The 2003 report of the American Department of State on human rights draws attention on the fact that "Transdnistrian authorities keep on practicing arbitrary detention as if it had been normal. It is applied to persons suspected of criticizing the regime". The report mentions the Ivantoc group "which has been in jail since 1993" and "no decision has been taken by the European Court of Human Rights in this case, which was filed by the wives of the three detainees, as a case versus the state of Russia and the Republic of Moldova". The report cites Igor Smirnov who said the "he won't forgive the members of this group". The report also identifies the Ivantoc group as being the last political detainees. (GD)