ÿWPC 6i_*Ç›²L¥­ 5lis@“Us½=)õí@[ªg{Êrâb;õ'( ë¬q¢ÿ¤s¯vH2Å [³ZhEñŒzV®7ÿIÞ콊¤,l £å«8ëºy“4ºÈgVï†x©?ÿG*3Ñ÷pÄ'’JÖq¤“F¡B™öä:‰wØNÙ?\[æê!ªŒ»£Ür‘¯ ™i.Ø|»—'m*ŽÔž\¬¡-‹AÊ{n4¬:ÚʽW®Lí±¶Ö¿qæ/ÔýñÍšñÁÝÑü´ÍCdgà‡`‹yðàaK8½À'ø¢ ¤•Ûû*ëÎ6rVú¤N,[ꌉ'óæó4 õŠj)'Hek{°ü^ì—ËŒü6‰q¶½n˜&K5^ º­<„þ+Êù•‘‚/‘Ǭµ$‘Y´<%3™eX¬u×Ùîñð«¯fîg_QéV1ó †[·x#îzÝr£*N‡5)nyþ]åzú?§Ì õË•¹Ì›«št¡¼|È}ïÙ <‚Ó8:½I9Q¸.¹¶è2jk˜rÙZóž“·‰ÝPÙÕ€4¦¢ßΪСt~£\¦ò[l {nätåê™;ð®P•«nÊÖêU>l̪ 0µv 0<+ 0Yg 0_À 0iƈ 0ÑN 0( D+G AMr ¿ 0¶Ï #Á… UNF %” Mš (ž NÆ ^ È wÔ 4Ø ì mî ô\  `‹&Times New Roman' Halimi-Nedzibi v. Austria, Committee against Torture, Communication No. 8/1991, U.N. Doc. 4o. 8/1991, U.N. Doc. "Angie Dituri"0Angie Dituri .   6F , ÿÿ4Heading 3Ô S ÔÓ p^SÓÔ€£££Ôò òÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ€XXXÔó óÓ p^SÓ<ÿÿ:Default Para6ÿÿ4HyperlinkóóòòÔ ÿ ÔóóÔ  Ô<ÿÿ:FollowedHypeóóòòÔ  ÔóóÔ  Ô< ÿÿ:Normal (Web)Ô S ÔÓ =jSÓÓ =jSÓ Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5(©2ÄE$££Ý ƒôì!ÝÒܰÒÒܰÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X?wXXXÔÔ€X?wXXX?wÔÝ  Ý(ÿÿ$’’'dxd A<< cÿÿ#|x(Žôì$¡¡ÒܰÒÒܰÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X-CXXXÔÔ€X-CXXX-CÔ˜HP LaserJet 4000 Series PS,ä,,,,,ä0(ÈhH  Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX¬ó* Äpì*rtyBar ¢©ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀÝ ƒôì!ÝÒܰÒÒܰÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X:ÿXXXÔÔ€X:ÿXXX:ÿÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôò òCOMMITTEE€AGAINST€TORTUREÐ ° ÐÌòòÔ_ÔHalimiÔ_Ô„Ô_ÔNedzibiÔ_Ô€v.€AustriaóóÐ |Ì ÐÌCommunication€No.€8/1991Ð H˜ ÐÌ18€November€1993Ð  d ÐÌCAT/C/11/D/8/1991Ð à 0 ÐÌÌVIEWSó óÐ ’â  ÐÌÌòòòòSubmitted€byóó:€Mr.€Ô_ÔQaniÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔHalimiÔ_Ô„Ô_ÔNedzibiÔ_Ô€[represented€by€counsel]€Ð D”  ÐÌòòAlleged€victimóó:€The€author€Ð ` ÐÌòòState€partyóó:€Austria€Ð Ü, ÐÌòòDate€of€communicationóó:€27€September€1991€Ð ¨ø ÐÌòòDate€of€decision€on€admissibilityóó:€5€May€1992óó€Ð tÄ ÐÌÌòòÓ  ÓÓ  ÓThe€Committee€against€Tortureóó,€established€under€article€17€of€the€Convention€againstÐ &v ÐTorture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,Ð  \ ÐÌòòMeetingóó€on€18€November€1993,Ð Ø( ÐÌòòHaving€concludedóó€its€consideration€of€communication€No.€8/1991,€submitted€to€theÐ ¤ô ÐCommittee€against€Torture€on€behalf€of€Mr.€Ô_ÔQaniÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔHalimiÔ_Ô„Ô_ÔNedzibiÔ_Ô€under€article€22€of€theÐ Š Ú ÐConvention€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€orÐ p!À  ÐPunishment,Ð V"¦! ÐÌòòHaving€taken€into€accountóó€all€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€author€of€theÐ "$r# Ðcommunication,€his€counsel€and€by€the€State€party,Ð %X $ ÐÌòòAdoptsóó€its€Ð Ô&$"& ÐÌÌÓÃÓòòò òViews€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€Conventionó óóóÐ †)Ö$) ÐÓÓÌÌ1.€The€author€of€the€communication€is€Ô_ÔQaniÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔHalimiÔ_Ô„Ô_ÔNedzibiÔ_Ô,€a€Yugoslav€citizen,€currentlyÐ 8,ˆ', Ðimprisoned€in€Austria.€He€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€a€violation€of€articles€12€and€15€of€theÐ -n(- ÐConvention€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€orÐ ° ÐPunishment€by€Austria.€He€is€represented€by€counsel.Ð –æ ÐÌòòThe€facts€as€submitted€by€the€authoróóÐ b² ÐÌ2.1€The€author€was€arrested€on€19€April€1988€and€charged€with€drug„trafficking.€The€trialÐ . ~ Ðat€first€instance€opened€on€23€January€1989.€He€was€convicted€on€4€July€1990€of€having€beenÐ  d Ðin€charge€of€an€international€drug„trafficking€organization€which€allegedly€operated€fromÐ ú J ÐAustria€between€November€1985€and€December€1987.€The€court€of€first€instanceÐ à 0 Ð(Landesgericht€fr€Strafsachen)€sentenced€him€to€20€years'€imprisonment,€plus€a€fine€of€2Ð Æ   Ðmillion€schillings,€as€well€as€a€fine€of€7€million€schillings€in€place€of€the€customs€he€failedÐ ¬ ü  Ðto€pay.€On€4€July€1991,€the€Court€of€Appeal€rejected€the€author's€appeal€against€hisÐ ’â  Ðconviction,€but€reduced€the€sentence€of€imprisonment€to€a€term€of€18€years.Ð xÈ  ÐÌ2.2€The€author€alleges€that€following€his€arrest€in€1988€he€and€six€named€witnesses€wereÐ D”  Ðmaltreated,€beaten€and€tortured€by€police€inspector€J.J.,€who€was€in€charge€of€the€criminalÐ *z  Ðinvestigation.€They€were€allegedly€coerced€to€make€incriminating€statements.€The€author'sÐ ` Ðwife,€who€was€in€her€third€or€fourth€month€of€pregnancy,€had€a€miscarriage€shortly€after€sheÐ öF Ðhad€been€interrogated€by€police€inspector€J.J.€The€police€inspector€allegedly€also€threatenedÐ Ü, Ðto€kill€the€author.€The€author€raised€these€matters€before€the€investigating€judge€on€5Ð Â ÐDecember€1988.€In€particular,€he€stated:€"I€was€pressured€so€long€until€I€admitted€that€theÐ ¨ø Ðdrugs€belonged€to€me.€Inspector€J.J.€grabbed€me€by€the€hair€and€threw€me€against€the€wall;Ð ŽÞ Ðhe€also€submerged€my€head€in€a€bucket€of€water€...€I€suffered€an€eye€injury€which€requiredÐ tÄ Ðhospital€treatment."Ð Zª ÐÌ2.3€During€the€trial€at€first€instance,€author's€counsel€requested€all€statements€made€toÐ &v Ðinspector€J.J.€to€be€ruled€inadmissible€as€evidence.€He€referred€to€the€declaration€made€byÐ  \ ÐAustria€when€ratifying€the€Convention€against€Torture€in€July€1987,€which€reads:€"AustriaÐ òB Ðregards€article€15€of€the€Convention€as€the€legal€basis€for€the€inadmissibility€providedÐ Ø( Ðtherein€of€the€use€of€statements€which€are€established€to€have€been€made€as€a€result€ofÐ ¾ Ðtorture."€The€court,€however,€ruled€against€his€motion.Ð ¤ô ÐÌ2.4€The€Court€of€Appeal€rejected€counsel's€plea€for€nullity€of€the€judgement€in€first€instance,Ð p!À  Ðtaking€into€consideration€the€Austrian€legislation,€the€non„substantiation€of€the€allegationsÐ V"¦! Ðof€ill„treatment€and€the€fact€that€the€evidence€given€by€the€main€witnesses€remainedÐ <#Œ" Ðunchallenged.€The€Court€of€Appeal€decided€that€in€the€circumstances€the€question€of€directÐ "$r# Ðapplicability€("ò òunmittelbare€Anwendbarkeitó ó")€of€the€Convention€against€Torture€did€notÐ %X $ Ðarise.Ð î%>!% ÐÌòòComplaintóó€Ð º' #' ÐÌ3.€The€author€claims€that€the€failure€of€the€Austrian€authorities€promptly€to€investigate€hisÐ †)Ö$) Ðallegations€of€torture€and€the€refusal€of€the€courts€of€first€and€second€instance€to€exclude€asÐ l*¼%* Ðevidence€against€him€statements€allegedly€made€by€him€and€several€witnesses€as€a€result€ofÐ R+¢&+ Ðtorture€constitute€a€violation€of€articles€12€and€15€of€the€Convention.Ð 8,ˆ', ÐÐ -n(- ÐòòState€party's€observations€and€the€author's€comments€thereonóóÐ ° ÐÌ4.1€The€State€party,€by€submission€dated€27€February€1992,€argued€that€the€communicationÐ |Ì Ðwas€inadmissible.Ð b² ÐÌ4.2€It€submitted€that€criminal€proceedings€against€Inspector€J.J.,€initiated€on€5€March€1990,Ð . ~ Ðfollowing€a€complaint€by€the€author,€were€still€pending.€The€length€of€the€investigations€wasÐ  d Ðattributable€to€the€fact€that€difficulties€had€arisen€in€obtaining€the€testimonies€of€witnessesÐ ú J Ðin€the€former€Yugoslavia€and€Turkey.€The€State€party€indicated€that,€if€Inspector€J.J.€wouldÐ à 0 Ðbe€found€guilty€of€having€ill„treated€detainees€in€order€to€obtain€incriminating€statements,Ð Æ   Ðthe€author's€case€could€be€reopened.€It€argued€that€a€retrial€would€constitute€an€effectiveÐ ¬ ü  Ðremedy.Ð ’â  ÐÌ4.3€The€State€party€further€contended€that€the€author€could€have€appealed€to€theÐ ^®  ÐConstitutional€Court€under€section€144€of€the€federal€Constitution,€as€he€claims€to€be€aÐ D”  Ðvictim€of€abuse€of€administrative€power€and€compulsion.Ð *z  ÐÌ4.4€Since€no€appeal€to€the€Constitutional€Court€had€been€submitted€by€the€author€andÐ öF Ðcriminal€proceedings€against€Mr.€J.J.€were€still€pending,€the€State€party€argued€that€theÐ Ü, Ðcommunication€was€inadmissible€under€article€22,€paragraph€5€(b),€of€the€Convention,€onÐ Â Ðthe€ground€of€non„exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies.Ð ¨ø ÐÌ4.5€The€State€party€moreover€argued€that€the€communication€was€inadmissible€asÐ tÄ Ðincompatible€with€the€provisions€of€the€Convention.€It€submitted€that€the€allegations€that€theÐ Zª Ðwitnesses€had€been€tortured€were€not€raised€before€the€investigating€judge,€but€only€duringÐ @ Ðthe€trial,€after€the€witnesses€were€confronted€with€their€statements;€prior€to€these€allegationsÐ &v Ðthe€statements€were€properly€deemed€to€be€admissible€evidence.€Moreover,€the€State€partyÐ  \ Ðargued€that€the€witnesses€gave€independent,€admissible€evidence€before€the€investigatingÐ òB Ðjudge.€The€State€party€stated€that€only€one€witness€disputed€the€correctness€of€the€statementÐ Ø( Ðmade€to€the€police;€however,€his€statement€did€not€incriminate€the€author.€The€correctnessÐ ¾ Ðof€other€statements€was€not€in€dispute.€Ð ¤ô ÐÌ4.6€As€concerns€the€author,€the€State€party€conceded€that€he€claimed€before€the€investigatingÐ p!À  Ðjudge€to€have€been€subjected€to€torture;€however,€according€to€the€State€party,€he€denied€theÐ V"¦! Ðcharges€against€him€and€did€not€make€a€confession€as€such;€thus€it€cannot€be€said€that€hisÐ <#Œ" Ðstatements€were€used€as€evidence€in€violation€of€article€15.Ð "$r# ÐÌ4.7€Finally,€the€State€party€submitted€that€it€appears€from€the€trial€record€that€the€jury'sÐ î%>!% Ðverdict€was€not€based€on€the€statements€made€by€the€witnesses€who€had€claimed€to€haveÐ Ô&$"& Ðbeen€subjected€to€torture.Ð º' #' ÐÌ5.1€In€his€comments€on€the€State€party's€submission,€counsel€maintained€that€theÐ †)Ö$) Ðcommunication€should€be€declared€admissible.Ð l*¼%* ÐÌ5.2€As€regards€the€exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies,€counsel€submitted€that€it€wasÐ 8,ˆ', Ðincomprehensible€that€the€criminal€proceedings€against€Inspector€J.J.€had€not€yet€beenÐ -n(- Ðconcluded.€He€contended€that€the€proceedings€were€unreasonably€prolonged€and€indicatedÐ ° Ðthat€the€delay€appeared€to€be€attributable€to€the€fact€that€the€State€party€had€joined€theÐ –æ Ðauthor's€case€with€other€pending€matters€against€Inspector€J.J.€Thus,€the€difficulties€inÐ |Ì Ðobtaining€the€testimony€of€witnesses€in€the€former€Yugoslavia€and€Turkey,€concerningÐ b² Ðanother€investigation,€were€postponing€the€investigation€of€the€author's€allegations.€HeÐ H˜ Ðcontended€furthermore€that€the€courts€had€failed€to€examine€the€allegations€of€torture€in€aÐ . ~ Ðtimely€fashion,€during€the€criminal€proceedings€against€the€author.Ð  d ÐÌ5.3€Concerning€the€possibility€of€an€appeal€to€the€Constitutional€Court€under€section€144€ofÐ à 0 Ðthe€Federal€Constitution,€counsel€argued€that€this€appeal€was€not€available€to€the€author,€asÐ Æ   Ðthis€procedure€applies€to€administrative,€not€to€criminal€law.€Moreover,€counsel€argued€that,Ð ¬ ü  Ðeven€if€this€appeal€were€available,€it€would€not€constitute€an€effective€remedy,€as€criminalÐ ’â  Ðcourts€are€not€bound€by€the€evaluation€of€evidence€in€the€Constitutional€Court.Ð xÈ  ÐÌ5.4€Concerning€the€State€party's€contention€that€article€15€of€the€Convention€had€not€beenÐ D”  Ðviolated,€counsel€submitted€that€it€is€not€clear€from€the€text€of€article€15€how€it€should€beÐ *z  Ðestablished€that€a€statement€is€made€as€a€result€of€torture.€He€argued€that€it€is€sufficient€thatÐ ` Ðthe€author€adduces€some€evidence€indicating€that€a€statement€was€given€as€a€result€of€torture.Ð öF ÐIn€this€connection,€he€referred€to€the€difficulty€for€a€victim€to€prove€that€he€has€beenÐ Ü, Ðsubjected€to€torture,€owing€to€the€isolation€in€detention€and€the€absence€of€independentÐ Â Ðwitnesses€during€interrogation.€He€further€stated€that€article€15€applies€to€"any€statement",Ð ¨ø Ðnot€only€to€confessions€or€false€statements,€as€the€State€party€seemed€to€imply.€He€finallyÐ ŽÞ Ðargued€that€it€could€not€be€said€that€the€author's€allegations€were€examined€by€the€jury€duringÐ tÄ Ðhis€trial,€as€Inspector€J.J.€was€not€questioned€on€the€issue,€nor€confronted€with€witnesses.Ð Zª ÐÌòòCommittee's€admissibility€decisionóóÐ &v ÐÌ6.1€At€its€eighth€session,€the€Committee€considered€the€admissibility€of€the€communication.Ð òB ÐIt€ascertained€that€the€same€matter€had€not€been€or€was€not€being€examined€under€anotherÐ Ø( Ðprocedure€of€international€investigation€or€settlement,€and€that€a€case€concerning€the€authorÐ ¾ Ðwhich€was€pending€before€the€European€Commission€of€Human€Rights€concerned€a€differentÐ ¤ô Ðmatter.Ð Š Ú ÐÌ6.2€The€Committee€further€considered€that€article€22,€paragraph€5€(b),€of€the€Convention€didÐ V"¦! Ðnot,€in€the€circumstances€of€the€case,€preclude€the€Committee€from€considering€theÐ <#Œ" Ðcommunication€on€the€merits.€In€this€context,€the€Committee€considered€that€there€had€beenÐ "$r# Ðan€unreasonable€delay€in€the€conduct€of€investigations€into€the€author's€allegations€of€torture,Ð %X $ Ðwhich€were€made€in€December€1988,€and€that€no€further€effective€remedies€appeared€to€beÐ î%>!% Ðavailable.Ð Ô&$"& ÐÌ7.€On€5€May€1992,€the€Committee€therefore€declared€the€communication€admissible.€It€notedÐ  (ð#( Ðthat€the€facts€as€presented€by€the€author€might€raise€issues€under€articles€12€and€15€and€alsoÐ †)Ö$) Ðunder€other€provisions€of€the€Convention.Ð l*¼%* ÐÌòòState€party's€submissions€on€the€merits€and€the€author's€commentsóó€Ð 8,ˆ', ÐÐ -n(- Ð8.1€The€State€party,€on€10€November€1992€and€4€January€1993,€reiterates€that€the€authorÐ ° Ðmade€his€complaint€of€ill„treatment€months€after€its€alleged€occurrence.€It€submits€that€theÐ –æ Ðauthor€has€suffered€from€eye€trouble€since€childhood€and€that€the€medical€records€show€thatÐ |Ì Ðhe€complained€about€his€left€eye€for€the€first€time€on€16€September€1988.€As€a€result€ofÐ b² Ðexaminations€by€the€prison€doctor€on€14€November€1988,€aphykia€(the€absence€of€the€lensÐ H˜ Ðof€the€eye)€and€ablatio€retinae€(detachment€of€the€retina)€were€found.€Subsequently,€afterÐ . ~ Ðexaminations€at€the€Vienna€Eye€Hospital€it€was€concluded€that€the€author's€left€eye€wasÐ  d Ðblind.€The€State€party€forwarded€a€copy€of€the€medical€record€in€the€author's€case.€Ð ú J ÐÌ8.2€With€regard€to€the€investigations€into€the€author's€allegations,€the€State€party€states€thatÐ Æ   Ðthe€criminal€proceedings€against€Inspector€J.J.€and€a€colleague€were€halted€by€theÐ ¬ ü  ÐProsecutor's€office€on€6€November€1992,€on€the€ground€that€following€preliminaryÐ ’â  Ðinvestigations€the€allegations€were€found€to€be€totally€unsubstantiated.€At€the€preliminaryÐ xÈ  Ðhearing,€the€interpreter€who€had€been€present€during€the€interrogations€testified€that€theÐ ^®  Ðconduct€by€the€police€officers€had€been€correct€and€that€she€had€never€witnessed€any€acts€ofÐ D”  Ðtorture.€Only€two€witnesses,€both€co„defendants€of€the€author,€claimed€to€have€been€givenÐ *z  Ðone€or€two€blows€by€Inspector€J.J.€All€other€witnesses€gave€exonerating€evidence.€NoÐ ` Ðmedical€evidence€was€available€to€substantiate€the€allegations.Ð öF ÐÌ9.1€In€his€comments€on€the€State€party's€submissions,€counsel€maintains€his€claim€that€theÐ Â Ðauthor's€eye€injury€was€caused€by€Inspector€J.J.€at€the€end€of€June€or€the€beginning€of€JulyÐ ¨ø Ð1988,€when€the€author€was€hit€with€a€pistol€and€his€head€was€banged€against€a€table.Ð ŽÞ ÐÌ9.2€Counsel€further€claims€that€some€witnesses,€who€could€have€corroborated€the€author'sÐ Zª Ðallegations,€were€not€called€by€the€Prosecutor€during€the€preliminary€investigations€againstÐ @ ÐInspector€J.J.€Among€these€persons€is€the€author's€wife,€who€no€longer€lives€in€Austria.Ð &v ÐÌ10.€On€26€April€1993,€the€Committee€decided€to€request€the€State€party€to€appoint,€inÐ òB Ðconsultation€with€the€author's€counsel,€an€independent€expert€in€ophthalmology€in€order€toÐ Ø( Ðdetermine€the€date€of€and€the€origin€of€the€eye€injury.€It€further€referred€to€article€12€of€theÐ ¾ ÐConvention€and€requested€the€State€party€to€submit€written€explanations€clarifying€the€delayÐ ¤ô Ðin€initiating€the€investigation€of€the€author's€allegations.Ð Š Ú ÐÌ11.1€On€27€July€1993,€the€State€party€forwarded€to€the€Committee€an€expert€opinionÐ V"¦! Ðprepared€by€an€ophthalmologist.€His€report€shows€that€the€author's€eye€was€already€blind€inÐ <#Œ" ÐMarch€1989,€when€he€was€first€examined€at€the€Eye€Hospital,€as€a€result€of€an€old€retinalÐ "$r# Ðdetachment€and€that€it€had€begun€to€show€the€first€signs€of€an€external€squint.€The€State€partyÐ %X $ Ðconcludes€that€the€eye€must€have€gone€blind€before€1988,€since€a€blind€eye€does€not€beginÐ î%>!% Ðto€squint€until€after€a€long€period€of€blindness.Ð Ô&$"& ÐÌ11.2€The€State€party€recalls€that€the€author€was€arrested€on€19€April€1988€on€the€suspicionÐ  (ð#( Ðof€being€involved€in€internationally€organized€heroin€trafficking.€On€5€December€1988,€theÐ †)Ö$) Ðauthor€for€the€first€time€claimed€to€have€been€subjected€to€torture€and€threatened€byÐ l*¼%* ÐInspector€J.J.€Neither€the€ò òJournalrichteró ó€nor€the€investigating€judge€Ô_Ôhad€observed€any€signsÐ R+¢&+ Ðof€ill„treatment.€The€author€repeated€his€allegations€in€a€number€of€written€submissions€toÐ 8,ˆ', Ðthe€Public€Prosecutor,€the€Attorney€General€and€the€Minister€of€Justice.€Police€Inspector€Ô_ÔJ.J.Ô_ÔÐ -n(- Ðand€one€of€his€colleagues€were€questioned€on€these€charges€by€the€investigating€judge€on€16Ð ° ÐFebruary€1989;€they€rejected€the€accusations€made€against€them.Ð –æ ÐÌ11.3€The€State€party€submits€that,€since€no€signs€of€an€injury€could€be€established€and€theÐ b² Ðpolice€officers€denied€the€charges,€no€strong€suspicion€existed€that€an€act€of€torture€had€beenÐ H˜ Ðcommitted.€It€was€therefore€decided€that€the€criminal€proceedings€against€the€author€couldÐ . ~ Ðproceed.€During€the€trial€against€the€author,€from€8€to€11€January€1990,€witnesses€testifiedÐ  d Ðthat€they€had€been€ill„treated€by€Inspector€Ô_ÔJ.J.Ô_Ô€and€his€colleague.€As€a€result,€preliminaryÐ ú J Ðinvestigations€against€the€two€policemen€were€instituted€on€5€March€1990.Ð à 0 ÐÌ12.€In€his€comments€on€the€State€party's€submission,€dated€21€October€1993,€counsel€submitsÐ ¬ ü  Ðthat€the€State€party€had€not€consulted€him€about€the€choice€of€the€medical€expert.€He€furtherÐ ’â  Ðstates€that€the€expert's€report€does€not€necessarily€exclude€the€author's€version€of€events.€HeÐ xÈ  Ðemphasizes€that€the€author€received€medical€treatment€in€prison€after€having€been€ill„treatedÐ ^®  Ðbut€that€the€records€of€this€treatment€were€not€kept.Ð D”  ÐÌòòExamination€of€the€meritsóó€Ð ` ÐÌ13.1€The€Committee€has€considered€the€communication€in€the€light€of€all€information€madeÐ Ü, Ðavailable€to€it€by€the€parties,€as€required€under€article€22,€paragraph€4,€of€the€Convention.Ð Â ÐÌ13.2€The€Committee€notes€that€the€author€has€claimed€that€he€was€ill„treated€after€his€arrestÐ ŽÞ Ðand€that€as€a€consequence€he€suffered€an€eye„injury.€The€State€party€has€denied€the€allegedÐ tÄ Ðill„treatment€and€has€claimed€that€the€author's€eye„injury€dates€from€childhood.€It€hasÐ Zª Ðsubmitted€an€expert€report,€in€which€it€is€concluded€that€the€author's€left€eye,€with€almostÐ @ Ðabsolute€certainty€("ò òÔ_ÔmitÔ_Ô€an€Ô_ÔSicherheitÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔgrenzenderÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔWahrscheinlichkeitÔ_Ôó ó")€had€beenÐ &v Ðcompletely€blind€already€in€1988,€owing€to€retinal€detachment.Ð  \ ÐÌ13.3€The€Committee€observes€that€the€competence,€independence€and€conclusions€of€theÐ Ø( Ðspecialist€in€ophthalmology€have€not€been€challenged.€While€noting€with€regret€that€the€StateÐ ¾ Ðparty€failed€to€consult€with€the€author's€counsel€before€appointing€the€specialist,€as€theÐ ¤ô ÐCommittee€had€requested€in€its€decision€of€26€April€1993,€due€weight€must€be€given€to€hisÐ Š Ú Ðconclusions.Ð p!À  ÐÌ13.4€On€the€basis€of€the€information€before€it,€the€Committee€cannot€conclude€that€theÐ <#Œ" Ðallegations€of€ill„treatment€have€been€sustained.€In€the€circumstances,€the€Committee€findsÐ "$r# Ðno€violation€of€article€15€of€the€Convention.Ð %X $ ÐÌ13.5€It€remains€to€be€determined€whether€the€State€party€complied€with€its€duty€to€proceedÐ Ô&$"& Ðto€a€prompt€and€impartial€investigation€of€the€author's€allegations€that€he€had€been€subjectedÐ º' #' Ðto€torture,€as€provided€in€article€12€of€the€Convention.€The€Committee€notes€that€the€authorÐ  (ð#( Ðmade€his€allegations€before€the€investigating€judge€on€5€December€1988.€Although€theÐ †)Ö$) Ðinvestigating€judge€questioned€the€police€officers€about€the€allegations€on€16€February€1989,Ð l*¼%* Ðno€investigation€took€place€until€5€March€1990,€when€criminal€proceedings€against€the€policeÐ R+¢&+ Ðofficers€were€instituted.€The€Committee€considers€that€a€delay€of€15€months€before€anÐ 8,ˆ', Ðinvestigation€of€allegations€of€torture€is€initiated,€is€unreasonably€long€and€not€in€complianceÐ -n(- Ðwith€the€requirement€of€article€12€of€the€Convention.Ð ° ÐÌ14.€The€Committee€against€Torture,€acting€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€ConventionÐ |Ì Ðagainst€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,€is€of€theÐ b² Ðview€that€the€facts€before€it€disclose€a€violation€of€article€12€of€the€Convention.Ð H˜ ÐÌ15.€The€State€party€is€requested€to€ensure€that€similar€violations€do€not€occur€in€the€future.Ð  d ÐÌ16.€Pursuant€to€rule€111,€paragraph€5,€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€the€Committee€wishes€toÐ à 0 Ðreceive€information,€within€90€days,€on€any€relevant€measures€taken€by€the€State€party€inÐ Æ   Ðconformity€with€the€Committee's€Views.€Ð ¬ ü  Ðß~€ J:6x \%@€@XEÜ’%Ì’2!~ßÐ ’â  ÐÌ[Adopted€in€English,€French,€Russian€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€originalÐ à  Ðversion.]Ð vÆ  ÐÓÎÓÌ