ÿWPCG RSz‚äÆ‹øc@MÖ˜Ïóøc@’fŸ¤SW­õÙ^a¢±Ò'SfKRçä.k¥Ø¿ES2) •â`쎫Ͽ:+úƒvXªEÊÊ­â“m^Þ›úùvb½, À)Dï9#Úø©+±3"ªˆ%[è¶ÅCî½eæÙH"»Õ­I¬'ßrK„šÛ§Tc<(ÖQN¬‰Û£×j€€ñh„PÎ-‘·ƒQþÇáý7d{ýºÔn¤#0¯ê¯ÏšÖ´,£J70•ÆrùªC›]Öˆ<^L«/ßãnÄê5Èâ[ õ í%„‚¼p§áD®±„–/"z@k>±Í…Šr«§ê‹¤4‘›OzxÂXßðËܶ-pó]OÂ)yiø"½ªHqf˜ŒkXoiù¬²sƒ~ÖlˆavªÒtãٸΘ-©{Õoû‘ þ™#]jUQŽ¹ky¥m‰°¥qŠ­.Åh¿ŠdɼçzI‚]Sg„ÈÒò tzáÕ± mZ1ÿ3ºµ“ª‡0‰ÇýB@û¹ê óÒ¼5Y°Ðâ «(ŸÏ9BBuu¦j6ëK&íŽwÉzBϱµ÷^dKÆY= Êœ–‚^G#Aœ}M À£Bv̦i¾Á¾‰k!U>Π 0µÎ 0<ƒ 0Y¿ 0_ 0iwÆà 0Ѧ 0(w D+Ÿ AMÊ Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê Ê  0N' 0¶u #!+ UNL %š M  (¤ NÌ ^ Î w@Ú 4. m0ô\  `‹&Times New Roman' X v. The Netherlands, Communication No. 36/1995, U.N. Doc. CAT/C/16/D/36/1995 (1996).*/36/1995 (1996)."Angie Dituri"0Angie Dituri .   6F , ÿÿ4Heading 3Ô S ÔÓ p^SÓÔ€£££Ôò òÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ€XXXÔó óÓ p^SÓ<ÿÿ:Default Para6ÿÿ4HyperlinkóóòòÔ ÿ ÔóóÔ  Ô<ÿÿ:FollowedHypeóóòòÔ  ÔóóÔ  Ô< ÿÿ:Normal (Web)Ô S ÔÓ =jSÓÓ =jSÓ Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5(©2=N$££Ý ƒg;!ÝÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X²+XXXÔÔ€X²+XXX²+ÔÝ  Ý(ÿÿ$’’'dxd A<< cÿÿ#|x(ÍO$——ÔÿÔòòóóÔÿÔ(Žg;$¡¡ÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€XêÞXXXÔÔ€XêÞXXXêÞÔ˜HP LaserJet 4000 Series PSÈÚØÚÚØÈÚ0(ÈhH  Z‹6Times New Roman RegularXHs4)Æ E[£DUU£as()rtyBar¸áŸÿU‹ÿÀÀÀÝ ƒg;!ÝÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X²+XXXÔÔ€X²+XXX²+ÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôò òCOMMITTEE€AGAINST€TORTUREÐ ° ÐÌòòX€v.€The€NetherlandsóóÐ ˆØ ÐÌCommunication€No.€36/1995*ÌÌ8€May€1996ÌÌCAT/C/16/D/36/1995ÌÌÌVIEWSó óÐ Ô$  ÐÌññÌññÌòòòòSubmitted€byóó:€XÐ ˜è  ÐÌòòAlleged€victimóó:€The€authorÐ pÀ ÐÌòòState€partyóó:€The€NetherlandsÐ H˜ ÐÌòòDate€of€communicationóó:€17€November€1995€óóÐ  p ÐÌÌòòññÓ  ÓññThe€Committee€against€Tortureóó,€established€under€article€17€of€the€Convention€againstÐ ä4 ÐTorture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,ÌÌòòMeetingóó€on€8€May€1996,Ð ¨ø ÐÌòòHaving€concludedóó€its€consideration€of€communication€No.€36/1995,€submitted€to€theÐ €Ð ÐCommittee€against€Torture€under€article€22€of€the€Convention€against€Torture€and€OtherÏCruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,ÌÌòòHaving€taken€into€accountóó€all€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€author€of€theÐ 0"€  Ðcommunication,€his€counsel€and€the€State€party,ÌÌòòAdoptsóó€the€following:Ð ô$D # ÐññÌññÌññÓnÓññòòò òññÓ  ÓññViews€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€Conventionó óóó€Ð ¸'#& ÐññÓ_ÓÓÓññññÌññÌ1.€The€author€of€the€communication€is€X,€a€Ô_ÔZairianÔ_Ô€citizen,€at€the€time€of€submission€of€theÏcommunication€awaiting€his€deportation€from€the€Netherlands.€He€claims€that€his€return€toÏZaire€would€be€in€violation€of€article€3€of€the€Convention€against€Torture.€He€is€representedÏby€counsel.Ð D-”(, ЇòòFacts€as€submitted€by€the€authoróóÐ ° ÐÌ2.1€The€author€states€that€he€is€a€sympathizer€of€the€political€movement€òòUnion€pour€laÐ ˆØ ÐÔ_ÔDmocratieÔ_Ô€et€le€Ô_ÔProgrsÔ_Ô€Socialóó€(Ô_ÔUDPSÔ_Ô).€In€1992€he€was€arrested€with€many€others€duringÐ tÄ Ða€mass€demonstration€and€kept€in€detention€for€several€days.€The€author€states€that€he€wasÏbeaten€with€a€rope€with€wire€in€it.€In€1993,€the€author€was€again€arrested€and€kept€inÏdetention€for€a€few€days.€After€his€release,€he€left€the€country.€ÌÌ2.2€The€author's€request€for€political€asylum€in€the€Netherlands€was€rejected€by€the€StateÏSecretary€of€Justice.€The€Secretary€accepted€that€the€author€had€been€detained€twice,€butÏconsidered€that€nothing€indicated€that€he€was€perceived€as€an€important€political€opponentÏby€the€Ô_ÔZairianÔ_Ô€authorities.€In€this€connection,€the€Secretary€noted€that€the€author€had€not€beenÏharassed€by€the€authorities€in€the€period€between€his€first€and€second€arrest.ÌÌ2.3€The€author€subsequently€requested€a€review€of€this€decision€and€requested€the€PresidentÏof€the€Court€in€The€Hague€to€grant€provisional€measures€to€defer€his€expulsion€until€aÏdecision€on€his€request€for€review€had€been€taken.€The€author's€request€was€rejected.€TheÏPresident€considered€that€the€situation€in€Zaire€was€not€such€as€to€justify€a€generalÏprohibition€of€returning€persons€to€the€country.€He€found€that€the€author€had€failed€to€showÏthat€he€personally€was€at€risk€of€being€detained€and€tortured€upon€return.€In€this€connection,Ïthe€President€considered€that€the€author's€activities€in€support€of€the€Ô_ÔUDPSÔ_Ô€had€only€beenÏmarginal€and€that€he€was€not€known€as€a€political€opponent.ÌÌòòThe€complaintóóÐ ä4 ÐÌ3.1€The€author€claims€that€his€forced€return€to€Zaire€would€lead€to€him€being€killed€becauseÏof€his€political€activities.€Counsel€adds€that€he€fears€to€be€detained€and€tortured€upon€return.ÌÌ3.2€The€author€asks€the€Committee€to€request€the€Netherlands€to€take€interim€measures€ofÏprotection€and€not€to€expel€him€while€his€communication€is€under€consideration€by€theÏCommittee.ÌÌòòThe€State€party's€observations€on€the€admissibility€and€on€the€merits€of€the€communicationóóÐ 0"€  ÐÌ4.1€In€its€submission,€dated€22€January€1996,€the€State€party€acknowledges€that€X€hasÏexhausted€domestic€remedies,€and€does€not€raise€any€objections€to€the€admissibility€of€theÏcommunication.€In€accordance€with€the€request€of€the€Committee€against€Torture,€the€authorÏwill€not€be€expelled€while€his€communication€is€under€consideration€by€the€Committee.ÌÌ4.2€As€to€the€merits,€the€State€party€begins€by€explaining€the€refugee€determination€processÏin€the€Netherlands.€Asylum€applications€in€the€Netherlands€are€dealt€with€by€the€ImmigrationÏand€Naturalization€Service€(INS)€under€the€responsibility€of€the€State€Secretary€for€Justice.ÏIn€addition€to€the€information€supplied€by€the€individual,€the€INS,€when€assessing€individualÏapplications€for€asylum,€also€takes€into€consideration€the€findings€of€the€NetherlandsÏMinistry€of€Foreign€Affairs€concerning€the€asylum€seeker's€country€of€origin€which€are€laidÐ @-(, ÐÔ_Ôdown€in€Ministry€reports€(òòÔ_ÔambtsberichtenÔ_Ôóó)€as€well€as€information€supplied€by€the€UnitedÐ ° ÐNations€High€Commissioner€for€Refugees€and€organizations€such€as€Amnesty€International.ÌÌ4.3€The€State€party€states€that€decisions€on€asylum€applications€can€be€contested€before€fiveÏDistrict€Courts€(òòÔ_ÔrechtbankenÔ_Ôóó).€In€addition€a€Legal€Uniformity€Division€(òòÔ_ÔrechtseenheidskamerÔ_Ôóó;Ð `° ÐÔ_ÔREKÔ_Ô)€has€been€set€up€which€has€the€task€of€promoting€legal€uniformity€in€the€judgments€andÏwhich€has€given€a€normative€judgment€in€the€case€of€Zaire,€on€3€November€1994.ÌÌ4.4€The€State€party€states€that€if€medical€factors€play€a€role€in€an€asylum€case,€or€if€theÏasylum€seeker€concerned€claims€to€have€been€ill„treated€or€tortured,€the€INS€may€request€theÏMedical€Inspector€of€the€Ministry€of€Justice€to€give€an€opinion.€The€Medical€InspectorÏhimself€may€examine€the€individual€or€apply€for€information€from€a€medical€practitioner€whoÏhas€treated€the€individual.€The€State€party€adds€that€the€individual€himself€can€always€requestÏa€further€medical€Ô_Ôexamination,garÔ_Ô€independently€consult€a€medical€practitioner.ÌÌ4.5€The€State€party€submits€that€the€current€conditions€in€Zaire€give€rise€to€concern€but€areÏnot€such€as€to€justify€the€adoption€of€a€general€principle€that€asylum€seekers€whoseÏapplications€have€been€rejected€should€not€be€repatriated.€In€support€of€its€statement,€theÏState€party€refers€to€the€Committee's€Views€in€communication€No.€13/1993,€€1/€€where€theÏCommittee€held:€"the€existence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violationsÏof€human€rights€in€a€country€does€not€as€such€constitute€a€sufficient€ground€for€determinationÏthat€a€person€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€upon€his€return€to€that€country;Ïadditional€grounds€must€exist€that€indicate€that€the€individual€concerned€would€be€personallyÏat€risk".€The€State€party€therefore€considers€it€incumbent€upon€asylum€seekers€from€Zaire€toÏdemonstrate€that€specific€facts€and€circumstances€apply€in€their€particular€case€to€justify€thatÏrisk.ÌÌ4.6€The€State€party€states€that€in€assessing€the€circumstances€of€the€individual€asylum€seekerÏfrom€Zaire,€the€guiding€principle€is€the€Ô_ÔREKÔ_Ô's€consideration€in€the€above„mentionedÏjudgment€of€3€November€1994,€that€a€Ô_ÔZairianÔ_Ô€national€who€has€previously€been€detained€andÏwho€is€therefore€known€to€the€authorities,€is€at€greater€risk€to€be€apprehended€upon€returnÏand€to€be€detained€again.€The€Court€considered€that€asylum€seekers€who€can€demonstrateÏsufficiently€convincingly€that€they€belong€to€this€group€should€therefore€be€granted€aÏresidence€permit€for€compelling€reasons€of€a€humanitarian€nature.€In€this€context,€the€StateÏparty€explains€that€detention€should€be€understood€as€"registered€detention",€that€is€aÏdetention€which€has€lasted€for€a€substantial€period€of€time.€If€it€is€found€that€a€registeredÏdetention€has€occurred,€the€asylum€seeker€is€granted€a€residence€permit€for€compellingÏreasons€of€a€humanitarian€nature.ÌÌ4.7€As€to€the€author's€claim,€the€State€party€states€that€his€asylum€application€was€examinedÏin€the€light€of€the€Geneva€Convention€on€the€Status€of€Refugees€and€article€3€of€the€EuropeanÏConvention€for€the€Protection€of€Human€Rights€and€Fundamental€Freedoms.ÌÌ4.8€The€State€party€states€that€the€author's€membership€of€the€Ô_ÔUDPSÔ_Ô€in€itself€is€not€sufficientÏto€assume€that€he€has€a€well„founded€fear€of€persecution.€The€Court€has€ruled€that€as€theÐ @-(, ÐÔ_ÔUDPSÔ_Ô€is€a€recognized€political€opposition€party€in€Zaire,€and€the€author's€activities€for€thisÏparty€have€been€only€marginal,€it€is€not€likely€that€the€Ô_ÔZairianÔ_Ô€authorities€have€taken€aÏnegative€interest€in€him.€Furthermore,€the€State€party€asserts€that€on€his€first€arrest,€the€authorÏagreed€that€he€was€apprehended€together€with€a€large€number€of€other€people,€clearly€atÏrandom.€The€second€arrest€was€likewise€not€an€action€directed€against€the€author€personally.ÌÌ4.9€The€State€party€states€that€when€the€author€was€first€questioned€by€an€INS€official,€heÏclaimed€that€he€had€been€subjected€to€ill„treatment€and€showed€his€scars.€The€scars€wereÏhowever€not€such€as€to€prompt€the€official€to€request€a€detailed€medical€examination.ÏFurthermore,€the€State€party€states€that€neither€the€individual€nor€his€authorizedÏrepresentative€requested€such€an€examination€at€any€time€during€the€proceedings.€Equally,Ïthe€author€did€not€decide€to€have€himself€examined€by€another€medical€practitioner€in€orderÏto€produce€a€medical€certificate.€Nor€did€the€Court€consider€a€medical€examination€to€beÏnecessary.ÌÌ4.10€The€State€party€endorses€the€position€adopted€by€the€Dutch€courts€that€it€cannot€beÏanticipated€on€the€basis€of€the€facts€that€X€is€so€well„known€to€the€Ô_ÔZairianÔ_Ô€authorities€that€heÏwill€be€arrested€if€he€returns€to€Zaire.€Furthermore,€according€to€the€State€party,€the€swiftÏrelease€after€his€second€arrest€suggests€that€the€Ô_ÔZairianÔ_Ô€authorities€do€not€regard€him€as€theÏperpetrator€of€activities€that€pose€a€threat€to€the€State,€unlike€the€case€of€Mr.€Ô_ÔMutomboÔ_Ô€2/€Ïwho€was€sentenced€by€a€military€court€to€a€long€term€of€imprisonment.ÌÌòòCounsel's€commentsóóÐ øH ÐÌ5.1€In€her€comments€on€the€State€party's€submission,€dated€5€March€1995,€counsel€states€thatÏthe€Dutch€Alien€Act€allows€for€the€possibility€that€a€single€judge€in€chambers€decides€on€theÏquestion€whether€expulsion€would€contradict€article€33€of€the€Geneva€Convention.€If€theÏjudge€decides€that€the€request€for€political€asylum€is€manifestly€unfounded,€the€procedureÏends€with€that€decision.€In€such€a€case,€like€the€author's,€there€is€no€possibility€of€full€judicialÏreview€or€appeal.€Although€the€Ô_ÔREKÔ_Ô€sets€out€rules€to€be€observed,€a€decision€by€a€singleÏjudge€can€lead€to€judicial€error€in€individual€cases.€Counsel€refers€to€several€decisions,€whereÏindividuals€in€similar€circumstances€as€the€author's,€were€given€the€right€to€stay€in€theÏNetherlands.ÌÌ5.2€Furthermore,€counsel€states€that€the€(confidential)€sources€of€the€Ministry€of€ForeignÏAffairs€are€unreliable€and€that€in€several€cases€of€Ô_ÔZairianÔ_Ô€asylum€seekers,€in€which€theÏMinistry€reported€that€they€had€not€been€registered€while€detained,€these€reports€wereÏunfounded.ÌÌ5.3€Furthermore,€the€author€does€not€agree€that€his€name€has€not€been€registered€by€theÏÔ_ÔZairianÔ_Ô€secret€service,€and€that€he€will€not€be€detained€by€the€secret€service€upon€return.€ToÏsupport€his€position,€counsel€states€that€it€is€known€that€members€and€sympathizers€of€theÏÔ_ÔUDPSÔ_Ô€are€at€risk€when€sent€back€to€Zaire.€The€formal€opinion€of€the€NetherlandsÏGovernment€that€it€is€able€to€predict€which€asylum€seekers€were€registered€by€the€authoritiesÏwhile€detained,€has€in€specific€cases€been€found€to€be€untrue.Ð @-(, Ї5.4€Finally,€counsel€submits€a€note€by€the€author's€medical€doctor,€who€states€that€he€foundÏscars€on€the€back€of€the€author€which€could€very€well€be€caused€by€beating.€CounselÏemphasizes€that€the€State€party€has€never€questioned€the€fact€that€the€author€was€beatenÏduring€detention.€It€is€submitted€that,€if€the€author€fell€into€the€hands€of€the€security€forcesÏat€the€airport€(which€is€likely€because€of€the€lack€of€a€valid€travel€document)€his€scars€aloneÏwould€give€him€away€as€a€member€of€the€opposition.ÌÌòòDecision€on€admissibility€and€examination€of€the€meritsóóÐ $ t ÐÌ6.€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Committee€againstÏTorture€must€decide€whether€or€not€it€is€admissible€under€article€22€of€the€Convention.€TheÏCommittee€has€ascertained,€as€it€is€required€to€do€under€article€22,€paragraph€5(a),€of€theÏConvention,€that€the€same€matter€has€not€been€and€is€not€being€examined€under€anotherÏprocedure€of€international€investigation€or€settlement.€The€Committee€notes€that€the€StateÏparty€has€not€raised€any€objections€to€the€admissibility€of€the€communication€and€that€it€hasÏrequested€the€Committee€to€proceed€to€an€examination€of€the€merits.€The€Committee€findsÏtherefore€that€no€obstacles€to€the€admissibility€of€the€communication€exist€and€proceeds€withÏthe€consideration€of€the€merits€of€the€communication.ÌÌ7.1€The€issue€before€the€Committee€is€whether€the€forced€return€of€the€author€to€Zaire€wouldÏviolate€the€obligation€of€the€Netherlands€under€article€3€of€the€Convention€not€to€expel€or€toÏreturn€a€person€to€another€State€where€there€are€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€heÏwould€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture.ÌÌ7.2€Article€3€reads:ÌÌ"1.€No€State€party€shall€expel,€return€("Ô_ÔrefoulerÔ_Ô")€or€extradite€a€person€to€another€State€whereÏthere€are€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€he€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€toÏtorture.ÌÌ"2.€For€the€purpose€of€determining€whether€there€are€such€grounds,€the€competent€authoritiesÏshall€take€into€account€all€relevant€considerations€including,€where€applicable,€the€existenceÏin€the€State€concerned€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€humanÏrights."ÌÌThe€Committee€must€decide,€pursuant€to€paragraph€1€of€article€3,€whether€there€areÏsubstantial€grounds€for€believing€that€the€author€would€be€in€danger€or€being€subject€toÏtorture.€In€reaching€this€conclusion,€the€Committee€must€take€into€account€all€relevantÏconsiderations,€pursuant€to€paragraph€2€of€article€3,€including€the€existence€of€a€consistentÏpattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights.€The€aim€of€the€determination,Ïhowever,€is€to€establish€whether€the€individual€concerned€would€be€òòpersonallyóó€at€risk€ofÐ )à$( Ðbeing€subjected€to€torture€in€the€country€to€which€he€would€return.€It€follows€that€theÏexistence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights€in€aÏcountry€does€not€as€such€constitute€a€sufficient€ground€for€determining€that€a€person€wouldÏbe€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€upon€his€return€to€that€country;€additional€groundsÐ @-(, Ðmust€exist€to€indicate€that€the€individual€concerned€would€be€personally€at€risk.ÌÌ8.€The€Committee€notes€that€the€author€has€claimed€that,€during€his€first€detention,€he€wasÏbeaten€with€a€rope€with€wire€in€it.€Although€not€explicitly€corroborated€by€the€medical€noteÏsubmitted€by€the€author,€the€Committee€is€prepared€to€find€that€X€was€maltreated€during€hisÏfirst€detention€in€Zaire.€The€Committee€also€notes€that€the€author€has€not€claimed€that€he€wasÏtortured€during€his€second€detention.€Finally,€the€Committee€notes€that€the€periods€of€theÏauthor's€detention€have€been€short,€that€the€author€has€not€claimed€that€he€was€an€activeÏpolitical€opponent€and€that€there€is€no€indication€that€the€author€is€being€sought€by€theÏauthorities€in€his€country.€Therefore,€the€Committee€considers€that€the€author€has€notÏsubstantiated€his€claim€that€he€will€be€personally€at€risk€of€being€subjected€to€torture€if€he€isÏreturned€to€Zaire.ÌÌ9.€The€Committee€against€Torture,€acting€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€ConventionÏagainst€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,€is€of€theÏview€that€the€facts€as€found€by€the€Committee€do€not€reveal€a€breach€of€article€3€of€theÏConvention.ÌÌ[Done€in€English,€French,€Russian€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.]ÌññÌ„*„€ññÌß~€ J:6x \%@€@XEÜ %Ì 2!~ßÐ  p ÐÌññò òfññññòòññññFññootnotesññóóññññó óññÐ $t ÐÌòò*óó/€ññ€€ññMade€public€by€decision€of€the€Committee€against€Torture.Ð üL ÐÌññ1/€€ññòòññ€ññÔ_ÔMutomboÔ_Ô€v.€Switzerlandóó,€Views€adopted€on€27€April€1994,€paragraph€9.3.Ð Ô$ ÐÌññ2/€€ññòòññ€ññÔ_ÔMutomboÔ_Ô€v.€Switzerlandóó,€communication€No.€13/1993,€Views€adopted€on€27€April€1994.Ð ¬ü ÐññÓ  ÓññÓ  ÓÌÓ  Ó