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ÐÌòòAdoptsóó€its€Ð ô$D # ÐÌÌòòò òÓ  ÓViews€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€Conventionó óóóÐ ¸'#& ÐÓoÓÌÌ1.1€The€author€of€the€communication€is€Ms.€S.C.,€born€on€21€August€1965,€of€Ecuadorian€origin,Ð |*Ì%) Ðcurrently€seeking€asylum€in€Denmark€together€with€her€three€minor€children.€The€author€claims€thatÐ h+¸&* Ðshe€would€risk€torture€if€she€is€returned€to€Ecuador€and€that€her€forced€return€to€that€countryÐ T,¤'+ Ðtherefore€would€constitute€a€violation€by€Denmark€of€article€3€of€the€Convention.€The€author€isÐ @-(, Ðrepresented€by€the€Danish€non„governmental€organization€"Let€Bosnia€Live".€Ð ° ÐÌ1.2€In€accordance€with€article€22,€paragraph€3,€of€the€Convention,€the€Committee€transmitted€theÐ ˆØ Ðcommunication€to€the€State€party€on€29€September€1999.€Pursuant€to€rule€108,€paragraph€9,€of€theÐ tÄ ÐCommittee's€rules€of€procedure,€the€State€party€was€requested€not€to€expel€the€author€to€EcuadorÐ `° Ðpending€the€consideration€of€her€case€by€the€Committee.€In€a€submission€of€29€November€1999€theÐ L œ ÐState€party€informed€the€Committee€that€the€author€and€her€three€minor€children€would€not€beÐ 8 ˆ Ðexpelled€to€her€country€of€origin€while€her€communication€was€under€consideration€by€theÐ $ t ÐCommittee.€Ð  ` ÐÌòòThe€facts€as€presented€by€the€authoróó€Ð è 8  ÐÌ2.1.€The€author€states€that€she€became€a€member€of€the€illegal€opposition€party€Ô_ÔPartidoÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔRoldosistaÔ_ÔÐ À  ÐÔ_ÔEcuatorianoÔ_Ô€(PRE)€in€Santo€Domingo€in€April€1995,€but€underlines€that€she€had€been€an€activeÐ ¬ü  Ðsupporter€since€1985.€According€to€the€author,€she€was€arrested€on€28€May€1994€after€havingÐ ˜è  Ðdistributed€political€propaganda€material.€She€was€first€held€in€detention€for€three€days,€when€sheÐ „Ô  Ðwas€allegedly€ill„treated€by€being€pulled€by€the€hair,€beaten€and€threatened€every€three€hours.€TheÐ pÀ Ðauthor€further€states€that€she€was€given€a€six„months€probationary€sentence,€during€which€she€wasÐ \¬ Ðdeprived€of€her€papers,€including€her€passport,€and€her€civil€and€political€rights€as€an€EcuadorianÐ H˜ Ðnational.€Ð 4„ ÐÌ2.2€The€author€alleges€that€she€was€again€detained€on€13€December€1995,€after€having€organized€andÐ  \ Ðparticipated€in€a€unauthorized€political€demonstration€of€about€200€persons.€According€to€the€author,Ð øH Ðshe€was€kept€in€detention€for€10€days€and€allegedly€starved,€kicked€and€beaten€with€truncheonsÐ ä4 Ðbefore€she€being€sentenced€to€10€days'€imprisonment.€To€support€her€statement,€the€author€refers€toÐ Ð  Ðcopies€of€medical€records€from€the€medical€doctor€she€visited€after€her€release.€Ð ¼  ÐÌ2.3€On€26€April€1996,€the€author€was€appointed€political€leader€for€a€women's€group€of€the€party.Ð ”ä ÐHer€main€tasks€were€to€organize€meetings€for€women,€particularly€from€poor€neighbourhoods,€andÐ €Ð Ðinform€them€about€their€rights.€She€also€provided€assistance€to€families€where€one€or€both€parentsÐ l¼ Ðhad€disappeared.€Ð X ¨ ÐÌ2.4€The€author's€Ô_ÔfiancÔ_Ô,€who€was€also€active€in€PRE,€allegedly€disappeared€in€1996€after€havingÐ 0"€  Ðbeen€taken€away€by€police€in€plain€clothes.€Ð #l! ÐÌ2.5€According€to€the€author,€she€was€again€detained€on€27€January€1997€for€having€participated€inÐ ô$D # Ða€political€demonstration€in€Santo€Domingo.€The€author€was€allegedly€sentenced€to€six€months'Ð à%0!$ Ðimprisonment€and€claims€that€during€her€imprisonment€she€was€starved,€electric€chocks€were€appliedÐ Ì&"% Ðto€her€fingers€and€she€was€raped.€After€her€release,€the€author€contacted€a€doctor,€but€no€medicalÐ ¸'#& Ðrecords€are€available.€The€author€further€states€that,€while€she€was€in€prison€in€1997,€her€home€wasÐ ¤(ô#' Ðbroken€into€and€everything€was€taken,€and€that€she€has€reason€to€believe€that€the€police€wereÐ )à$( Ðresponsible.€Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌ2.6€The€author€states€that€at€the€time€of€her€release€she€was€told€by€the€police€to€leave€the€country.Ð T,¤'+ ÐHowever,€instead,€she€joined€her€family€in€the€mountains,€where€they€had€fled€to€prevent€the€author'sÐ @-(, Ðchildren€being€taken€by€the€authorities.€While€in€hiding,€the€author€learned€from€her€sister€that€aÐ ° Ðwarrant€for€her€arrest€had€been€issued€because€she€had€not€left€the€party€and€had€not€reported€to€theÐ œì Ðpolice,€after€her€release,€as€ordered.€The€author€hid€in€the€mountains€for€six€months€with€her€childrenÐ ˆØ Ðbefore€she€could€leave€the€country,€allegedly€with€the€help€of€PRE.€Ð tÄ ÐÌ2.7€The€author€left€Ecuador€by€car€with€her€children€and€entered€Colombia€on€15€August€1998.€SheÐ L œ Ðtravelled€on€a€valid€passport€issued€in€September€1996.€On€16€August€1998€she€left€Colombia€andÐ 8 ˆ Ðarrived€in€Denmark€on€20€August€1998€after€having€stayed€two€days€in€the€Netherlands.€The€authorÐ $ t Ðimmediately€applied€for€asylum.€Ð  ` ÐÌ2.8€The€author's€request€for€asylum€was€turned€down€by€the€Danish€Immigration€Service€on€30Ð è 8  ÐOctober€1998.€Subsequent€to€her€appealing€the€Immigration€Service's€decision,€the€Refugee€BoardÐ Ô$  Ðconfirmed€that€decision€on€17€February€1999.€On€24€March€1999,€the€non„governmentalÐ À  Ðorganization€"Let€Bosnia€Live",€on€behalf€of€the€author,€requested€the€Board€to€re„examine€the€caseÐ ¬ü  Ðin€light€of€new€information€about€the€author's€political€activities,€including€a€letter€from€PRE€and€aÐ ˜è  Ðcopy€of€an€order€for€her€arrest€issued€by€the€Ministry€of€the€Interior,€dated€26€February€1999.€On€28Ð „Ô  ÐMay€1999,€the€Board€refused€the€author's€request€to€renew€her€application€for€asylum.€On€30€JulyÐ pÀ Ð1999€an€appeal€was€made€to€the€Ministry€of€Interior€on€humanitarian€grounds.€It€was€refused€on€12Ð \¬ ÐAugust€1999.€Ð H˜ ÐÌ2.9€The€author€further€submits€that€the€case€is€not€and€has€not€been€the€subject€of€investigation€orÐ  p Ðsettlement,€by€any€other€international€body.€Ð  \ ÐÌòòComplaintóóÐ ä4 ÐÌ3.€With€reference€to€the€facts€presented,€the€author€fears€that€she€will€be€subjected€to€renewed€tortureÐ ¼  Ðif€she€is€returned€to€Ecuador€and€that€her€forced€return€would€therefore€constitute€a€breach€byÐ ¨ø ÐDenmark€of€article€3€of€the€Convention.€Ð ”ä ÐÌòòObservations€by€the€State€partyóóÐ l¼ ÐÌ4.1€In€a€submission€of€29€November€1999,€the€State€party€informs€the€Committee€that€it€does€notÐ D!” Ðcontest€the€admissibility€of€the€author's€communication€as€to€the€form.€However,€the€State€partyÐ 0"€  Ðsubmits€that€the€author€has€failed€to€establish€a€òòprima€facieóó€case€for€the€admissibility€of€herÐ #l! Ðcommunication€under€article€22€of€the€Convention€and€that€the€Committee€should€therefore€declareÐ $X" Ðit€inadmissible.€If€the€Committee€does€not€dismiss€the€communication€for€that€reason,€the€State€partyÐ ô$D # Ðsubmits€that€no€violation€of€the€provisions€of€the€Convention€has€occurred€in€relation€to€the€meritsÐ à%0!$ Ðof€the€case.€Ð Ì&"% ÐÌ4.2€The€State€party€confirms€the€author's€explanation€of€the€procedure€used€to€exhaust€domesticÐ ¤(ô#' Ðremedies,€adding€that€when€she€filed€her€initial€application€for€asylum,€the€author€exercised€her€rightÐ )à$( Ðto€do€so€in€her€own€languages.€During€the€detailed€and€comprehensive€initial€personal€interviewÐ |*Ì%) Ðconducted€with€her€by€the€Danish€Immigration€Service,€an€interpreter€was€present€at€all€times.€It€isÐ h+¸&* Ðfurther€stated€that€the€proceedings€of€the€Refugee€Board€include€the€participation€of€the€asylum„Ð T,¤'+ Ðseeker€and€his€or€her€attorney€and€an€interpreter,€as€well€as€of€a€representative€of€the€DanishÐ @-(, ÐImmigration€Service.€Ð ° ÐÌ4.3€With€respect€to€the€application€of€article€3€of€the€Convention€to€the€merits€of€the€case,€the€StateÐ ˆØ Ðparty€underlines€that€the€burden€is€on€the€author€to€present€an€arguable€case,€in€accordance€withÐ tÄ Ðparagraph€5€of€the€General€Comment€on€the€Implementation€of€article€3€adopted€by€the€CommitteeÐ `° Ðon€21€November€1997.€Ð L œ ÐÌ4.4€In€further€reference€to€the€above„mentioned€General€Comment,€the€State€party€points€out€that€theÐ $ t ÐCommittee€is€not€an€appellate,€quasi„judicial€or€administrative€body€but€rather€a€monitoring€body.Ð  ` ÐIt€is€emphasized€that€the€communication€does€not€contain€any€information€that€had€not€already€beenÐ ü L  Ðexamined€extensively€by€the€Danish€Immigration€Service€and€the€Refugee€Board.€The€State€partyÐ è 8  Ðsubmits€that,€in€its€view,€the€author€is€attempting€to€use€the€Committee€as€an€appellate€body€in€orderÐ Ô$  Ðto€obtain€a€new€assessment€of€a€claim€already€considered€by€Danish€immigration€authorities.€Ð À  ÐÌ4.5€In€its€decision€of€17€February€1999€confirming€the€Immigration€Service's€assessment€of€30Ð ˜è  ÐOctober€1998,€the€Refugee€Board€found€that€it€was€not€convinced€that€the€author€had€been€subjectedÐ „Ô  Ðto€persecution€as€a€consequence€of€political€activities,€prior€to€her€departure€from€Ecuador,€nor€that,Ð pÀ Ðupon€return€to€her€country€of€origin,€the€author€would€be€at€risk€of€persecution,€including€torture.€Ð \¬ ÐÌ4.6€The€State€party€underlines€that,€according€to€the€practice€of€the€Committee,€it€is€decisive€for€theÐ 4„ Ðassessment€of€the€merits€of€the€case€whether€information€on€conditions€in€the€recipient€countryÐ  p Ðsupports€the€author's€claim.€The€Committee's€attention€is€drawn€to€the€fact€that€PRE,€in€which€theÐ  \ Ðauthor€allegedly€has€had€a€prominent€position,€is€not€an€illegal€political€party€as€claimed€by€theÐ øH Ðauthor,€but€one€of€the€largest€parties€in€Ecuador,€whom€the€author€was€not€able€to€identify,€was€HeadÐ ä4 Ðof€Government€in€1996.€Ð Ð  ÐÌ4.7€The€State€party€refers€to€the€findings€of€the€Refugee€Board€that€the€author's€statements€regardingÐ ¨ø Ðthe€alleged€detentions€were€characterized€by€some€uncertainty.€Ð ”ä ÐÌ4.8€Further,€the€State€party€underlines€that,€during€her€interview€with€the€Danish€ImmigrationÐ l¼ ÐService,€the€author€produced€letters€addressed€to€the€Refugee€Board€by€the€Party€Committee€of€PRE,Ð X ¨ Ða€copy€of€two€medical€certificates€dated€1€June€1994€and€23€December€1995,€allegedly€issued€by€herÐ D!” Ðown€medical€doctor,€and€a€warrant€of€her€arrest€dated€12€August€1998.€In€the€interview€with€theÐ 0"€  ÐImmigration€Service,€the€author€stated€that€the€warrant€for€her€arrest€had€been€issued€at€that€timeÐ #l! Ðbecause€she€had€not€resigned€from€the€party€as€instructed.€However,€before€the€Board,€the€authorÐ $X" Ðstated€that€the€document€had€been€issued€since€she€had€not€left€the€country€as€ordered.€She€had€notÐ ô$D # Ðbeen€served€with€the€warrant€directly,€but€had€received€a€copy€from€a€friend€employed€by€the€police.Ð à%0!$ ÐThe€author€only€had€copies€of€the€medical€certificates,€allegedly€because€she€did€not€have€anyÐ Ì&"% Ðpermanent€address€and€was€afraid€to€have€original€documents€in€her€possession.€Taking€intoÐ ¸'#& Ðconsideration€the€contents€of€the€documents€and€the€author's€related€statements,€compared€with€theÐ ¤(ô#' Ðother€information€on€the€case,€the€Board€found€that€the€documents€were€not€of€a€nature€to€alter€itsÐ )à$( Ðassessment€of€the€case.€Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌ4.9€It€is€submitted€that€the€author's€statement€regarding€rape€during€her€most€recent€detention€shouldÐ T,¤'+ Ðbe€given€little€weight,€since€this€information€was€not€brought€forward€by€the€author€until€theÐ @-(, Ðproceedings€before€the€Board.€Given€that€the€most€recent€Immigration€Service€interview€with€theÐ ° Ðauthor€prior€to€the€Board's€proceedings€was€conducted€by€a€woman,€and€given€that€the€author,Ð œì Ðaccording€to€her€own€statements,€had€been€politically€active€for€women's€rights,€it€seems€to€decreaseÐ ˆØ Ðher€credibility€that€no€evidence€to€this€effect€had€previously€been€given,€either€to€the€authorities€orÐ tÄ Ðto€her€own€attorney.€Ð `° ÐÌ4.10€As€to€the€Refugee€Board's€decision€of€28€May€1999€not€to€reopen€the€case,€the€State€party€statesÐ 8 ˆ Ðthat€the€Board€emphasized€that€the€new€information€referred€to€by€the€author€as€new€did€not€containÐ $ t Ðany€elements€beyond€those€already€considered€by€the€Board€and€the€Immigration€Service€during€theÐ  ` Ðinitial€proceedings.€Ð ü L  ÐÌ4.11€The€State€party€also€draws€the€attention€of€the€Committee€to€the€assessment€of€the€Board€thatÐ Ô$  Ðit€seemed€improbable€that€the€author€would€have€been€deprived€of€her€identity€papers€for€about€oneÐ À  Ðyear€after€her€alleged€release€in€December€1995€and€nevertheless€be€able€to€obtain€a€valid€passportÐ ¬ü  Ðin€September€1996.€Furthermore,€it€is€noted€that€the€author€gave€inconsistent€accounts€to€theÐ ˜è  Ðimmigration€authorities€regarding€her€departure€from€Ecuador.€She€has€stated€that€she€left€theÐ „Ô  Ðcountry€legally€on€15€August€1998€with€a€genuine€passport,€but€on€another€occasion€she€stated€thatÐ pÀ Ðher€departure€was€actually€illegal€as€she€travelled€in€the€evening,€did€not€show€any€passport€and€wasÐ \¬ Ðnot€supposed€to€leave€Ecuador€because€she€was€the€subject€of€an€arrest€warrant.€Ð H˜ ÐÌ4.12€In€conclusion,€the€State€party€points€out€that€the€Board€did€not€necessarily€deny€that€inÐ  p Ðconnection€with€demonstrations€the€author€might€have€been€detained€as€explained,€but€the€detentionsÐ  \ Ðthemselves€were€not€a€sufficient€ground€for€granting€asylum.€This€would€still€be€the€case€even€if€theÐ øH Ðauthor€had€in€fact€been€subjected€to€physical€ill„treatment€in€connection€with€these€detentions.€TheÐ ä4 ÐState€party€argues€that€it€also€follows€from€the€practice€of€the€Committee€that€a€risk€of€being€detainedÐ Ð  Ðis€not€as€such€sufficient€to€trigger€the€protection€of€article€3€of€the€Convention€and€that€there€is€noÐ ¼  Ðactual€evidence,€including€medical€evidence,€supporting€the€author's€claim€that€she€has€previouslyÐ ¨ø Ðbeen€subjected€to€torture.€Ð ”ä ÐÌ4.13€Finally,€the€State€party€notes€that€Ecuador€has€not€only€signed€the€Convention€against€TortureÐ l¼ Ðbut€also,€by€a€declaration€of€6€September€1988,€recognized€the€competence€of€the€Committee€toÐ X ¨ Ðreceive€and€consider€individual€communications€pursuant€to€article€22.€The€State€party€is€aware€thatÐ D!” Ðthe€Committee€has€stated€that€the€fact€that€a€State€has€acceded€to€the€Convention€and€recognized€theÐ 0"€  Ðcompetence€of€the€Committee€under€article€22€is€not€in€itself€sufficient€to€preclude€a€return€to€thatÐ #l! Ðcountry€being€contrary€to€article€3,€but€importance€should€nevertheless€be€given€thereto.€Ð $X" ÐÌòòComments€by€the€representative€of€the€Ô_ÔauthoróóÔ_ÔÐ à%0!$ ÐÌ5.1€In€his€comments€on€the€State€party's€submission,€the€representative€of€the€author€refers€to€theÐ ¸'#& ÐState€party's€position€that€the€author€has€the€responsibility€of€presenting€"an€arguable€case"€that€sheÐ ¤(ô#' Ðwould€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€upon€return€to€her€home€country.€According€to€theÐ )à$( Ðrepresentative,€an€arguable€case€has€indeed€been€presented€in€the€light€of€the€author's€previousÐ |*Ì%) Ðexperiences€of€persecution,€including€torture,€and€owing€to€her€political€activities€for€poor€IndianÐ h+¸&* Ðwomen€in€Ecuador.€Further,€the€representative€points€out€that,€according€to€the€practice€of€theÐ T,¤'+ ÐCommittee,€it€is€note€necessary€that€the€risk€of€torture€be€serious,€in€the€sense€of€being€highly€likelyÐ @-(, Ðto€occur;€the€Committee€has€previously€clearly€stated€that€there€need€only€be€"more€than€a€mereÐ ° Ðpossibility€of€torture".€Ð œì ÐÌ5.2€The€representative€considers€that€the€State€party's€argumentation€that€PRE,€contrary€to€what€hasÐ tÄ Ðbeen€stated€by€the€author,€is€a€legal€party€and€that€its€leader€was€President€in€1996,€is€irrelevant€toÐ `° Ðthe€main€question€under€consideration,€i.e.€whether€the€author€runs€a€risk€of€being€subjected€toÐ L œ Ðtorture€upon€return€to€Ecuador.€The€argument€of€the€State€party€is€based€on€opinion€andÐ 8 ˆ Ðmisunderstandings€rather€than€fact.€Ð $ t ÐÌ5.3€The€representative€argues€that€more€importance€should€be€attached€to€the€two€existing€lettersÐ ü L  Ðfrom€the€PRE€local€leadership€describing€the€danger€run€by€the€author€if€she€returned€to€Ecuador€inÐ è 8  Ðview€of€her€having€been€the€party's€leading€promoter€for€women's€rights.€The€Committee's€attentionÐ Ô$  Ðis€drawn€to€the€letter€dated€20€August€1999,€which€indicates€that€the€author's€replacement€as€leaderÐ À  Ðof€the€party's€Women's€Front€has€already€been€arrested.€The€fact€that€a€warrant€for€her€arrest€wasÐ ¬ü  Ðissued€as€late€as€26€February€1999€by€the€Ministry€of€the€Interior€ought€to€indicate€that€the€authorÐ ˜è  Ðis€not€wanted€merely€for€disturbing€public€order€in€the€streets€through€political€manifestations.€Ð „Ô  ÐÌ5.4€The€representative€further€recalls€that€the€author€was€raped€in€prison€by€prison€staff,€whoÐ \¬ Ðcooperate€closely€with€the€local€police.€It€is€therefore€not€surprising€that€no€medical€evidence€couldÐ H˜ Ðbe€secured.€The€fact€that€the€author€did€not€reveal€this€information€to€the€Danish€authorities€at€anÐ 4„ Ðearlier€stage€could€be€explained€by€the€fact€that,€like€other€women€in€similar€situations,€she€has€triedÐ  p Ðto€suppress€the€event€from€her€consciousness€and€that€for€obvious€reasons€she€has€limited€trust€inÐ  \ Ðpolice€officers€and€interrogators.€Ð øH ÐÌ5.5€The€representative€notes€that€the€State€party€does€not€find€it€credible€that€the€author€obtained€aÐ Ð  Ðvalid€passport€while€presumably€being€persecuted€by€Ecuadorian€authorities€and€takes€this€asÐ ¼  Ðevidence€of€her€not€being€at€risk€of€torture.€This€argument€is€inconsistent€with€the€State€party'sÐ ¨ø Ðposition€that€all€foreign€nationals,€including€asylum„seekers,€travelling€to€Denmark€should€apply€forÐ ”ä Ðvalid€visas€at€the€nearest€Danish€consulate€before€departure.€Ð €Ð ÐÌ5.6€Finally,€the€representative€submits€that€the€fact€that€Ecuador€is€a€party€of€the€Convention€is€ofÐ X ¨ Ðno€relevance.€The€question€is€whether€Ecuador€is€in€fact€implementing€the€rights€provided€byÐ D!” ÐConvention,€in€particular€the€right€of€leading€opposition€politicians€not€to€be€subjected€to€torture.€Ð 0"€  ÐÌòòIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€CommitteeóóÐ $X" ÐÌ6.1€Before€considering€any€claim€in€a€communication,€the€Committee€against€Torture€must€decideÐ à%0!$ Ðwhether€or€not€a€communication€is€admissible€under€article€22€of€the€Convention.€The€CommitteeÐ Ì&"% Ðhas€ascertained,€as€it€is€required€to€do€under€article€22,€paragraph€5€(a),€of€the€Convention,€that€theÐ ¸'#& Ðsame€matter€has€not€been€and€is€not€being€examined€under€another€procedure€of€internationalÐ ¤(ô#' Ðinvestigation€or€settlement.€Ð )à$( ÐÌ6.2€The€Committee€is€further€of€the€opinion€that€all€domestic€remedies€have€been€exhausted€andÐ h+¸&* Ðfinds€that€no€further€obstacles€to€the€admissibility€of€the€communication€exist.€Since€both€the€StateÐ T,¤'+ Ðparty€and€the€author's€representative€have€provided€observations€on€the€merits€of€the€communication,Ð @-(, Ðthe€Committee€will€proceed€with€the€consideration€of€those€merits.€Ð ° ÐÌ6.3€The€issue€before€the€Committee€is€whether€the€forced€return€of€the€author€to€Ecuador€wouldÐ ˆØ Ðviolate€the€obligation€of€Denmark€under€article€3€of€the€Convention€not€to€expel€or€to€return€a€personÐ tÄ Ðto€another€State€where€there€are€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€he€or€she€would€be€in€dangerÐ `° Ðof€being€subjected€to€torture.€Ð L œ ÐÌ6.4€The€Committee€must€decide,€pursuant€to€article€3,€paragraph€1,€of€the€Convention,€whether€thereÐ $ t Ðare€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€the€author€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€tortureÐ  ` Ðupon€return€to€Ecuador.€In€reaching€this€decision,€the€Committee€must€take€into€account€all€relevantÐ ü L  Ðconsiderations,€pursuant€to€article€3,€paragraph€2,€including€the€existence€of€a€consistent€pattern€ofÐ è 8  Ðgross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights.€The€aim€of€the€determination,€however,€is€toÐ Ô$  Ðestablish€whether€the€individual€concerned€would€be€personally€at€risk€of€being€subjected€to€tortureÐ À  Ðin€the€country€to€which€he€or€she€would€return.€The€existence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross,Ð ¬ü  Ðflagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights€in€a€country€does€not€as€such€constitute€a€sufficientÐ ˜è  Ðground€for€determining€that€a€particular€person€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€uponÐ „Ô  Ðhis€or€return€to€that€country;€specific€grounds€must€exist€indicating€that€the€individual€concernedÐ pÀ Ðwould€be€personally€at€risk.€Similarly,€the€absence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross€violations€ofÐ \¬ Ðhuman€rights€does€not€mean€that€a€person€cannot€be€considered€to€be€in€danger€of€being€subjectedÐ H˜ Ðto€torture€in€his€or€her€specific€circumstances.€Ð 4„ ÐÌ6.5€From€the€information€submitted€by€the€author,€the€Committee€notes€the€author's€activities€forÐ  \ Ðwomen's€rights€in€Ecuador.€It€further€notes€that€the€State€party,€although€expressing€doubts€as€to€theÐ øH Ðcomplete€veracity€of€the€author's€account,€do€not€necessarily€dispute€that€the€author€might€haveÐ ä4 Ðencountered€difficulties€with€the€Ecuadorian€authorities€because€of€her€political€activities.€TheÐ Ð  ÐCommittee€recalls,€òòinter€aliaóó,€that€the€author€has€carried€out€her€political€activities€as€a€member€ofÐ ¼  Ða€lawful€political€party€of€a€country€which€has€ratified€not€only€the€Convention€against€Torture,€butÐ ¨ø Ðhas€also€made€the€optional€declaration€under€article€22€of€the€Convention.€Ð ”ä ÐÌ6.6€The€Committee€notes€that€for€the€purposes€of€article€3€of€the€Convention,€the€individualÐ l¼ Ðconcerned€must€established€that€he€or€she€faces€a€foreseeable,€real€and€personal€risk€of€being€torturedÐ X ¨ Ðin€the€country€to€which€he€or€she€is€returned.€Ð D!” ÐÌ6.7€It€is€the€view€of€the€Committee€that€the€information€presented€by€the€author€does€not€showÐ #l! Ðsubstantial€grounds€for€believing€that€she€runs€a€foreseeable,€real€and€personal€risk€of€being€torturedÐ $X" Ðif€she€is€returned€to€Ecuador.€Ð ô$D # ÐÌ7.€The€Committee€against€Torture,€acting€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€Convention€againstÐ Ì&"% ÐTorture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,€concludes€that€theÐ ¸'#& Ðdecision€of€the€State€party€to€return€the€author€to€Ecuador€does€not€constitute€a€breach€of€article€3Ð ¤(ô#' Ðof€the€Convention.€Ð )à$( ÐÌ[Done€in€English,€French,€Russian€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.]