ÿWPC5 R:øjÇÞ£–î†çG1sânD³êìM™BÊ¥° ýÁýÊa‘s’1?±ÌÔLV•fª7%q´Ï`¦á”êg»¬}Ågˆp=5{àIäK’…âKmdŠ`Æ¡•;õuõ©î”‡©šï™™..¦“þéµ,Ú«=GrÜ»p³¦Ñá°ÁZ-õë #ÁšUN[ %© 0:¯^ éwõ4ù  m˜HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - StandardÈÐððÈÐ0(ÈhH  Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ûœ$¡¡ÔUKUS.,ÔÔŒ*, tQ+ê:i¢Ø+003|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀÝ ƒûœ!ÝÔUKUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÓ  Óò òHUMAN€RIGHTS€COMMITTEEÐ ° ÐÌòòÔ_ÔKehlerÔ_Ô€v.€GermanyóóÐ à ÐÌCommunication€No€834/1998Ð pÀ ÐÌ22€March€2001Ð P   ÐÌÔ_ÔCCPRÔ_Ô/C/71/D/834/1998€Ð 0 € ÐÌÌÌÔ_ÔADMISSIBLITYÔ_Ôó óÐ ð@  ÐÌÌÌòòòòSubmitted€byóó:€€Mr.€Ô_ÔWaldemarÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔKehlerÔ_ԀР° ÐÌòòAlleged€victimóó:€€The€author€Ð à ÐÌòòState€partyóó:€€Germany€Ð pÀ ÐÌòòDate€of€communicationóó:€€5€May€1998€(initial€submission)óóÐ P  ÐÌÌà  àòòThe€Human€Rights€Committeeóó,€established€under€article€28€of€the€International€Covenant€Ð  p Ðon€Civil€and€Political€Rights,€Ð ` ÐÌà  àòòMeeting€onóó€22€March€2001€Ð ð@ ÐÌ€à0  àòòAdopts€the€followingóó:€ÐÐ (#(# ÐÌÌòòÓ=ÓÓ  ÓDecision€on€admissibilityóóÐ  #ð! ÐÓ?ÓÓÓÌ1.1€€The€author€of€the€communication,€dated€5€May€1998,€is€Ô_ÔWaldemarÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔKehlerÔ_Ô,€a€German€national.Ð €%Ð # ÐHe€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€violations€by€the€Federal€Republic€of€Germany€of€several€provisions€ofÐ p&À!$ Ðthe€Covenant.€He€is€not€represented€by€counsel.€Ð `'°"% ÐÌ1.2€€The€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights€entered€into€force€for€the€State€partyÐ @)$' Ðon€23€March€1976,€and€the€Optional€Protocol€on€25€November€1993.€Upon€acceding€to€the€OptionalÐ 0*€%( ÐProtocol,€the€State€€Party€entered€a€reservation€to€the€Optional€Protocol€which€reads,€inter€alia:€"TheÐ  +p&) ÐFederal€Republic€of€Germany€€formulates€a€reservation€concerning€article€5€paragraph€2€(a)€to€theÐ ,`'* Ðeffect€that€the€competence€of€the€Committee€shall€not€apply€to€communications€(a)€which€haveÐ -P(+ Ðalready€been€considered€under€another€procedure€of€international€investigation€or€settlement".€Ð ð-@), ЇÌò òThe€facts€as€presented€ó óÐ  ð ÐÌ2.1€€The€author's€two€children,€Ô_ÔSonjaÔ_Ô€and€Nina,€were€born€on€30€December€1981€and€20€FebruaryÐ €Ð Ð1983€respectively€from€his€marriage€to€Anita€Ô_ÔKehlerÔ_Ô.€After€the€author€suffered€long-term€disabilityÐ pÀ Ðthrough€an€accident€and€illness,€the€spouses€separated,€with€the€wife€moving€out€of€the€commonÐ ` ° Ðdwelling€with€both€daughters€on€29€May€1995.€Ð P   ÐÌ2.2€€By€provisional€order€of€12€June€1995,€the€Ô_ÔDieburgÔ_Ô€Local€(Family)€Court€granted€the€mother€theÐ 0 € Ðright€to€€determine€the€place€of€residence€of€the€children€during€the€period€of€separation.€On€28€JuneÐ  p  Ð1995,€the€court€referred€the€proceedings€to€the€Ô_ÔTuttlingenÔ_Ô€Local€Court€after€oral€hearing,€as€theÐ `  Ðauthor€had€previously€applied€to€the€latter€court€for€custody€to€be€granted€to€himself.€On€7€AugustÐ P  Ð1995,€following€the€children's€indication€that€they€wished€to€remain€with€their€mother,€the€Ô_ÔTuttlingenÔ_ÔÐ ð@  Ðcourt€upheld€the€provisional€arrangement€of€the€right€to€determine€place€of€residence€which€had€beenÐ à0  Ðmade€by€the€Ô_ÔDieburgÔ_Ô€court.€Ð Ð  ÐÌ2.3€€On€17€October€1995,€following€representations€by€the€author€that€the€children's€expressedÐ ° Ðwishes€were€not€free€of€pressures,€the€Ô_ÔTuttlingenÔ_Ô€court€ordered€a€psychiatric€examination€of€theÐ  ð Ðchildren.€Multiple€individual€interviews€with€both€children€and€parents€as€well€as€psychiatric€testsÐ à Ðindicated€that€these€wishes€were€genuine.€Accordingly,€on€21€February€1996,€the€Ô_ÔTuttlingenÔ_Ô€courtÐ €Ð Ðconfirmed€the€award€of€custody€to€the€mother.€The€author€was€provided€with€access€to€the€childrenÐ pÀ Ðone€weekend€per€month€and€further€holiday€access.€The€author's€appeal€against€that€decision€wasÐ `° Ðrejected€by€the€Stuttgart€Higher€Regional€Court€on€20€September€1996.€On€5€June€1997,€the€Ô_ÔDieburgÔ_ÔÐ P  Ðcourt€ordered€the€author€to€pay€maintenance€for€the€children€and€their€mother.€Ð @ ÐÌ2.4€€On€18€July€1997,€the€author€wrote€to€the€Ô_ÔTuttlingenÔ_Ô€court€seeking€enforcement€of€the€visitingÐ  p Ðarrangements.€€The€judge€stated€that€the€court€was€not€in€a€position€to€enforce€the€judgment€as€theÐ ` Ðauthor's€children€now€refused€€to€see€him.€On€27€October€1997,€the€Ô_ÔDieburgÔ_Ô€court€rejected€anÐ P Ðapplication€by€the€author€for€transfer€of€custody€of€the€children€and€a€fine€for€the€mother€followingÐ ð@ Ðan€unsuccessful€attempted€visit€to€the€children.€Ð à0 ÐÌ2.5€€On€20€January€1998,€the€Frankfurt€€Higher€Regional€Court€amended€the€custody€arrangements,€Ð À! Ðproviding€the€author€with€more€frequent€access€to€the€children€every€second€Saturday€of€the€monthÐ °"  Ðfrom€11€am€to€5€pm.€The€court€ordered€that€this€arrangement€was€to€be€complied€with€by€both€partiesÐ  #ð! Ðupon€pain€of€financial€penalty.€On€25€March€1998,€the€Federal€Constitutional€Court€rejected€theÐ $à" Ðauthor's€constitutional€complaint.€Ð €%Ð # ÐÌ2.6€€On€25€May€1998,€the€European€Commission€of€Human€Rights€declared€inadmissible€theÐ `'°"% Ðauthor's€complaint,€€which€had€been€filed€on€1€September€1996€and€registered€on€3€October€1997Ð P( #& Ðunder€file€No.€38012/97,€finding€€that€the€application€did€not€disclose€any€appearance€of€a€violationÐ @)$' Ðof€the€rights€and€freedoms€set€out€in€the€European€Convention€or€its€Protocols.€Ð 0*€%( ÐÌò òThe€complaint€ó óÐ ,`'* ÐÌ€3.€€Ô_ÔTheÔ_Ô€author€claimed€violations€of€his€and€his€children's€rights,€which€look€to€raise€issues€primarilyÐ ð-@), Ðunder€articles€23€and€24€of€the€Covenant.€He€initially€focussed€on€the€contention€that€the€deprivationÐ ° Ðof€access€to€his€children€by€the€mother€constituted€child€abduction€and€that€State€complicity€existedÐ  ð Ðin€a€failure€to€enforce€access€and€in€the€failure€to€bring€criminal€charges€against€the€author's€formerÐ à Ðwife.€More€recently€the€author€contends€that€visiting€€arrangements€requiring€him,€in€condition€ofÐ €Ð Ðserious€disability,€to€travel€long€distances€to€visit€his€children€constitutes€torture.€Ð pÀ ÐÌò òThe€State€party's€information€and€observations€with€regard€to€the€admissibility€of€theÐ P   Ðcommunication€Ð @  Ðó óÌ4.1€€The€State€party€considers€it€manifest€that€the€communication€has€already€been€considered€underÐ  p  Ðanother€procedure€of€international€investigation€or€settlement,€and€the€Committee's€competence€isÐ `  Ðtherefore€excluded€by€paragraph€(a)€of€the€State€party's€reservation.€Ð P  ÐÌ4.2€€The€State€party€further€contends€that€there€are€considerable€doubts€as€to€whether€domesticÐ à0  Ðremedies€have€been€exhausted.€Since€the€Federal€Constitutional€Court€does€not€provide€the€groundsÐ Ð  Ðupon€which€the€application€was€rejected€and€the€author€has€not€supplied€his€application€to€the€Court,Ð À Ðthe€fact€that€the€Federal€Constitutional€€Court€did€not€accept€a€claim€for€adjudication€is€not€of€itselfÐ ° Ðsufficient,€in€this€multi-faceted€and€prolonged€litigation,€to€demonstrate€that€domestic€remedies€haveÐ  ð Ðbeen€exhausted.€Ð à ÐÌ4.3€€The€State€party€also€considers€the€communication€to€be€seriously€deficient€in€the€materialÐ pÀ Ðtransmitted€and€the€statements€made€which€fail€to€specify€any€objective€reason€for€the€applicationÐ `° Ðand€requests€that€the€author€be€asked€to€supply€further€clarification.€In€particular,€the€State€partyÐ P  Ðargues€that€the€author€does€not€reveal€which€domestic€decisions€he€is€contesting,€nor€in€whichÐ @ Ðrespect(s)€the€author€considers€a€violation€of€the€Covenant€to€have€occurred.€Ð 0€ ÐÌò òAuthor's€response€to€the€State€party's€information€and€observations€with€regard€to€theÐ ` Ðadmissibility€of€the€communication€Ð P Ðó óÌ5.€€In€response€to€the€State€party's€submissions,€the€author€makes€a€variety€of€comments€on€recentÐ à0 ÐGerman€law€€and€jurisprudence€regarding€family€issues,€correspondence€with€members€of€ParliamentÐ Ð  Ðand€others,€general€discussion€on€international€cross-border€cases€of€child€abduction€in€Germany€andÐ À! Ðother€countries,€accounts€of€his€state€of€health€and€medical€history,€and€repeated€allegations€as€to€theÐ °"  Ðconduct€of€his€wife€and€other€persons€€involved€in€his€cases.€Ð  #ð! ÐÌò òIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€Committee€ó óÐ €%Ð # ÐÌ6.1€€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Human€Rights€CommitteeÐ `'°"% Ðmust,€in€accordance€with€article€87€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€decide€whether€or€not€it€is€admissibleÐ P( #& Ðunder€the€Optional€Protocol€to€the€Covenant.€Ð @)$' ÐÌ6.2€€The€Committee€notes€the€State€party's€contention€that€paragraph€(a)€of€the€reservation€enteredÐ  +p&) Ðupon€its€accession€to€the€Optional€Protocol€excludes€the€Committee's€competence€to€examine€theÐ ,`'* Ðauthor's€claim€because€the€same€matter€has€already€been€considered€under€another€procedure€ofÐ -P(+ Ðinternational€investigation€or€settlement.€€In€this€connection,€the€State€party€has€informed€theÐ ð-@), ÐCommittee€that€the€European€Commission€of€Human€Rights€declared€the€author's€complaintÐ ° Ðinadmissible€on€3€October€1997,€finding€that€the€application€did€not€disclose€any€appearance€of€aÐ  ð Ðviolation€of€the€rights€and€freedoms€set€out€in€the€European€Convention€or€its€Protocols.€In€view€ofÐ à Ðthe€author's€failure€to€supply€his€application€to€the€Commission,€the€absence€of€any€recitation€of€factsÐ €Ð Ðor€€reasoning€in€the€Commission's€decision,€and€the€broader€provisions€of€the€Covenant€which€touchÐ pÀ Ðupon€present€€issues,€the€Committee€possesses€insufficient€information€to€determine€the€applicabilityÐ ` ° Ðof€the€State€party's€reservation€to€the€present€communication.€Ð P   ÐÌ6.3€€Nevertheless,€with€respect€to€the€author's€various€claims€made€primarily€under€articles€23€andÐ 0 € Ð24€of€the€Covenant,€the€Committee€considers€that€the€author€has€failed€to€substantiate€his€claims€forÐ  p  Ðpurposes€of€admissibility,€and€accordingly€declares€them€inadmissible€under€article€2€of€the€OptionalÐ `  ÐProtocol.€In€the€€circumstances,€therefore,€it€is€unnecessary€for€the€Committee€to€address€theÐ P  Ðremaining€arguments€on€admissibility€€raised€by€the€State€party.€Ð ð@  ÐÌ7€€The€Committee€therefore€decides:€Ð Ð  ÐÌà  àa)€that€the€communication€is€inadmissible€under€article€2€of€the€Optional€Protocol.Ð ° ÐÌà  àb)€that€this€decision€shall€be€communicated€to€the€State€party€and€to€the€author.€Ð à ÐÌÌ[Adopted€in€English,€French€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.€SubsequentlyÐ `° Ðto€be€translated€also€in€Arabic,€Chinese€and€Russian€as€part€of€the€Committeeððs€annual€report€to€theÐ P  ÐGeneral€Assembly.]Ð @ ÐÌÌ_______________Ð ` ÐÌ*€€€The€following€members€of€the€Committee€participated€in€the€examination€of€the€presentÐ ð@ Ðcommunication:€Mr.€Ô_ÔAbdelfattahÔ_Ô€Amor,€Mr.€Ô_ÔNisukeÔ_Ô€Ando,€Mr.€Ô_ÔPrafullachandraÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔNatwarlalÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔBhagwatiÔ_Ô,Ð à0 ÐMs.€Christine€Ô_ÔChanetÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Louis€Ô_ÔHenkinÔ_Ô,€Mr.€David€Ô_ÔKretzmerÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Ô_ÔRajsoomerÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔLallahÔ_Ô,€Ms.€CeciliaÐ Ð  ÐMedina€Ô_ÔQuirogaÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Rafael€Ô_ÔRivasÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔPosadaÔ_Ô,€Sir€Nigel€Ô_ÔRodleyÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Martin€Ô_ÔScheininÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Ivan€Shearer,Ð À! ÐMr.€Ô_ÔHipð;ðlitoÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔSolariÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔYrigoyenÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Ahmed€Ô_ÔTawfickÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔKhalilÔ_Ô,€Mr.€Patrick€Vella,€Mr.€Maxwell€Ô_ÔYaldenÔ_Ô.€Ð °"  ÐÓŒÓ