The applicant, Horacio Sardinas Albo, claims to be a Cuban national born in 1948. He is currently being held in Voghera Prison (Italy). On 6 August 1996 the applicant was arrested in Milan on suspicion of involvement in international drug trafficking. The Milan investigating judge remanded him in custody, in particular because of the evidence against him and of the risk of his absconding. In addition, in May 1998 and June 1999 the courts ordered his continued detention with a view to his extradition to the United States on account of his involvement in offences relating to drug trafficking and to false statements he had allegedly made.
The applicant lodged two appeals against the decisions ordering and prolonging his detention, but both were dismissed. On 7 October 1999 the Como District Court sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment, subsequently reduced to 11 years on appeal.
The applicant complained under Article 5 § 3 (right to liberty and security) of the length of his detention on remand. The applicant’s detention on remand had lasted three years, two months and one day.
(from the official press-release prepared by the Registry Office of the European Court of Human Rights)