ÿWPC-  »P?3ŠÆôöt7Ù7èŽ;Ù)Ì _ OЩ#j,{6<%cГòïO”_Yp÷qß7fõÎüïaµ¨‡CÚ÷I¼-{Q}2P-µËÜ1sm•j ..Aÿ½òdÎœx¢yr™ðõí}èÀr9uØðû¨ +ÂgM…}“…Clf$sÕDm‚ @ÿ2èÁ÷KÌ%’E¢/UüFDÀ€TZX½h3vU·Jctë¡™úlX”]U[6v,È€ºÌÿ¦‚Sc_´Å@¡^<6ñÁRU/%‡ÂŽ¢\ü†Å´__Yz"Šáv,5öãbØØÉRð¯÷˜À¸ýE¼Þï›xõî û-‰vê[Òòj[õ ??ëÒ)¶õ§tguÓTo_a´‹Z¼°<™â´§@1\‡¯øË<³ô’À3Z-ŽB-4&Ÿþ§•ÛÏM{»F?,‰š! G4‘‡_´¼/ϲÂÉ‘(Ýç %å6_q¡F„gô>Þð^¿Ã`]6|hö—,q¼´$a ¿Ønt@™ Ð÷Ø6zz»“nûP4ÊWAÞ:j¸µ1†#½„l2ïZ¨ìâçV|aš=ŽÎ·˜ÏJ^l0P·‰Š<ƒL}GU>PÈŽ 0µV 0<  0iGÆ° 0Ñv 0(G D+o AMš ç 0¶÷ #Á­ UNn %¼ M (Æ Nî ^ ð wü 4  m ô\  `‹&Times New Roman' Garc1a Pons v. Spain, Communication No. 454/1991, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/55/D/454/1991 (1995).0/D/454/1991 (1995)."Angie Dituri"0Angie Dituri .   6F , ÿÿ4Heading 3Ô S ÔÓ p^SÓÔ€£££Ôò òÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ€XXXÔó óÓ p^SÓ<ÿÿ:Default Para< ÿÿ:Normal (Web)Ô S ÔÓ =jSÓÓ =jSÓ Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5(©2ëÅ$££Ý ƒ ¥µ!ÝÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X¯`XXXÔÔ€X¯`XXX¯`ÔÝ  Ý(ÿÿ$’’'dxd A<< cÿÿ#|x(Ž¥µ$¡¡ÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X©ÌXXXÔÔ€X©ÌXXX©ÌÔ˜HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - Standard,ä,,,,,ä0(ÈhH  Z‹6Times New Roman RegularXi©ú* Äpì*k7y`"ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀÝ ƒ ¥µ!ÝÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X¯`XXXÔÔ€X¯`XXX¯`ÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôò òHUMAN€RIGHTS€COMMITTEEÐ ° ÐÌòòPons€v.€SpainóóÐ |Ì ÐÌCommunication€No.€454/1991Ð H˜ ÐÌ30€October€1995Ð  d ÐÌÔ_ÔCCPRÔ_Ô/C/55/D/454/1991Ð à 0 ÐÌÌVIEWSó óÐ ’â  ÐÌÌòòòòSubmitted€byóó:€Enrique€Ô_ÔGarcaÔ_Ô€Pons€Ð D”  ÐÌòòAlleged€victimóó:€The€authorÐ ` ÐÌòòState€partyóó:€SpainÐ Ü, ÐÌòòDate€of€communicationóó:€29€December€1990€(initial€submission)Ð ¨ø ÐÌòòDate€of€decision€on€admissibilityóó:€30€June€1994€óóÐ tÄ ÐÌÌòòÓ  ÓThe€Human€Rights€Committeeóó,€established€under€article€28€of€the€International€CovenantÐ &v Ðon€Civil€and€Political€Rights,Ð  \ ÐÌòòMeetingóó€on€30€October€1995,Ð Ø( ÐÌòòHaving€concludedóó€its€consideration€of€communication€No.€454/1991€submitted€to€the€HumanÐ ¤ô ÐRights€Committee€by€Mr.€Enrique€Ô_ÔGarcaÔ_Ô€Pons€under€the€Optional€Protocol€to€theÐ Š Ú ÐInternational€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights,Ð p!À  ÐÌòòHaving€taken€into€accountóó€all€written€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€authors€of€theÐ <#Œ" Ðcommunication€and€the€State€party,Ð "$r# ÐÌòòAdoptsóó€its€Ð î%>!% ÐÌÌòòò òÓ  ÓViews€under€article€5,€paragraph€4,€of€the€Optional€Protocoló óóóÐ  (ð#( ÐÓBÓÌÌ1.€The€author€of€the€communication€is€Enrique€Ô_ÔGarcaÔ_Ô€Pons,€a€Spanish€citizen€born€in€1951,Ð R+¢&+ Ðcurrently€residing€in€Badalona,€Spain.€He€claims€to€be€a€victim€of€violations€by€Spain€ofÐ 8,ˆ', Ðarticles€14,€paragraph€1,€25(c),€and€26€of€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€PoliticalÐ -n(- ÐRights.Ð ° ÐÌòòThe€facts€as€submittedóóÐ |Ì ÐÌ2.1€The€author€is€a€civil€servant,€assigned€to€the€sub„office€of€the€National€EmploymentÐ H˜ ÐAgency€(Ô_ÔInstitutoÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔNacionalÔ_Ô€de€Ô_ÔEmpleoÔ_Ô)€in€the€municipality€of€Badalona.€On€20€DecemberÐ . ~ Ð1986,€he€was€appointed€substitute€for€the€District€Judge€of€Badalona,€a€function€which€heÐ  d Ðperformed€until€16€October€1987;€following€his€nomination,€he€requested€his€employer,€theÐ ú J ÐMinistry€of€Ô_ÔLabourÔ_Ô€and€Social€Security€(Ô_ÔINEMÔ_Ô),€to€formalize€his€change€of€status€and€toÐ à 0 Ðcertify€that€he€was,€in€terms€of€administrative€status,€assigned€to€"special€services".€TheÐ Æ   ÐMinistry€did€not€grant€his€request.Ð ¬ ü  ÐÌ2.2€Later€in€1987,€the€author€was€again€appointed€substitute€District€Judge€of€Badalona;€heÐ xÈ  Ðdid€not,€however,€assume€his€functions,€since€the€post€of€District€Judge€had€been€taken€upÐ ^®  Ðby€a€new€judge.€The€author€therefore€requested€unemployment€benefits€(òòÔ_ÔprestacionesÔ_Ô€deÐ D”  ÐÔ_ÔdesempleoÔ_Ôóó).€Again,€he€requested€the€formal€recognition€of€his€administrative€status,€but€hisÐ *z  Ðemployer€did€not€process€his€request.€The€same€situation€prevailed€in€1988;€the€authorÐ ` Ðtherefore€filed€a€complaint€with€the€competent€administrative€tribunal€against€the€Ô_ÔInstitutoÔ_ÔÐ öF ÐÔ_ÔNacionalÔ_Ô€de€Ô_ÔEmpleoÔ_Ô,€requesting€unemployment€benefits.€On€27€May€1988,€the€Ô_ÔJuzgadoÔ_Ô€deÐ Ü, Ðlo€Social€No.€9€(Barcelona)€rejected€his€request€because€the€author€was€free€to€resume€hisÐ Â Ðformer€post,€and€therefore€did€not€satisfy€the€requirements€under€the€unemployment€benefitsÐ ¨ø Ðscheme.€It€was€argued€that€what€the€author€intended€was€to€leave€his€post€at€the€lower€scaleÐ ŽÞ Ðin€order€to€claim€unemployment€benefits€at€a€higher€scale,€while€preparing€his€entrance€intoÐ tÄ Ða€judicial€career.Ð Zª ÐÌ2.3€On€11€May€1989,€the€Ô_ÔInstitutoÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔNacionalÔ_Ô€de€Ô_ÔEmpleoÔ_Ô€declared€the€author€to€be€onÐ &v Ð"voluntary€leave€of€absence"€since€the€end€of€1986.€The€author€contested€this€decision€andÐ  \ Ðcontinued€to€assume,€whenever€called€upon€to€do€so,€the€functions€of€a€substitute€districtÐ òB Ðjudge.€He€argued€that€since€all€substitute€judges€contribute€to€unemployment€benefitÐ Ø( Ðinsurance,€he€himself€should€be€able€to€benefit€from€its€coverage.€He€appealed€on€theseÐ ¾ Ðgrounds€against€the€decision€of€27€May€1988€to€the€Tribunal€Superior€de€Ô_ÔJusticiaÔ_Ô€deÐ ¤ô ÐÔ_ÔCataluaÔ_Ô€which,€on€30€April€1990,€dismissed€his€appeal.Ð Š Ú ÐÌ2.4€On€22€June€1990,€the€author€filed€an€appeal€(Ô_ÔrecursoÔ_Ô€de€Ô_ÔamparoÔ_Ô)€with€the€ConstitutionalÐ V"¦! ÐTribunal.€On€21€September€1990,€the€Constitutional€Tribunal€rejected€his€complaint.€TheÐ <#Œ" Ðauthor€re„petitioned€the€Constitutional€Tribunal€on€10€November€1990,€pointing€out€that€heÐ "$r# Ðwas€the€only€substitute€judge€in€all€of€Spain€to€whom€unemployment€benefits€had€beenÐ %X $ Ðdenied,€and€that€this€situation€violated€his€constitutional€rights.€On€3€December€1990,€theÐ î%>!% ÐConstitutional€Tribunal€confirmed€its€earlier€decision.€With€this,€the€author€submits,Ð Ô&$"& Ðavailable€domestic€remedies€have€been€exhausted.Ð º' #' ÐÌòòThe€complaintóóÐ †)Ö$) ÐÌ3.€The€author€alleges€to€be€a€victim€of€denial€of€equality€before€the€courts,€as€provided€forÐ R+¢&+ Ðin€article€14,€of€discrimination€in€access€to€public€service,€in€violation€of€article€25,Ð 8,ˆ', Ðparagraph€c,€and€of€discrimination€because€of€denial€of€unemployment€benefits,€inÐ -n(- ÐÔ_Ôcontravention€of€article€26€of€the€Covenant.Ð ° ÐÌòòState€party's€submission€on€admissibilityóóÐ |Ì ÐÌ4.€In€a€submission€dated€17€September€1991,€the€State€party€stated€that€"the€communicationÐ H˜ Ðof€Mr.€Garca€Pons€satisfies,€in€principle,€the€conditions€of€admissibility€set€forth€in€articlesÐ . ~ Ð3€and€5,€paragraph€2,€of€the€Optional€Protocol€...€and€that€it€is€not€incompatible€with€theÐ  d Ðprovisions€of€the€Covenant".€While€not€objecting€to€the€communication's€admissibility,€itÐ ú J Ðindicated€that€it€would,€in€due€course,€make€submissions€on€the€merits.Ð à 0 ÐÌòòThe€Committee's€admissibility€decisionóóÐ ¬ ü  ÐÌ5.1€Before€considering€any€claim€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Human€RightsÐ xÈ  ÐCommittee€must,€in€accordance€with€rule€87€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€decide€whether€or€notÐ ^®  Ðit€is€admissible€under€the€Optional€Protocol€to€the€Covenant.Ð D”  ÐÌ5.2€The€Committee€found€that€the€author€had€substantiated€his€allegations,€for€purposes€ofÐ ` Ðadmissibility,€and€was€satisfied€that€the€communication€was€not€inadmissible€under€articlesÐ öF Ð1,€2,€and€3€of€the€Optional€Protocol.€It€further€noted€that€the€State€party€conceded€thatÐ Ü, Ðdomestic€remedies€had€been€exhausted.Ð Â ÐÌ6.€On€30€June€1994€the€Human€Rights€Committee€therefore€decided€that€the€communicationÐ ŽÞ Ðwas€admissible€inasmuch€as€it€may€raise€issues€under€articles€14,€25€and€26€of€the€Covenant.Ð tÄ ÐÌòòState€party's€submissions€on€the€meritsóóÐ @ ÐÌ7.1€In€its€submissions€of€13€February€and€15€June€1995€the€State€party€contests€anyÐ  \ Ðviolations€of€the€Covenant.€As€to€the€facts€of€the€case,€the€State€party€indicates€that€theÐ òB Ðauthor€is€not€unemployed,€but€a€civil€servant,€and€that€although€on€several€occasions€he€hasÐ Ø( Ðbeen€given€leave€to€assume€the€post€of€a€substitute€judge,€he€has€always€been€able€to€returnÐ ¾ Ðto€his€established€post;€thus,€he€has€never€been€unemployed€and€accordingly€cannot€qualifyÐ ¤ô Ðfor€unemployment€benefits.€The€author's€submission€suffers€from€the€contradiction€betweenÐ Š Ú Ðhis€desire€to€be€a€judge€on€a€permanent€appointment€and€his€unwillingness€to€give€up€theÐ p!À  Ðsecurity€of€his€status€as€civil€servant€in€his€current€position.Ð V"¦! ÐÌ7.2€As€to€the€author's€allegation€that€he€is€the€only€unemployed€substitute€judge€who€doesÐ "$r# Ðnot€receive€unemployment€benefits,€the€State€party€states€that€the€author€has€not€cited€aÐ %X $ Ðsingle€example€of€a€person€in€the€same€circumstances€as€himself,€i.e.€a€civil€servant€onÐ î%>!% Ðtemporary€leave€from€an€established€post,€who€has€been€treated€differently.€Only€thoseÐ Ô&$"& Ðunemployed€substitute€judges€receive€unemployment€benefits€who€are,€in€fact,€unemployed.Ð º' #' ÐThis€is€not€the€author's€situation.€Nor€can€he€expect€the€adoption€of€special€legislation€forÐ  (ð#( Ðhimself€to€allow€him€to€retain€his€civil€service€post€while€not€performing€its€functions€and,Ð †)Ö$) Ðinstead,€preparing€for€competitive€exams€while€receiving€unemployment€benefits€on€hisÐ l*¼%* Ðexpired€substitute€judge€assignment.Ð R+¢&+ ÐÌ7.3€With€regard€to€an€alleged€violation€of€article€14€of€the€Covenant,€the€State€party€affirmsÐ -n(- Ðthat€the€author€has€had€equal€access€to€all€Spanish€courts,€including€the€Constitutional€Court,Ð ° Ðand€that€all€of€his€complaints€were€examined€fairly€by€the€competent€tribunals,€as€evidencedÐ –æ Ðin€the€respective€judgments€and€other€submissions.€Admittedly,€the€author€disagrees€withÐ |Ì Ðthe€disposition€of€his€case,€but€he€has€not€substantiated€a€claim€that€procedural€guaranteesÐ b² Ðwere€not€observed€by€the€various€instances€involved.€Ð H˜ ÐÌ7.4€As€to€the€alleged€violation€of€article€25€of€the€Covenant,€the€State€party€points€out€thatÐ  d Ðat€no€time€in€the€many€proceedings€engaged€by€the€author€did€he€invoke€the€right€protectedÐ ú J Ðunder€article€25€of€the€Covenant.€Moreover,€this€issue€is€not€germane€to€the€case,€whichÐ à 0 Ðfocuses€not€on€the€right€of€equal€access€to€public€service€but€on€the€alleged€denial€ofÐ Æ   Ðunemployment€benefits.€Ð ¬ ü  ÐÌòòAuthor's€commentsóóÐ xÈ  ÐÌ8.1€In€his€comments,€dated€29€March€and€29€July€1995,€the€author€reiterates€his€claim€to€beÐ D”  Ða€victim€of€discrimination€and€contends€that€the€relevant€Spanish€laws€are€incompatible€withÐ *z  Ðthe€Covenant,€in€particular€the€1987€Rules€and€Circular€10/86€of€the€Undersecretary€in€theÐ ` ÐJustice€Ministry€concerning€the€status€of€substitute€judges.€He€further€alleges€that€the€lackÐ öF Ðof€permanence€and€the€insecurity€of€substitute€judges€endangers€the€independence€of€theÐ Ü, Ðjudiciary.€Ð  ÐÌ8.2€He€rejects€the€State€party's€contention€that€he€has€primarily€economic€concerns€andÐ ŽÞ Ðexpects€special€legislation€for€himself.€Far€from€having€earned€substantially€more€as€a€judge,Ð tÄ Ðhe€was€compelled€to€return€to€his€civil€service€post€in€order€to€attend€to€his€minimum€needs.Ð Zª ÐHe€further€stresses€that€during€various€periods€from€1986€to€1992€he€served€as€a€devotedÐ @ Ðsubstitute€judge€and€paid€unemployment€insurance.€He€contends€that€the€relevant€legislationÐ &v Ðand€practice€should€be€adjusted€to€ensure€that€persons€who€pay€unemployment€insuranceÐ  \ Ðbenefit€therefrom€when€the€terms€of€temporary€employment€end,€notwithstanding€theÐ òB Ðpossibility€of€returning€to€another€post€in€the€civil€service.Ð Ø( ÐÌ8.3€The€author€concludes€that€since€his€is€the€only€substitute€judge€who€does€not€receiveÐ ¤ô Ðunemployment€benefits,€he€is€a€victim€of€discrimination€within€the€meaning€of€article€26€ofÐ Š Ú Ðthe€Covenant.€Ð p!À  ÐÌòòReview€of€admissibility€and€examination€of€the€meritsóóÐ <#Œ" ÐÌ9.1€The€Human€Rights€Committee€has€considered€the€present€communication€in€the€light€ofÐ %X $ Ðall€the€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€parties,€as€provided€in€article€5,€paragraph€1,Ð î%>!% Ðof€the€Optional€Protocol.Ð Ô&$"& ÐÌ9.2€With€regard€to€the€author's€allegations€concerning€article€25,€paragraph€c,€of€theÐ  (ð#( ÐCovenant,€the€Committee€notes€that€the€State€party€has€submitted€that€the€author€neverÐ †)Ö$) Ðinvoked€the€substance€of€this€right€in€any€proceedings€before€Spanish€tribunals;€the€authorÐ l*¼%* Ðhas€not€claimed€that€it€would€not€have€been€open€to€him€to€invoke€this€right€before€the€localÐ R+¢&+ Ðcourts.€Therefore,€pursuant€to€rule€93,€paragraph€4,€of€the€Committee's€rules€of€procedureÐ 8,ˆ', Ðthe€Committee€sets€aside€that€part€of€its€admissibility€decision€concerning€article€25€of€theÐ -n(- ÐCovenant€and€declares€it€inadmissible€because€of€non„exhaustion€of€domestic€remedies.Ð ° ÐÌ9.3€Before€addressing€the€merits€in€this€case,€the€Committee€observes€that€although€the€rightÐ |Ì Ðto€social€security€is€not€protected,€as€such,€in€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€andÐ b² ÐPolitical€Rights,€issues€under€the€Covenant€may€nonetheless€arise€if€the€principle€of€equalityÐ H˜ Ðcontained€in€articles€14€and€26€of€the€Covenant€is€violated.Ð . ~ ÐÌ9.4€In€this€context€the€Committee€reiterates€its€jurisprudence€that€not€every€differentiationÐ ú J Ðin€treatment€can€be€deemed€to€be€discriminatory€under€the€relevant€provisions€of€theÐ à 0 ÐCovenantòò€1óó.€A€differentiation€which€is€compatible€with€the€provisions€of€the€Covenant€andÐ Æ   Ðis€based€on€reasonable€grounds€does€not€amount€to€prohibited€discrimination.Ð ¬ ü  ÐÌ9.5€The€Committee€notes€that€the€author€claims€to€be€the€only€unemployed€substitute€judgeÐ xÈ  Ðwho€does€not€receive€unemployment€benefits.€The€information€before€the€CommitteeÐ ^®  Ðreveals,€however,€that€the€relevant€category€of€recipients€of€unemployment€benefitsÐ D”  Ðencompasses€only€those€unemployed€substitute€judges€who€cannot€immediately€return€toÐ *z  Ðanother€post€upon€termination€of€their€temporary€assigments.€The€author€does€not€belong€toÐ ` Ðthis€category,€since€he€enjoys€the€status€of€a€civil€servant.€In€the€Committee's€opinion,€aÐ öF Ðdistinction€between€unemployed€substitute€judges€who€are€not€civil€servants€on€leave€andÐ Ü, Ðthose€who€are€cannot€be€deemed€arbitrary€or€unreasonable.€The€Committee€thereforeÐ Â Ðconcludes€that€the€alleged€differentiation€in€treatment€does€not€entail€a€violation€of€theÐ ¨ø Ðprinciple€of€equality€and€non„discrimination€enunciated€in€article€26€of€the€Covenant.Ð ŽÞ ÐÌ9.6€With€regard€to€the€author's€allegations€concerning€article€14,€the€Committee€has€carefullyÐ Zª Ðstudied€the€various€judicial€proceedings€engaged€by€the€author€in€Spain€as€well€as€theirÐ @ Ðdisposition€and€concludes€that€the€evidence€submitted€does€not€support€a€finding€that€he€hasÐ &v Ðbeen€denied€a€fair€hearing€within€the€meaning€of€article€14,€paragraph€1,€of€the€Covenant.Ð  \ ÐÌ10.€The€Human€Rights€Committee,€acting€under€article€5,€paragraph€4,€of€the€OptionalÐ Ø( ÐProtocol,€finds€that€the€facts€before€it€do€not€reveal€a€violation€by€Spain€of€any€provision€ofÐ ¾ Ðthe€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights.Ð ¤ô ÐÌ___________Ð p!À  ÐÌ1/€€€Zwaan€de€Vries€v.€The€Netherlands,€Communication€No.€182/1984,€Views€adopted€onÐ <#Œ" Ð9€April€1987,€para.€13.€Alina€Simunek€v.€The€Czech€Republic,€Communication€No.Ð "$r# Ð516/1992,€Views€adopted€on€19€July€1995,€para€11.3.€Ð %X $ ÐÌÌ[Adopted€in€English,€French€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.Ð º' #' ÐSubsequently€to€be€issued€also€in€Arabic,€Chinese€and€Russian€as€part€of€the€Committee'sÐ  (ð#( Ðannual€report€to€the€General€Assembly.]