’WPCĢ  ĀJŠZ}äā.1ę~źd>u{Z’¢ē BĒB¼IŁų³tOų%b±¢Ŗ©jбĖLrŗBu$ž"’9+IzR’,ńF;‹Ū{«ķ-deŠ… Õ<éǜ]9–£‹3‘¦cC$]` š‹ŠD Wš ån¹ēo¢ÉŃ|ŅņÄVófZļc x2%©m”h0¤ÜźŠ‹–Gü:„Āŗ­:4B;PKĀjŲ)@LÄõ|óP)Ŗ…`ŅWseü]Ą²k;I®ZŠŖvQ8͐±'Ā~ÖЇ·HVÖØ@ZbwN˜Ŗ/RڶÖ:ĢØ|,œNö§iĻrę"±Õƒ.’‚8”݁ģg–.†WŁüŽgŔş`‘->hÜĶ­ćü֎ ©ū¹-(ußZ ]Ö6ßk\іä…qå†w’ŻĀäZźÜ"m„)e²Į"hv>‰zæ÷ŸJšš¶ęF’= 暶tżÜE TJ…ß0°£$”ƒ«ŲēėŽŪ†ėCŹ"xm:‘Øż-EtŒm=:Ū ĘøŗÄI;ń§N„ØT”3 XqOÓV/Ų7¢„\^‰ĮŲ‘ĄÅ¤®‡ÅŚiŽ)Tu5MėöQ„µÖ‘æĪ³P[ ān`Ėn‡¢%™ æ¤ńÖšFט#Į&UNē %5 0:;^ uw4…™Ø mŖ 1‡Į 72H 1uz 72ļ 0c! 1‡„ 72 Ö= 1‡ 72š ˜HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - Standard,ä,,,,,ä0&Öd9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ūœ$””ŌUKUS.,Ōyœó* Äpģ* œŲ.”3|x’U‹’ĄĄĄ(5hCEKQW]cioAutoList11.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. 1.3#37=CIQYag­­1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a) i)(;3£$““Ō2#ŌŚ  Ś0Ś  Ś.Ō3  Ōą0  ą(EhCEKQW]cioAutoList21.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.  QaniHalimiNedzibiJanulikLandesgericht fGrStrafsachenunmittelbareAnwendbarkeit(UhCEKQW]cioAutoList31.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.Ż ƒūœ!ŻŌUKUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņCOMMITTEE€AGAINST€TORTUREŠ ° ŠĢņņHalimi„Nedzibi€v.€AustriaóóŠ ą ŠĢCommunication€No.€8/1991Š pĄ ŠĢ5€May€1992Š P   ŠĢCAT/C/8/D/8/1991*Š 0 € ŠĢĢADMISSIBILITYó óŠ P  ŠĢĢņņņņSubmitted€byóó:€€Mr.€Qani€Halimi„NedzibiŠ Š  ŠĢņņAlleged€victimóó:€The€authorŠ ° ŠĢņņState€partyóó:€€Austria€Š ą ŠĢņņDate€of€communicationóó:€27€September€1991Š pĄ ŠĢņņDate€of€present€decisionóó:€5€May€1992óóŠ P  ŠĢĢÓ  Óņņņ ņDecision€on€admissibilityó óóóŠ  p ŠÓ  ÓĢĢÓ  Ó1.€€€The€author€of€the€communication€is€Qani€Halimi„Nedzibi,€a€Yugoslav€citizen,€currentlyŠ š@ Šimprisoned€in€Austria.€He€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€a€violation€of€articles€12€and€15€of€the€ConventionŠ ą0 Šagainst€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment€by€Austria.€HeŠ Š  Šis€represented€by€counsel.Š Ą! ŠĢņņThe€facts€as€submitted€by€the€authoróóŠ  #š! ŠĢ2.1€€€€The€author€was€arrested€on€19€April€1988€and€charged€with€drug„trafficking.€The€trial€at€firstŠ €%Š # Šinstance€opened€on€23€January€1989.€He€was€convicted€on€4€July€1990€of€having€been€in€charge€ofŠ p&Ą!$ Šan€international€drug„trafficking€organization€which€allegedly€operated€from€Austria€betweenŠ `'°"% ŠNovember€1985€and€December€1987.€The€court€of€first€instance€(š šņņLandesgericht€fr€Strafsachenóóšš)Š P( #& Šsentenced€him€to€20€yearsšš€imprisonment,€plus€a€fine€of€2€million€schillings,€as€well€as€a€fine€of€7Š @)$' Šmillion€schillings€in€place€of€the€customs€he€had€failed€to€pay.€On€4€July€1991€the€Court€of€AppealŠ 0*€%( Šrejected€the€authorššs€appeal€against€his€conviction,€but€reduced€the€sentence€of€imprisonment€to€aŠ  +p&) Šterm€of€18€years.Š ,`'* ŠĢ2.2€€€The€author€alleges€that€following€his€arrest€in€1988€he€and€six€named€witnesses€wereŠ š-@), Šmaltreated,€beaten€and€tortured€by€police€inspector€Josef€Janulik,€who€was€in€charge€of€the€criminalŠ ° Šinvestigation.€They€were€allegedly€induced€to€make€incriminating€statements.€The€authorššs€wife,Š  š Šwho€was€in€her€third€or€fourth€month€of€pregnancy,€had€a€miscarriage€shortly€after€she€had€beenŠ ą Šinterrogated€by€police€inspector€Janulik.€The€police€inspector€allegedly€also€threatened€to€kill€theŠ €Š Šauthor.€The€author€raised€these€matters€before€the€investigating€judge€on€5€December€1988.€InŠ pĄ Šparticular,€he€stated€š šI€was€pressured€so€long€until€I€admitted€that€the€drugs€belonged€to€me.Š ` ° ŠInspector€Janulik€grabbed€me€by€the€hair€and€threw€me€against€the€wall;€he€also€submerged€€my€headŠ P   Šin€a€bucket€of€water...€I€suffered€an€eye€injury€which€required€hospital€treatmentšš.Š @  ŠĢ2.3€€€€During€the€trial€at€first€instance€authorššs€counsel€requested€all€statements€made€to€inspectorŠ  p  ŠJanulik€to€be€ruled€inadmissible€as€evidence.€He€referred€to€the€declaration€made€by€Austria€whenŠ `  Šratifying€the€Convention€against€Torture€in€July€1987,€which€readsšš€š šAustria€regards€article€15€foŠ P  Šthe€Convention€as€the€legal€basis€for€the€inadmissibility€provided€for€therein€of€the€use€of€statementsŠ š@  Šwhich€are€established€to€have€been€made€as€a€result€of€torturešš.€The€Court,€however,€ruled€againstŠ ą0  Šhis€motion.Š Š  ŠĢ2.4€€€The€Court€of€Appeal€rejected€counselššs€plea€of€nullity€of€the€judgement€in€first€instance,€takingŠ ° Šinto€consideration€the€Austrian€legislation,€the€non„substantiation€of€the€allegations€and€the€fact€thatŠ  š Šthe€evidence€given€by€the€main€witnesses€remained€unchallenged.€The€Court€decided€that€under€theŠ ą Šcircumstances€the€question€of€direct€applicability€(unmittelbare€Anwendbarkeit)€of€the€ConventionŠ €Š Šagainst€Torture€did€not€arise.Š pĄ ŠĢ2.5€€€The€author€states€that€a€criminal€procedure€against€police€inspector€Janulik€is€pending.Š P  ŠĢņņThe€complaintóóŠ 0€ ŠĢ3.€€€€€The€author€claims€that€the€failure€of€the€Austrian€authorities€promptly€to€investigate€certainŠ ` Šallegations€of€torture€and€the€refusal€of€the€courts€of€first€and€second€instance€to€exclude€as€evidenceŠ P Šagainst€him€statements€allegedly€made€by€him€and€several€witnesses€as€a€result€of€torture€constituteŠ š@ Ša€violation€of€articles€12€and€15€of€the€Convention.Š ą0 ŠĢņņThe€State€partyššs€observations€and€the€authorššs€comments€thereonóóŠ Ą! ŠĢ4.1€€€€€The€State€party,€by€submission€dated€27€February€1992,€argues€that€the€communication€isŠ  #š! Šinadmissible.Š $ą" ŠĢ4.2€€€€It€submits€that€criminal€proceedings€against€inspector€Janulik,€initiated€on€5€March€1990,Š p&Ą!$ Šfollowing€a€complaint€by€the€author,€are€still€pending.€The€length€of€the€investigations€is€attributableŠ `'°"% Što€the€fact€that€difficulties€have€arisen€in€obtaining€the€testimonies€of€witnesses€in€Yugoslavia€andŠ P( #& ŠTurkey.€The€State€party€indicates€that,€if€inspector€Janulik€is€found€guilty€of€having€ill„treatedŠ @)$' Šdetainees€in€order€to€obtain€incriminating€statements,€the€authorššs€case€could€be€reopened.€It€arguesŠ 0*€%( Šthat€a€retrial€would€constitute€an€effective€remedy.Š  +p&) ŠĢ4.3€€€The€State€party€further€contends€that€the€author€could€have€appealed€to€the€Constitutional€CourtŠ -P(+ Šunder€section€144€of€the€Federal€Constitution,€as€he€claims€to€be€the€victim€of€abuse€ofŠ š-@), Šadministrative€power€and€compulsion.Š ° ŠĢ4.4€€€Since€no€appeal€to€the€Constitutional€Court€has€been€submitted€by€the€author€and€criminalŠ ą Šproceedings€against€Mr.€Janulik€are€still€pending,€the€State€party€argues€that€the€communication€isŠ €Š Šinadmissible€under€article€22,€paragraph€5€(b),€of€the€Convention,€on€the€ground€of€non„exhaustionŠ pĄ Šof€domestic€remedies.Š ` ° ŠĢ4.5€€€The€State€party€moreover€argues€that€the€communication€if€inadmissible€as€incompatible€withŠ @  Šthe€provisions€of€the€Convention.€It€submits€that€the€allegations€of€torture€by€the€witnesses€were€notŠ 0 € Šraised€before€the€investigation€judge,€but€only€during€the€trial,€after€the€witnesses€were€confrontedŠ  p  Šwith€their€statements;€prior€to€these€allegations€the€statements€were€properly€deemed€to€beŠ `  Šadmissible€evidence.€Moreover,€the€State€party€argues€that€the€witnesses€gave€independent,Š P  Šadmissible€evidence€before€the€investigating€judge.€The€State€party€states€that€only€one€witnessŠ š@  Šdisputed€the€correctness€of€the€statement€made€by€the€police;€however,€his€statement€did€notŠ ą0  Šincriminate€the€author.€The€correctness€of€other€statements€is€not€in€dispute.Š Š  ŠĢ4.6€€€€As€concerns€the€author,€the€State€party€concedes€that€he€claimed€before€the€investigating€judgeŠ ° Što€have€been€subjected€to€torture;€however,€according€to€the€State€party,€he€denied€the€chargesŠ  š Šagainst€him€and€did€not€make€a€confession€as€such;€thus€it€cannot€be€said€that€his€statements€wereŠ ą Šuse€as€evidence€in€violation€of€article€15.Š €Š ŠĢ4.7€€€Finally,€the€State€party€submits€that€it€appears€from€the€trial€record€that€the€juryššs€verdict€wasŠ `° Šnot€based€on€the€statements€made€by€the€witnesses€who€had€claimed€to€have€been€subjected€toŠ P  Štorture.Š @ ŠĢ5.1€€€In€his€comments€on€the€State€partyššs€submission,€counsel€maintains€that€the€communicationŠ  p Šshould€be€declared€admissible.Š ` ŠĢ5.2€€€As€regards€the€exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies,€counsel€submits€that€it€is€incomprehensibleŠ š@ Šthat€the€criminal€proceedings€against€inspector€Janulik€have€not€yet€been€concluded.€He€contendsŠ ą0 Šthat€the€proceedings€are€unreasonably€prolonged€and€indicates€that€the€delay€appears€to€beŠ Š  Šattributable€to€the€fact€that€the€State€party€has€joined€the€authorššs€case€with€other€pending€mattersŠ Ą! Šagainst€inspector€Janulik.€Thus,€the€difficulties€in€obtaining€the€testimony€of€witnesses€in€YugoslaviaŠ °"  Šand€Turkey,€concerning€another€investigation,€are€postponing€the€clarification€of€the€authorššsŠ  #š! Šallegations.€He€contends€furthermore€that€the€Courts€failed€to€examine€the€allegations€of€torture€inŠ $ą" Ša€timely€fashion,€during€the€criminal€proceedings€against€the€author.Š €%Š # ŠĢ5.3€€€Concerning€the€possibility€of€an€appeal€to€the€Constitutional€Court€under€section€144€of€theŠ `'°"% ŠFederal€Constitution,€counsel€argues€that€this€appeal€is€not€available€to€the€author,€as€this€procedureŠ P( #& Šapplies€to€administrative,€not€to€criminal€law.€Moreover,€counsel€argues€that,€even€if€this€appeal€wereŠ @)$' Šavailable,€it€would€not€constitute€an€effective€remedy,€as€criminal€courts€are€not€bound€by€theŠ 0*€%( Ševaluation€of€evidence€in€the€Constitutional€Court.Š  +p&) ŠĢ5.4€€€Concerning€the€State€partyššs€contention€that€article€15€of€the€Convention€has€not€been€violated,Š -P(+ Šcounsel€submits€that€it€is€not€clear€from€the€text€of€article€15€how€it€should€be€established€that€aŠ š-@), Šstatement€is€made€as€a€result€of€torture.€He€argues€that€it€is€sufficient€that€the€author€adduced€someŠ ° Ševidence€indicating€that€a€statement€was€given€as€a€result€of€torture.€In€this€connection€he€refers€toŠ  š Šthe€difficulty€for€a€victim€to€prove€that€he€has€been€subjected€to€torture,€owing€to€the€isolation€inŠ ą Šdetention€and€the€absence€of€independent€witnesses€during€interrogation.€He€further€states€that€articleŠ €Š Š15€applies€to€š šany€statementšš,€not€only€to€confessions€or€false€statements,€as€the€State€party€seemsŠ pĄ Što€imply.€He€finally€argues€that€it€cannot€be€said€that€the€authorššs€allegations€were€examined€by€theŠ ` ° Šjury€during€his€trial,€as€inspector€Janulik€was€not€questioned€on€the€issue,€nor€confronted€with€theŠ P   Šwitnesses.Š @  ŠĢņņIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€CommitteeóóŠ  p  ŠĢ6.1€€€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Committee€against€TortureŠ P  Šmust€decide€whether€or€not€it€is€admissible€under€article€22€of€the€Convention.Š š@  ŠĢ6.2€€€The€Committee€has€ascertained,€as€it€is€required€to€do€under€article€22,€paragraph€5€(a),€of€theŠ Š  ŠConvention,€that€the€same€matter€has€not€been€and€is€not€being€examined€under€another€procedureŠ Ą Šof€international€investigation€or€settlement.€The€Committee€is€aware€that€the€European€CommissionŠ ° Šof€Human€Rights€has€registered€a€case€concerning€the€author,€but€regarding€a€different€matter.Š  š ŠĢ6.3€€€Article€22,€paragraph€5€(b),€of€the€Convention€precludes€the€Committee€from€considering€anyŠ €Š Šcommunication€from€an€individual,€unless€it€has€ascertained€that€the€individual€has€exhausted€allŠ pĄ Šavailable€domestic€remedies;€this€rule€does€not€apply€if€it€is€established€that€the€application€ofŠ `° Šdomestic€remedies€has€been€or€would€be€unreasonably€prolonged€or€would€be€unlikely€to€bringŠ P  Šeffective€relief.Š @ ŠĢ6.4€€€On€the€basis€of€the€facts€stated€in€the€communication€by€the€author€and€in€the€reply€by€the€StateŠ  p Šparty,€the€Committee€is€of€the€opinion€that€there€has€been€an€unjustified€delay€in€the€conduct€ofŠ ` Šinvestigations€designed€to€determine€the€veracity€of€the€complaint€of€torture€which€the€author€madeŠ P Što€the€judicial€authorities.€It€should€be€noted€that€Mr.€Qani€Halimi„Nedzibi€made€the€allegation€ofŠ š@ Štorture€in€December€1988€(see€para.€2.2)€and€that€the€State€party€proceeded€on€5€March€1990€to€openŠ ą0 Šan€investigation€against€Mr.€Janulik,€which€is€still€pending.Š Š  ŠĢ6.5€€€The€lack€of€a€decision€in€the€proceeding€against€MR.€Janulik€makes€it€absolutely€pointless€toŠ °"  Šapply€for€any€domestic€remedy€based€on€a€violation€of€article€15€of€the€Convention,€including€aŠ  #š! Špossible€constitutional€appeal.Š $ą" ŠĢ6.6€€€The€fact€that€there€was€no€prompt€and€impartial€investigation€of€the€complaint€by€the€author,Š p&Ą!$ Šas€required€under€articles€12€and€13€of€the€Convention,€also€does€not€appear€to€be€subject€to€appealŠ `'°"% Šat€this€stage€through€the€filling€of€an€application€for€some€domestic€remedy.Š P( #& ŠĢ6.7€€€The€Committee€considers,€moreover,€that,€in€order€to€decide€on€the€formal€admissibility€of€theŠ 0*€%( Šcommunication,€it€does€not€have€to€state€an€opinion€on€the€arguments€as€to€the€merits€put€forwardŠ  +p&) Šby€the€State€party€on€article€15€of€the€Convention.Š ,`'* ŠĢŠ š-@), Š6.8€€€Although€the€author€has€referred€only€to€articles€12€an€15€of€the€Convention,€the€CommitteeŠ ° Šnotes€that€the€facts€as€presented€may€raise€questions€relating€to€other€provisions€of€the€Convention.Š  š ŠĢ6.9€€€The€Committee€none€the€less€draws€the€attention€of€the€State€party€to€rule€110,€paragraph€6,€ofŠ €Š Šits€rules€of€procedure,€which€provides€that€any€decision€on€the€admissibility€of€a€communication€mayŠ pĄ Šbe€reviewed€in€the€light€of€any€relevant€information€that€might€subsequently€be€received.Š ` ° ŠĢ7.€€€€€The€Committee€against€Torture€therefore€decides:Š @  ŠĢą  ą(a)€That€the€communication€is€admissible;Š  p  ŠĢą  ą(b)€That,€in€accordance€with€article€22,€paragraph€3,€of€the€Convention,€the€State€party€beŠ P  Šrequested€to€submit€to€the€Committee,€within€six€months€of€the€date€of€the€transmittal€to€it€of€thisŠ š@  Šdecision,€written€explanations€or€statements€clarifying€the€matter€and€the€remedy,€if€any,€that€mayŠ ą0  Šhave€been€taken€by€it.€The€State€party€is€requested,€in€particular,€to€provide€the€Committee€with€aŠ Š  Šcopy€of€the€trial€transcript;€Š Ą ŠĢą  ą(c)€That€the€State€party€be€requested€to€forward€to€the€Committee€any€information€relatingŠ  š Što€the€state€of€the€authorššs€health,€a€photocopy€of€his€medical€file,€and,€in€particular,€a€photocopy€ofŠ ą Šthe€file€of€the€1988€hospital€examination€of€his€eye€injury;Š €Š ŠĢą  ą(d)€That€the€author€be€invited€to€give€the€State€party€the€necessary€authorization€for€theŠ `° Šsubmission€of€the€document€under€(c)€and€to€forward€to€the€Committee€all€the€medical€documentsŠ P  Šat€his€disposal;Š @ ŠĢą  ą(e)€That€the€Secretary„General€shall€transmit€any€information€or€observations€received€fromŠ  p Šeither€of€the€parties€to€the€other€party,€to€enable€that€party€to€comment€thereon.€Any€such€commentsŠ ` Šshould€reach€the€Committee€against€Torture€in€care€of€the€Centre€for€Human€Rights,€United€NationsŠ P ŠOffice€at€Geneva,€within€six€weeks€of€the€date€of€the€transmittal;Š š@ ŠĢą  ą(f)€That€this€decision€shall€be€communicated€to€the€State€party,€to€the€author€and€to€hisŠ Š  Šcounsel.Š Ą! ŠĢ[Done€in€English,€French,€Russian€and€Spanish,€the€English€and€Spanish€being€the€original€version]Š  #š! ŠĢĢ___________Š p&Ą!$ Šņņ*óó/€€€All€persons€handling€this€document€are€requested€to€respect€and€observe€its€confidential€nature.Š `'°"% ŠĢÓ  Ó