant's further appeals against some of the decisions extending his detention and all his subsequent applications for release and appeals against refusals to release him were unsuccessful. 17.  On 10 November 2006 the Kraków District Court considered itself not competent to examine the case and decided to refer it to the Zielona Góra District Court. The applicant appealed against this decision. It was upheld by the Kraków Regional Court on 29 December 2006. 18.  On 29 March 2007 the Zielona Góra District Court referred the case back to the Kraków District Court. It argued that the Kraków District Court had already acquainted itself with the case file and, in addition, two of the co‑accused were allegedly involved in bribery of judges in the Zielona Góra region. On 12 June 2007 the Supreme Court refused to refer the case to the Kraków District Court and ordered the Zielona Góra District Court to proceed with the examination of the case. 19.  On 21 June 2007 the Zielona Góra District Court applied to the Poznan Court of Appeal for permission to refer the case to the Zielona Góra Regional Court because of its complicated nature. The case was referred to the Zielona Góra Regional Court on 17 July 2007. 20.  The first hearing in the case was held on 19 November 2007. 21.  At a hearing held on 20 December 2007, the applicant asked to be released on bail. The Zielona Góra Regional Court considered that the applicant could be released providing that he paid 2,000,000 Polish zlotys (PLN) bail by 28 December 2007. The applicant paid the required sum and was released from detention on 24 December 2007. On 29 January 2008, on a prosecutor's appeal, the Poznan Court of Appeal decided to place the applicant back in detention. The court held in particular that the applicant was charged with organising and leading a criminal group and there was a risk that he would obstruct the proceedings. It further referred to the likelihood of a severe sentence of imprisonment being imposed on the applicant. On 7 February 2008 the applicant was placed in a detention centre. 22.  On 7 March 2008 the Zielona Góra Regional Court released the applicant on bail of PLN 2,000,000. It further prohibited the applicant from leaving Poland. 23.  The criminal proceedings against the applicant are pending.