NEW : He told the police to wait while he went to get books from his home library , then shot himself there , the ministry said . Lawyer to appeal to European Court for Human Rights . ` The case is being heard by the ECHR in Strasbourg, which has been criticised as a "rubber stamp" court that does not have jurisdiction over cases of torture or other serious human rights abuses. It is the first prison sentence for a senior politician in Romania since the fall of communism . The former prime minister was convicted of illegally raising campaign funds .
NEW : Lawyer to appeal to European Court for Human Rights . ` The case is being heard by the ECHR in Strasbourg, which has been criticised as a "rubber stamp" court that does not have jurisdiction over cases of torture or other serious human rights abuses. It is the first prison sentence for a senior politician in Romania since the fall of communism . The former prime minister was convicted of illegally raising campaign funds .