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The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has opened proceedings in six cases against Hungary over the alleged torture and unlawful detention of Ukrainian Oschadbank employees in spring, the state-owned bank said on Oct. 15.
The cases stem from a March incident that took place during Hungary's election campaign, when Viktor Orban was still prime minister. Hungarian authorities detained seven Oschadbank employees on suspicion of money laundering as they traveled from Austria to Ukraine through Hungary in two bank vehicles carrying $40 million, 35 million euros, and 9 kilograms of gold.
The employees were released the day after their detention, while the cash and gold were returned to Ukraine in May.
The cases were brought by six staff members of a state-owned Ukrainian bank who say they were tortured and illegally detained. A similar case is expected to be filed on behalf of a seventh worker.
Kyiv previously condemned the incident, calling it "hostage-taking" and "state terrorism." Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said the staff were subjected to "physical and psychological pressure."
"The fact that the ECHR has accepted the complaint and opened proceedings indicates that there are reasonable legal grounds for the case, that it has legal merit, and that the court intends to examine it on its merits," the bank's statement read.
The bank staff applications cite Articles 3 and 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibit torture and protect the right to liberty and security.