’WPCi °I Z™'蘟8R“X‹Ŗł«ŅŲ‘ vqŒÖŽž2³æKHϼ+Bx0ÓfĆƳ°ŸżD£#ńī”<Źų¼(fšį(K!f¹brŻ£m±o½I4“ĆA+j$¼’RŅ• @iH}ÓiŠÆóYæŽl¬ģŖœ@Ž‹ŚšÕ©Ž‹źc»t~ty¢ĘIK§`zMh ’57‘Iž†÷Ś 3Ŗ|R¹“qœ¼ Ļ%7.oĆnŸ#’~A(’{€ó&°Fˆź’UéNšU$'ó*æNG¶L ™“Īķ}0¹ė|%Ē”'?y÷­ŽżęŅł7h`]$$Š’¤į$…æ±Gøv^©Q½od‘ĮO8ĆG$ķ(ēśŖ›l€§ŗŠµM¦ śė’ČV$If¼Łī&eŖ³Ÿ%Čć”cł: ø‹ĆWŖKÜ«$eĖ®oD–Œõ“Į¶)U6Ó01€*xš+ģo•ćņŠÆćpBŌ~`ÓjŁIš)P\gšf ė&'{8yZ؊Ģyg»O2–?¼- ē±ĆdZ•©0Y’XīęōR©³pk¼¤alŸģ ÅIpÜĶĻ„9Ż·%HÖVuņwĒk¶ $Į$Ņ#fć’ŗņU]Į(–#ĮÄUN… %Ó 0:Ł^ w4#7F mH__Ng˜HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - Standard,ä,,,,,ä0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(üœ$””ŌUSUS.,Ōyś* Äpģ*4 k1`cŸ3|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ Ż ƒüœ!ŻŌUSUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņCOMMITTEE€ON€THE€ELIMINATION€OF€RACIAL€DISCRIMINATIONŠ ° ŠņņĢŌ_ŌNarrainenŌ_Ō€Ō_Ōv.Ō_Ō€NorwayóóŠ ą ŠĢCommunication€No.€3/1991Š pĄ ŠĢ16€March€1993Š P   ŠĢŌ_ŌCERDŌ_Ō/C/42/D/3/1991*Š 0 € Šó óĢĢņ ņADMISSIBILITYó óŠ P  ŠĢĢņņņņSubmitted€byóó:€€Michel€Ō_ŌL.N.Ō_Ō€Ō_ŌNarrainenŌ_Ō€(represented€by€counsel)Š Š  ŠĢņņAlleged€victimóó:€€The€authorŠ ° ŠĢņņState€party€concernedóó:€€NorwayŠ ą ŠĢņņDate€of€communicationóó:€€15€August€1991€(initial€submission)Š pĄ ŠĢņņDocumentation€referencesóó:€€Prior€decisions€„€noneŠ P  ŠĢņņDate€of€present€decisionóó:€€16€March€1993óóŠ 0€ ŠĢĢÓ  Óņņņ ņDecision€on€admissibilityó óóóŠ P ŠÓ»ÓĢĢÓ  Ó1.€€The€author€of€the€communication€(initial€submission€dated€15€August€1991)€is€Michel€Ō_ŌL.N.Ō_ŌŠ Š  ŠŌ_ŌNarrainenŌ_Ō,€a€Norwegian€citizen€born€in€1942,€currently€detained€at€Ō_ŌBastoyŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌLandsfengselŌ_Ō,€Norway.€Š Ą! ŠHe€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€violations€by€Norway€of€his€rights€under€the€international€ConventionŠ °"  Šon€the€Elimination€of€All€Forms€of€Racial€Discrimination,€but€does€not€invoke€specific€provisionsŠ  #š! Šof€the€Convention.Š $ą" ŠĢņņThe€facts€as€found€by€the€Committee:óóŠ p&Ą!$ ŠĢ2.1€€The€author€is€of€Tamil€origin€and€was€born€in€Mauritius;€in€1972,€he€was€naturalized€andŠ P( #& Šbecame€a€Norwegian€citizen.€€On€25€January€1990,€he€was€arrested€in€connection€with€a€drug„relatedŠ @)$' Šoffence.€€On€8€February€1991,€before€the€Ō_ŌEidsivatingŌ_Ō€High€Court€(Court€of€Appeal€„Š 0*€%( Šš šŌ_ŌLagmannsrettenŌ_Ōšš),€a€jury€of€ten€found€him€guilty€of€offences€against€Section€162€of€the€CriminalŠ  +p&) ŠCode€(drug€trafficking),€and€the€author€was€sentenced€to€six€and€a€half€yearsšš€of€imprisonment.€€TheŠ ,`'* Šauthor€appealed€to€the€Supreme€Court,€but€leave€to€appeal€was€denied€in€early€March€1991.€€On€17Š -P(+ ŠFebruary€1992,€the€author€filed€a€petition€for€re„opening€of€the€case.€€By€order€of€8€July€1992,€theŠ š-@), ŠŌ_ŌCourt€of€Appeal€refused€the€request.€€The€author€again€appealed€the€order€to€the€Supreme€CourtŠ ° Šwhich,€on€24€September€1992,€ruled€that€the€case€was€not€to€be€re„opened.Š  š ŠĢ2.2€€The€author€contends€that€there€was€no€case€against€him,€except€for€the€evidence€given€by€anotherŠ €Š Šindividual,€S.B.€already€convicted€of€drug„related€offences,€who€allegedly€had€been€promised€aŠ pĄ Šreduction€of€his€sentence€in€exchange€for€providing€incriminating€evidence€against€the€author.€€InŠ ` ° Šcourt,€S.B.€withdrew€these€allegations.€€In€the€same€context,€the€author€complains€about€the€allegedlyŠ P   Šš šracistšš€attitude€of€the€investigating€police€officer,€S.A.,€who€reportedly€made€it€clear€that€heŠ @  Šš šwished€that€people€like€me€had€never€set€foot€in€his€countryšš€(authorššs€quote).Š 0 € ŠĢ2.3€€The€author€contends€that€under€the€terms€of€the€initial€indictment,€he€was€accused€of€havingŠ `  ŠŌ_ŌtravelledŌ_Ō€to€the€Netherlands€in€the€early€summer€of€1989€to€buy€amphetamines.€€When€he€was€ableŠ P  Što€produce€evidence€that,€at€the€time€in€question,€he€was€in€Mauritius,€the€initial€indictment€allegedlyŠ š@  Šwas€changed€in€court,€after€his€own€legal€representative€had€contacted€the€prosecution€and€asked€forŠ ą0  Šthe€indictment€to€be€changed.€€The€author€adds€that€it€was€impossible€for€him€to€have€had€anyŠ Š  Šcontacts€with€S.B.€or€his€friends€prior€to€or€during€the€trial.Š Ą ŠĢ2.4€€The€author€further€contends€that€two€jurors€in€the€Court€of€Appeal€were€biased€against€him€andŠ  š Šthat€they€openly€stated€that€individuals€such€as€the€author,€who€lived€on€taxpayersšš€money,€shouldŠ ą Šbe€sent€back€to€where€they€had€come€from.€€The€remarks€allegedly€included€slurs€on€the€Ō_ŌcolourŌ_Ō€ofŠ €Š Šthe€authorššs€skin.€€Yet€these€jurors,€although€challenged,€were€not€disqualified€by€the€Court€andŠ pĄ Šparticipated€in€the€deliberations€of€the€verdict.Š `° ŠĢ2.5€€The€State€party€gives€the€following€version€of€the€incident€referred€to€by€the€author€(seeŠ @ Šparagraph€2.4):Š 0€ ŠĢą0  ą€€€€€€€€š šThe€Court€record€shows€that€during€a€break€in€the€court€proceedings,€a€law€student,Š ` ŠMs.€Ō_ŌS.R.H.Ō_Ō,€overheard€a€private€conversation€between€two€members€of€the€jury,€Ms.€A.Ō_ŌM.J.Ō_ŌŠ P Šand€Ms.€Ō_ŌS.M.M.Ō_Ō€€This€conversation€was€referred€to€Ō_ŌdefenceŌ_Ō€counsel,€who€requested€that€oneŠ š@ Šof€the€jurors€be€dismissed.€€The€court€called€the€law€student€and€the€two€jurors€to€testify.Š ą0 Š[They]€agreed€on€the€facts:€€Ms.€J.€had€expressed€dismay€at€the€defendant€receiving€Ō_ŌNOKŌ_ŌŠ Š  Š9,000€a€month€without€having€to€work€for€it,€and€had€also€said€that€he€ought€to€be€sent€backŠ Ą! Što€where€he€came€from.€€Ms.€M.€had€said€that€the€purpose€of€a€case€like€this€was€to€get€moreŠ °"  Šinformation€about€the€drug€trafficking.€€The€law€student,€Ms.€H.,€had€at€this€point€entered€theŠ  #š! Šconversation,€saying€that€the€purpose€of€a€case€like€this€was€to€determine€whether€theŠ $ą" Šdefendant€was€guilty.€€According€to€the€three€witnesses,€the€question€of€guilt€had€otherwiseŠ €%Š # Šnot€been€mentioned€by€any€of€them.Šp&Ą!$(#(# ŠĢą0  ą€€€€€€€Ō_ŌDefenceŌ_Ō€counsel€requested€that€Ms.€J.€be€dismissed€from€the€jury€because,€according€toŠ P( #& ŠSection€108€of€the€Courtsšš€Act,€a€juror€could€be€disqualified€if€there€are€circumstances...aptŠ @)$' Što€impair€confidence€in€his€or€her€impartiality.€€The€Prosecutor€claimed€that€nothing€had€beenŠ 0*€%( Šsaid€that€could€influence€the€members€of€the€jury,€and€that€everyone€was€entitled€to€haveŠ  +p&) Šopinions.€€Discussing€private€opinions€during€a€break€[was]€no€ground€for€disqualification,Š ,`'* Šand€the€case€itself€had€not€been€discussed€by€the€three€persons.Š-P(+(#(# ŠŠ š-@), ŠŌ_Ōą0  ą€€€€€€€The€Court€unanimously€decided€that€Ms.€J.€should€not€be€disqualified€because€she€hadŠ ° Šnot€discussed€the€question€of€guilt€in€the€present€case,€and€the€views€she€had€expressed€wereŠ  š Šnot€uncommon€in€Norwegian€society.ššŠą(#(# ŠĢņņThe€complaintóó:Š pĄ ŠĢ3.1€The€author€claims€that€racist€considerations€played€a€significant€part€in€his€conviction,€as€theŠ P   Ševidence€against€him€would€not€have€supported€a€guilty€verdict.€€He€adds€that€he€could€not€haveŠ @  Šexpected€to€obtain€a€fair€and€impartial€trial,€as€š šall€members€of€the€jury€came€from€a€certain€part€ofŠ 0 € ŠOslo€where€racism€is€at€its€peakšš.€€He€asserts€that€this€situation€violated€his€rights€under€theŠ  p  ŠInternational€Convention€on€the€Elimination€of€All€Forms€of€Racial€Discrimination.Š `  ŠĢ3.2€€The€author€claims€that€other€factors€should€be€taken€into€consideration€in€assessing€whether€heŠ š@  Šwas€the€victim€of€racial€discrimination.€€In€this€context,€he€mentions€the€amount€of€time€spent€inŠ ą0  Šcustody€prior€to€the€trial€(380€days),€out€of€which€a€total€of€nine€months€were€allegedly€spent€inŠ Š  Šisolation,€and€the€quality€of€his€legal€representation:€€thus,€although€he€was€assigned€legal€counselŠ Ą Šfree€of€charge,€his€representative€š šwas€more€of€a€prosecutor€than€a€lawyer€of€the€defence.šš€€Finally,Š ° Šthe€author€considers€that€a€previous€drug„related€conviction,€in€1983,€was€disproportionably€andŠ  š Šunreasonably€used€as€character€evidence€against€him€during€the€trial€in€February€1991.Š ą ŠĢņņThe€State€partyššs€information€and€observations€and€authorššs€comments:óóŠ pĄ ŠĢ4.1€€The€State€party€considers€that€the€communication€should€be€declared€inadmissible€as€manifestlyŠ P  Šill„founded,€š šin€accordance€with€the€established€practice€in€similar€international€human€rightsŠ @ Šmonitoring€bodiesšš.Š 0€ ŠĢ4.2€€As€to€the€authorššs€claim€that€he€was€denied€his€right€to€equal€treatment€before€the€courts€becauseŠ ` Šthe€jurors€were€selected€from€a€part€of€Oslo€known€for€a€prevalence€of€racist€opinions,€the€State€partyŠ P Šnotes€that€no€documentation€has€been€adduced€in€support€of€this€contention.€€Authorššs€counsel€onlyŠ š@ Šrequested€that€one€juror€be€disqualified;€for€the€rest€of€the€jurors,€it€is€submitted€that€the€matterŠ ą0 Šshould€have€been€raised€in€court,€and€domestic€remedies€cannot€be€deemed€exhausted€in€theirŠ Š  Šrespect.Š Ą! ŠĢ4.3€€After€explaining€the€operation€of€Section€108€of€the€Courtsšš€Act€(governing€the€disqualificationŠ  #š! Šof€jurors),€the€State€party€points€out€that€it€is€not€uncommon€for€jurors€to€have€negative€feelingsŠ $ą" Štowards€the€defendant€in€a€criminal€case,€but€that€this€does€not€imply€that€they€are€incapable€ofŠ €%Š # Šgiving€the€defendant€a€fair€hearing.€€In€the€instant€case,€the€views€expressed€by€the€jurors€were€of€aŠ p&Ą!$ Šgeneral€nature,€and€the€courtššs€decision€not€to€disqualify€the€juror€was€unanimous.Š `'°"% ŠĢ4.4€€As€to€the€authorššs€claim€of€unfairly€expeditious€dismissal€of€his€appeal€to€the€Supreme€Court,Š @)$' Šthe€State€party€notes€that€under€Section€335,€subsection€2,€of€the€Code€of€Criminal€Procedure,€noŠ 0*€%( Šappeal€may€be€filed€with€the€Supreme€Court€if€it€merely€concerns€the€evaluation€of€evidence€in€theŠ  +p&) Šcase.€€In€the€authorššs€case,€the€appeal€was€based€on€two€grounds:€€the€issue€of€the€juryššs€impartialityŠ ,`'* Š(as€a€procedural€error)€and€the€severity€of€the€prison€term€imposed€on€the€author.€€The€State€partyŠ -P(+ Šnotes€that€under€Section€349€of€the€Code€of€Criminal€Procedure,€leave€to€appeal€should€not€beŠ š-@), Šgranted€if€the€Appeals€Board€is€unanimous€that€an€appeal€would€not€succeed.€€Under€Section€360,Š ° Šprocedural€errors€shall€only€be€taken€into€consideration€if€they€are€deemed€to€have€affected€theŠ  š Šsubstance€of€the€judgement.€€In€the€authorššs€case,€the€issue€of€the€length€of€the€prison€term€wasŠ ą Šconsidered,€but€as€the€answer€to€whether€the€Supreme€Court€should€hear€the€appeal€was€negative,Š €Š Šit€was€deemed€unlikely€that€the€sentence€would€be€reduced.€€Concluding€on€this€issue,€the€State€partyŠ pĄ Šinsists€that€there€is€no€indication€that€the€author€was€not€given€the€same€opportunities€to€defend€hisŠ ` ° Šcase€before€the€courts€as€other€individuals,€in€connection€both€with€the€appeal€and€the€request€for€aŠ P   Šre„opening€of€the€case,€regardless€of€race,€colour€of€skin,€ethnic€origin,€etc.Š @  ŠĢ4.5€€As€to€the€length€of€the€pre„trial€detention,€the€State€party€explains€that€a€little€over€one€year€ofŠ  p  Špre„trial€custody€is€not€unusual€in€cases€involving€drug„related€offences.€€According€to€the€StateŠ `  Šparty,€the€delay€of€nine€months€from€arrest€to€the€dispatch€of€the€indictment€to€the€Court€of€AppealŠ P  Šwas€partly€attributable€to€the€author€himself,€since€he€changed€his€lawyer€several€times€while€inŠ š@  Šcustody,€which€in€turn€delayed€the€preparations€for€the€main€hearing.€€The€State€party€submits€thatŠ ą0  Šnothing€indicates€that€the€author€was€kept€in€custody€longer€than€other€suspects€merely€because€ofŠ Š  Šhis€origin;€this€part€of€the€complaint€therefore€is€also€said€to€be€inadmissible€as€manifestly€ill„Š Ą Šfounded.Š ° ŠĢ4.6€€Finally,€the€State€party€dismisses€as€manifestly€ill„founded€the€authorššs€complaint€about€theŠ ą Šquality€of€his€legal€representation.€€Under€Section€107€of€the€Code€of€Criminal€Procedure,€a€court„Š €Š Šappointed€lawyer€is€remunerated€by€the€State;€the€author€had€the€opportunity€to€choose€his€ownŠ pĄ Šcounsel€throughout€the€judicial€proceedings,€and€it€cannot€be€said€that€he€was€subjected€to€racialŠ `° Šdiscrimination€in€this€respect.Š P  ŠĢ5.1€€In€his€comments,€the€author€challenges€the€State€partyššs€submission€on€various€procedural€andŠ 0€ Šfactual€grounds.€€He€claims€that€the€State€partyššs€version€of€the€judicial€proceedings€is€one„sided,Š  p Šbecause€it€is€adapted€from€the€Court€Book,€which€according€to€him€reveals€little€of€substance.€€HeŠ ` Šfurther€asserts€that€in€a€letter€to€the€Registry€of€the€Supreme€Court,€the€prosecutor€himself€admittedŠ P Šthat€the€only€prosecution€witness€against€Mr.€Narrainen€acknowledge€in€court€to€have€been€pressedŠ š@ Šby€the€investigating€officer€to€make€a€false€and€incriminating€statement.€€As€this€virtually€destroyedŠ ą0 Šthe€probative€value€of€the€prosecutionššs€case,€the€author€concludes€that€he€was€convicted€on€the€basisŠ Š  Šof€racist€ideas€and€serious€errors€committed€by€the€investigating€authorities.Š Ą! ŠĢ5.2€€The€author€reiterates€that€several€factors€in€his€case,€including€the€gathering€and€the€evaluationŠ  #š! Šof€evidence,€the€omission€of€important€statements€in€the€court€book,€the€absence€of€seriousŠ $ą" Špreparation€of€his€defence€by€the€court„appointed€lawyers,€the€handling€of€his€appeal,€all€underlineŠ €%Š # Šthat€he€was€denied€a€fair€and€impartial€hearing,€and€that€his€conviction€was€based€on€racistŠ p&Ą!$ Šconsiderations.Š `'°"% ŠĢņņIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€Committee:óóŠ @)$' ŠĢ6.1€€Before€considering€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Committee€on€the€Elimination€ofŠ  +p&) ŠRacial€Discrimination€must,€in€accordance€with€rule€91€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€decide€whether€orŠ ,`'* Šnot€it€is€admissible€under€the€Convention.Š -P(+ ŠŠ š-@), Š6.2€€The€Committee€has€duly€considered€the€State€partyššs€objections€to€the€admissibility€of€theŠ ° Šcommunication€on€the€grounds€that€the€authorššs€claims€are€either€unfounded€or€unsubstantiated.€€TheŠ  š ŠCommittee€concludes,€however,€that€the€communication€satisfies€the€conditions€for€admissibility,Š ą Šset€out€in€rule€91€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€and€that€it€may€raise€issues€of€an€unfair€trial€under€articleŠ €Š Š5(a)€of€the€Convention€which€should€be€examined€on€their€merits.Š pĄ ŠĢ7.€€The€Committee€on€the€Elimination€of€Racial€Discrimination€therefore€decides:Š P   ŠĢą0  ą(a)€€That€the€communication€is€admissible€insofar€as€it€may€raise€issues€under€article€5(a)€ofŠ 0 € Šthe€Convention;Š p (#(# ŠĢą0  ą(b)€€That€the€State€party€be€requested€to€submit€its€written€observations€on€the€merits€of€theŠ P  Šcommunication€within€three€months€of€the€date€of€the€transmittal€to€it€of€the€present€decision,Š š@  Špursuant€to€article€14,€paragraph€6(b),€of€the€Convention€and€rule€94,€paragraph€2,€of€theŠ ą0  ŠCommitteeššs€rules€of€procedure;ŠŠ (#(# ŠĢą0  ą(c)€€That€any€written€observations€received€from€the€State€party€pursuant€to€this€decision€beŠ ° Štransmitted€to€the€author,€who€may,€within€six€weeks€of€the€date€of€the€transmittal,€submitŠ  š Šcomments€on€the€State€partyššs€observations,€if€he€so€wishes;Аą(#(# ŠĢą0  ą(d)€€That€this€decision€be€communicated€to€the€State€party€and€to€the€author.ŠpĄ(#(# ŠĢ[Done€in€English,€French,€Russian€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.]Š P  ŠĢĢ___________Š  p Šą  ąņņ*óó/€€All€persons€handling€this€document€are€requested€to€respect€and€observe€its€confidentialŠ ` Šnature.Š P ŠÓÓ