’WPC  um‰+،ōŹÖ˜€8ĖfHŗˆ- )pÆ4K "?uc‚–’–_‹j„„3JŹĒŲā†A½«¢{QŃeł‰YÕ<öŲjb°ōįyEę$2d EÓ§0AßŲ^±\’§hOUĮ3'wDeė…ąĀ•ĄzCi˜€‘>ķ!äģšDĻ¾ö×¼76K9aŗ\µ`Ł“Ūķ”éoˆ¹ä¹ˆ7*"MŽB÷‡Ć-ęvn$ČÆņ,Ę*©.ä2÷:ż»ę’Iŗ[ÄģįH#|ČJX­;0YęČ;H"°ŽÕöWÆģ×­ŪåKŽ—“—Ø5Y'¬tN˜¹°ņļĻylc³ļ Rw{Oåw%µ3|xŃz…ģGįŽN-Ā£jšÄv„Ņ;ĆaÓ]2ģ÷`m¬“¢”šĄ–Ž@źIČS“ū3ķ~ [KĀ¦ĀGķžĻž› +gØm[p††{3žV{ųReNķNC·='BĮņ‡ˆeŲĘt­30ø_ 8ŒŠä=t«µėīüéļ…l:æ¼Y–ÜĘ Œžń(ŖnsĪ3®„å¼dK£CĖ£Į))²śWE©ĮÅ_‹P×¾gG¤® Yd€š£d؟"N’ÅāĒ™Ž•QŌc“ g~ƒ•šž¢6U>BĢ€ 0nL 0iŗ 0Y# 0_| 0&ŪU6  7 0ĘG #Į UNĪ % M" (& NN ^ P w\ 4` t mv ō\  `‹&Times New Roman' United Nations Human Rights Website - Treaty Bodies Database - Document - Jurisprudence - 4nt - Jurisprudence - "Angie Dituri"0Angie Dituri .   <’’:Default ParaŌ€ōōōŌŌ€XXXŌ< ’’:Normal (Web)Ō S ŌÓ =jSÓÓ =jSÓ6’’4HyperlinkóóņņŌ ’ ŌóóŌ  Ō<’’:FollowedHypeóóņņŌ  ŌóóŌ  Ō<qy’’:HTML TypewriŌ€ōōōŌŌK€<ž6X9`(‹Courier NewKŌŌ  ŌŌ€XXXŌŌS€ō\  `‹&Times New RomanSŌŌ  Ō<ž6X9`(‹Courier New#|x(žEŖ$””ŅÜ°ŅŅÜ°ŅŌ..ŌŌ  ŌŌ  ŌÓ  ÓŌ€ XhŌXX XŌŌ€XhŌXX XhŌŌŌŌ˜HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - Standard,ä,,,,,ä0(ČhH  Z‹6Times New Roman Regular Xµś* Äpģ*ų€Ÿ’U‹’ĄĄĄŻ ƒ EŖ!ŻŅÜ°ŅŅÜ°ŅŌ..ŌŌ  ŌŌ  ŌÓ  ÓŌ€ XopXX XŌŌ€XopXX XopŌŌŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņCOMMITTEE€AGAINST€TORTUREŠ ° ŠĢņņŌ_ŌKorbanŌ_Ō€Ō_Ōv.Ō_Ō€SwedenóóŠ |Ģ ŠĢCommunication€No€88/1997€Š H˜ ŠĢ16€November€1998Š  d ŠĢCAT/C/21/D/88/1997Š ą 0 ŠņņóóĢĢVIEWSó óŠ ’ā  ŠĢĢņņņņSubmitted€byóó:€Ō_ŌAvedesŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌHamayakŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌKorbanŌ_Ō€[represented€by€counsel]€Š D”  ŠĢņņAlleged€victimóó:€The€author€Š ` ŠĢņņState€partyóó:€Sweden€Š Ü, ŠĢņņDate€of€communicationóó:€June€1997€óóŠ Øų ŠĢĢņņÓ  ÓThe€Committee€against€Tortureóó,€established€under€article€17€of€the€Convention€againstŠ ZŖ ŠTorture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,€Š @ ŠĢņņMeetingóó€on€16€November€1998,€Š  \ ŠĢņņHaving€concludedóó€its€consideration€of€communication€No.€88/1997,€submitted€to€theŠ Ų( ŠCommittee€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€orŠ ¾ ŠPunishment,€Š ¤ō ŠĢņņHaving€taken€into€accountóó€all€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€author€of€theŠ p!Ą  Šcommunication,€her€counsel€and€the€State€party,€Š V"¦! ŠĢņņAdoptsóó€its€Š "$r# ŠÓqÓĢĢÓ  Óņņņ ņViews€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€Conventionó óóóŠ Ō&$"& ŠÓ[ÓĢĢÓ  Ó1.€The€author€of€the€communication€is€Mr.€Ō_ŌAvedesŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌHamayakŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌKorbanŌ_Ō,€an€Iraqi€citizen€bornŠ †)Ö$) Šin€1940,€currently€residing€in€Sweden€where€he€is€seeking€asylum.€He€claims€that€his€forcedŠ l*¼%* Šreturn€to€Iraq€would€constitute€a€violation€by€Sweden€of€article€3€of€the€Convention€againstŠ R+¢&+ ŠTorture.€He€is€represented€by€counsel.€Š 8,ˆ', ŠŠ -n(- ŠņņFacts€as€presented€by€the€authoróó€Š ° ŠĢ2.1€The€author€was€a€resident€of€Kuwait€since€October€1967.€He€states€that,€because€of€hisŠ |Ģ Šopposition€to€the€Iraqi€regime,€he€stayed€in€Kuwait€as€a€refugee€after€the€Gulf€war.€However,Š b² Šbecause€of€his€nationality,€he€was€imprisoned€on€three€occasions,€tortured,€in€particularŠ H˜ Šthrough€electric€shocks,€and€finally€deported€to€Iraq€on€22€September€1991.€Upon€arrival€atŠ . ~ Šthe€border€he€was€arrested€and€transferred€to€Baghdad,€where€he€was€interrogated€at€theŠ  d Šheadquarters€of€the€Iraqi€intelligence€services.€Later€on€he€was€released€on€bail€and€orderedŠ ś J Što€report€daily€to€the€government€representative€in€his€Ō_ŌneighbourhoodŌ_Ō,€as€he€was€suspectedŠ ą 0 Šof€being€an€informer€for€the€Kuwaiti€authorities€on€the€grounds€that€he€did€not€leave€KuwaitŠ Ę   Šwhen€the€Iraqi€army€withdrew.€He€states€that€he€managed€to€leave€the€country€with€hisŠ ¬ ü  Šfamily€through€bribes€and€arrived€in€Jordan,€his€wife's€country€of€nationality.€Š ’ā  ŠĢ2.2€In€Jordan€he€was€refused€a€residence€permit€in€November€1991€and€was€only€given€a€six„Š ^®  Šmonth€temporary€visa.€When€that€visa€expired€he€had€to€pay€one€dinar€for€each€day€heŠ D”  Šremained€in€the€country.€He€states€that€he€tried€unsuccessfully€to€obtain€permanentŠ *z  Šresidence.€In€1993€he€went€back€to€Iraq€to€visit€his€dying€mother€and€was€first€kept€inŠ ` Šdetention€for€14€days€and€then€under€house€arrest,€having€to€report€to€the€governmentŠ öF Šrepresentative€every€day.€According€to€the€author,€this€representative€advised€him€to€leaveŠ Ü, ŠIraq€since€his€safety€in€the€country€was€at€risk.€He€went€back€to€Jordan€where€he€remained,Š Ā Šwithout€a€residence€permit,€until€June€1994.€He€arrived€in€Sweden€via€Turkey€on€13€JuneŠ Øų Š1994.€His€son€lives€in€Sweden€where€he€obtained€a€permanent€residence€permit€after€havingŠ ŽŽ Šdeserted€from€Iraqi€military€service€during€the€Gulf€war.€The€author€alleges€that,€accordingŠ tÄ Što€Iraqi€law,€he€is€considered€responsible€for€his€son's€defection,€and€for€that€reason€as€wellŠ ZŖ Šhis€situation€in€Iraq€would€be€difficult.€The€author's€wife€and€daughters€are€apparently€stillŠ @ Šliving€in€Jordan.€Š &v ŠĢ2.3€On€26€September€1994€the€Swedish€Immigration€Board€decided€to€reject€the€author'sŠ ņB Šapplication€for€a€residence€permit€and€ordered€his€expulsion€to€Jordan.€The€Board€found€thatŠ Ų( Šthe€author's€connections€with€Jordan€constituted€substantial€grounds€to€assume€that€he€wouldŠ ¾ Šbe€received€in€that€country€and€that€there€was€no€danger€for€him€to€be€sent€from€Jordan€toŠ ¤ō ŠIraq.€The€Aliens€Appeals€Board,€sharing€the€opinion€of€the€Swedish€Immigration€Board,Š Š Ś Šdismissed€the€author's€appeal€on€11€September€1996.€In€1997€the€author€lodged€three€newŠ p!Ą  Šapplications€which€were€all€rejected€by€the€Aliens€Appeals€Board.€Š V"¦! ŠĢņņThe€complaintóó€Š "$r# ŠĢ3.1€The€author€claims€that€his€return€to€Iraq€would€constitute€a€violation€of€article€3€of€theŠ ī%>!% ŠConvention€against€Torture€by€Sweden,€since€there€are€risks€that€he€would€be€arrested€andŠ Ō&$"& Šsubjected€to€torture€in€that€country.€He€also€claims€that,€not€having€a€residence€permit€inŠ ŗ' #' ŠJordan,€it€is€unsafe€for€him€to€return€to€that€country€from€which€he€fears€to€be€sent€back€toŠ  (š#( ŠIraq€since€the€Jordan€police€work€closely€with€the€Iraqi€authorities.€Š †)Ö$) ŠĢ3.2€In€support€of€his€claim€the€author€provides€the€Committee€with€copies€of€two€lettersŠ R+¢&+ Šdated€20€December€1994€and€17€October€1996€in€which€the€Office€of€the€United€NationsŠ 8,ˆ', ŠHigh€Commissioner€for€Refugees€(Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō)€informed€the€Swedish€Aliens€Appeals€BoardŠ -n(- Šthat€foreigners€married€to€Jordanian€women€did€not€enjoy€any€preferential€treatment€whenŠ ° Šapplying€for€residence€permits€in€Jordan€and€that€marriage€to€a€Jordanian€citizen€was€notŠ –ę Šgrounds€for€being€granted€residency€in€Jordan;€special€authorization€had€to€be€obtained€fromŠ |Ģ Šthe€Ministry€of€Interior.€He€also€provided€copy€of€a€letter€dated€27€March€1997€in€whichŠ b² ŠŌ_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō€informed€the€Advice€Bureau€for€Asylum€Seekers€and€Refugees€in€Stockholm€aboutŠ H˜ Šcases€of€Iraqis€denied€entry€or€readmission€into€Jordan€upon€being€returned€from€SwedenŠ . ~ Šand€Denmark.€Š  d ŠĢŌ_ŌņņStateŌ_Ō€party's€observationsóó€Š ą 0 ŠĢ4.1€On€16€September€1997€the€Committee,€acting€through€its€Special€Rapporteur€for€newŠ ¬ ü  Šcommunications,€transmitted€the€communication€to€the€State€party€for€comments€andŠ ’ā  Šrequested€the€State€party€not€to€expel€or€deport€the€author€to€Jordan€or€Iraq€while€hisŠ xČ  Šcommunication€was€under€consideration€by€the€Committee.€Š ^®  ŠĢ4.2€In€its€submission€to€the€Committee€the€State€party€indicates€that€the€author€applied€fromŠ *z  ŠJordan€for€a€visa€to€Sweden€in€September€1993€and€that€in€his€application€he€stated€that€heŠ ` Šhad€permission€to€stay€in€Jordan.€The€application€was€rejected€by€the€Swedish€ImmigrationŠ öF ŠBoard€on€14€December€1993.€He€then€entered€Sweden€on€13€June€1994€and€applied€forŠ Ü, Šasylum€on€the€following€day,€claiming€that€he€did€not€dare€to€stay€in€Jordan€as€he€feared€that,Š Ā Šdue€to€the€presence€of€the€Iraqi€security€police€in€that€country,€he€might€be€sent€back€to€IraqŠ Øų Šwhere€he€risked€being€persecuted.€Š ŽŽ ŠĢ4.3€The€Swedish€Immigration€Board€and€the€Aliens€Appeals€Board€dismissed€hisŠ ZŖ Šapplications€and€ordered€his€expulsion€to€Jordan.€However,€following€the€Committee'sŠ @ Šrequest€not€to€expel€the€author€to€Iraq€or€Jordan€while€his€communication€was€underŠ &v Šconsideration€by€the€Committee,€the€Swedish€Immigration€Board€decided€on€24€SeptemberŠ  \ Š1997€to€stay€the€enforcement€of€its€decision€until€further€notice,€pending€the€Committee'sŠ ņB Šfinal€decision€in€the€matter.€Š Ų( ŠĢ4.4€With€respect€to€the€admissibility€of€the€communication,€the€State€party€submits€that€theŠ ¤ō Šauthor€can€at€any€time€lodge€a€new€application€for€re„examination€of€the€case,€provided€thatŠ Š Ś Šnew€circumstances€are€adduced€that€could€call€for€a€different€decision.€However,€it€does€notŠ p!Ą  Šraise€any€objection€to€the€admissibility.€Š V"¦! ŠĢ4.5€As€for€the€merits,€the€State€party€contends€that,€in€determining€whether€the€forced€returnŠ "$r# Šof€the€author€would€constitute€a€breach€of€article€3€of€the€Convention,€the€following€issuesŠ %X $ Šshould€be€examined:€(a)€the€general€situation€of€human€rights€in€Jordan€and€Iraq;€(b)€theŠ ī%>!% Šgeneral€situation€of€Iraqi€refugees€in€Jordan;€and€(c)€the€author's€personal€risk€of€beingŠ Ō&$"& Šsubjected€to€torture€in€Jordan€or€after€having€being€deported€from€Jordan€to€Iraq.€Š ŗ' #' ŠĢ4.6€Regarding€the€general€situation€of€human€rights€in€Jordan,€the€State€party€finds€noŠ †)Ö$) Šgrounds€for€asserting€that€there€exists€in€Jordan€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€massŠ l*¼%* Šviolations€of€human€rights.€Such€pattern,€however,€seems€to€exist€in€Iraq.€In€view€of€that,Š R+¢&+ ŠIraqi€nationals€are€normally€not€expelled€from€Sweden€to€their€country€of€origin,€unless€theŠ 8,ˆ', ŠŌ_Ōimmigration€authorities€find€that€there€are€objections€to€their€presence€in€Sweden€from€theŠ -n(- Špoint€of€view€of€security.€Š ° ŠĢ4.7€As€for€the€general€situation€of€Iraqi€refugees€in€Jordan,€the€State€party€refers€to€twoŠ |Ģ Šletters€submitted€to€the€Aliens€Appeals€Board€on€28€October€1996€and€22€September€1997Š b² Šrespectively,€in€which€Amnesty€International€expresses€concern€for€the€security€of€IraqiŠ H˜ Šnationals€who€are€returned€from€Sweden€to€Jordan.€According€to€Amnesty,€Iraqi€citizens€areŠ . ~ Šusually€granted€a€temporary€residence€permit€of€up€to€six€months€and€after€that€they€haveŠ  d Što€pay€a€daily€fee€to€be€able€to€stay€in€Jordan.€Those€who€cannot€pay€the€fee€or€who€areŠ ś J Šfound€without€a€valid€passport€are€put€in€custody€while€awaiting€deportation.€There€areŠ ą 0 Šseveral€cases€known€to€Amnesty€International€of€Iraqis€being€detained€and€tortured€in€IraqŠ Ę   Šafter€deportation€from€Jordan.€Š ¬ ü  ŠĢ4.8€The€State€party€also€refers€to€the€contents€of€the€above„mentioned€letter€of€27€MarchŠ xČ  Š1997€from€UNHCR€to€the€Advice€Bureau€for€Asylum€Seekers€and€Refugees.€In€addition,€itŠ ^®  Šmentions€the€latest€annual€report€on€Jordan€of€the€United€States€Department€of€State,Š D”  Šaccording€to€which€since€1991€thousands€of€Iraqis€have€sought€asylum€in€Jordan,€where€theyŠ *z  Šhave€been€given€assistance€by€UNHCR.€The€report€mentions,€however,€two€cases€of€forcedŠ ` Šexpulsion€of€Iraqis€to€Iraq€in€1997.€Š öF ŠĢ4.9€According€to€information€received€through€diplomatic€channels€by€the€State€party,Š Ā Šalthough€Jordan€has€not€ratified€the€1951€Convention€relating€to€the€Status€of€Refugees€it€hasŠ Øų Šexpressed€its€willingness€to€follow€the€principles€contained€in€that€Convention€and€theŠ ŽŽ ŠJordanian€authorities€seem€to€have€a€particular€understanding€for€the€difficult€situation€of€theŠ tÄ ŠIraqis.€In€spite€of€that,€Iraqis€who€return€from€Europe€are€not€welcome.€Even€though€theŠ ZŖ ŠJordanian€authorities€claim€that€Iraqis€are€only€sent€back€to€Iraq€with€their€voluntary€writtenŠ @ Šapproval,€it€cannot€be€ruled€out€that€some€Iraqis€have€been€sent€to€Iraq€against€their€will.Š &v ŠAlthough€Jordan€can€be€characterized€as€a€rather€safe€country€for€Iraqi€refugees,€theirŠ  \ Šsituation€may€change€from€time€to€time€depending€on€the€political€situation.€The€relationsŠ ņB Šbetween€Jordan€and€Iraq€have€recently€been€"normalized",€and€this€may€affect€the€situationŠ Ų( Šof€Iraqi€refugees.€According€to€UNHCR,€if€an€Iraqi€is€returned€to€Jordan€after€expulsionŠ ¾ Šfrom€Sweden€and€it€is€known€to€the€Jordanian€authorities€that€he€has€been€staying€inŠ ¤ō ŠSweden,€he€will€probably€be€expelled€also€from€Jordan.€Most€member€States€of€theŠ Š Ś ŠEuropean€Union€do€not€seem€to€regard€Jordan€as€a€safe€third€country€for€Iraqi€citizens.€Š p!Ą  ŠĢ4.10€The€State€party€indicates€that€the€information€referred€to€in€the€previous€paragraph€wasŠ <#Œ" Šnot€available€to€the€Swedish€Immigration€Board€and€the€Aliens€Appeals€Board€when€theyŠ "$r# Šmade€their€decisions€concerning€the€author's€application€for€asylum.€It€can€be€inferred€fromŠ %X $ Šit,€however,€that€Iraqi€refugees€in€Jordan,€in€particular€those€who€have€been€returned€toŠ ī%>!% ŠJordan€from€a€European€country,€are€not€entirely€protected€from€being€deported€to€Iraq.€Š Ō&$"& ŠĢ4.11€With€regard€to€the€personal€risk€of€being€subjected€to€torture,€the€State€party€notes€thatŠ  (š#( Šthe€author€has€not€expressed€any€fear€with€respect€to€Jordan.€As€for€Iraq,€in€view€of€theŠ †)Ö$) Šhuman€rights€situation€in€that€country€and€taking€into€consideration,€ņņinter€aliaóó,€the€escape€ofŠ l*¼%* Šthe€author's€son€from€military€service€and€the€treatment€that€the€author€allegedly€Ō_ŌreceivedŠ R+¢&+ Šfrom€the€Iraqi€police€during€his€stays€in€Iraq€after€leaving€Kuwait,€it€can€be€said€thatŠ 8,ˆ', Šsubstantial€grounds€exist€for€believing€that,€if€returned€to€Iraq,€the€author€would€be€in€dangerŠ -n(- Šof€being€subjected€to€torture.€The€question€that€remains€to€be€considered€is€whether€theŠ ° Šauthor€would€run€a€real€risk€of€being€deported€to€Iraq€from€Jordan.€The€State€party€abstainsŠ –ę Šfrom€making€an€evaluation€of€its€own.€Š |Ģ ŠĢ4.12€In€a€further€submission€dated€6€November€1998€the€State€party€stated€that€Jordan€andŠ H˜ ŠŌ_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō€had€recently€agreed€on€a€Memorandum€of€Understanding€regarding€the€rights€ofŠ . ~ Šrefugees€in€Jordan.€The€Memorandum€contains€the€same€definition€of€refugee€as€appears€inŠ  d Šarticle€1€of€the€1951€Geneva€Convention,€confirming€the€principle€of€non„Ō_ŌrefoulementŌ_ŌŠ ś J Šregarding€citizens€of€a€third€country€who€have€been€recognized€as€refugees€by€Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō.Š ą 0 ŠThus,€the€Memorandum€is€an€additional€sign€of€Jordan's€willingness€to€follow€the€principlesŠ Ę   Šcontained€in€the€Geneva€Convention.€There€are€also€other€signs€of€increasing€cooperationŠ ¬ ü  Šbetween€Jordanian€authorities€and€Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō€and€of€a€wider€understanding€for€the€situationŠ ’ā  Šof€Iraqi€refugees.€Š xČ  ŠĢņņCounsel's€commentsóó€Š D”  ŠĢ5.1€In€her€comments€to€the€State€party's€submission€counsel€stresses€that€the€author's€lastŠ ` Šapplication€for€asylum€was€rejected€on€28€August€1997.€By€then,€the€Swedish€authorities€hadŠ öF Šenough€reliable€information€at€their€disposal€to€consider€that€Jordan€would€not€be€a€safeŠ Ü, Šcountry€for€the€author,€since€he€would€be€at€risk€of€being€deported€to€Iraq€and€subjected€toŠ Ā Štorture€in€that€country.€Š Øų ŠĢ5.2€With€respect€to€the€observations€made€by€the€State€party€on€6€November€1998€counselŠ tÄ Šsubmits€copy€of€a€letter€from€the€Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō€dated€11€November€1998€in€which€she€is€informedŠ ZŖ Šthat€although€Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō€considers€the€signature€of€the€Memorandum€of€Understanding€as€aŠ @ Švery€positive€development€it€does€not€alter€Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō's€view€that€Jordan€is€not€a€safe€countryŠ &v Šof€asylum€for€Iraqi€nationals.€First,€the€Memorandum€retains€an€important€time€limitation.Š  \ ŠAccording€to€its€article€5€a€refugee€should€receive€legal€status€and€Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō€would€Ō_ŌendeavourŌ_ŌŠ ņB Što€find€recognized€refugees€a€durable€solution€be€it€repatriation€to€the€country€of€origin€orŠ Ų( Šresettlement€in€a€third€country.€The€sojourn€of€recognized€refugees€should€not€exceed€sixŠ ¾ Šmonths.€Secondly,€the€Jordanian€authorities€do€not€apply€the€Memorandum€to€deporteesŠ ¤ō Šfrom€third€countries.€Their€practice€with€regard€to€Iraqi€nationals€deported€back€to€JordanŠ Š Ś Šfrom€third€countries€is€either€to€allow€their€departure€to€Iraq€or€to€allow€them€to€travel€to€anyŠ p!Ą  Šthird€country€of€their€choice,€including€the€country€of€deportation.€Š V"¦! ŠĢņņIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€Committeeóó€Š "$r# ŠĢ6.1€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€communication,€the€Committee€againstŠ ī%>!% ŠTorture€must€decide€whether€or€not€it€is€admissible€under€article€22€of€the€Convention.€TheŠ Ō&$"& ŠCommittee€has€ascertained,€as€it€is€required€to€do€under€article€22,€paragraph€5€(a),€of€theŠ ŗ' #' ŠConvention,€that€the€same€matter€has€not€been€and€is€not€being€examined€under€anotherŠ  (š#( Šprocedure€of€international€investigation€or€settlement.€The€Committee€also€notes€that€allŠ †)Ö$) Šdomestic€remedies€have€been€exhausted€and€finds€that€no€further€obstacles€to€theŠ l*¼%* Šadmissibility€of€the€communication€exist.€Since€both€the€State€party€and€the€author's€counselŠ R+¢&+ Šhave€provided€observations€on€the€merits€of€the€communication,€the€Committee€proceedsŠ 8,ˆ', Šwith€the€consideration€of€those€merits.€Š -n(- Š‡6.2€The€issue€before€the€Committee€is€whether€the€forced€return€of€the€author€to€Iraq€orŠ ° ŠJordan€would€violate€the€obligation€of€Sweden€under€article€3€of€the€Convention€not€to€expelŠ –ę Šor€to€return€a€person€to€another€State€where€there€are€substantial€grounds€for€believing€thatŠ |Ģ Šhe€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture.€Š b² ŠĢ6.3€The€Committee€must€decide,€pursuant€to€paragraph€1€of€article€3,€whether€there€areŠ . ~ Šsubstantial€grounds€for€believing€that€the€author€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€toŠ  d Štorture€upon€return€to€Iraq.€In€reaching€this€decision,€the€Committee€must€take€into€accountŠ ś J Šall€relevant€considerations,€pursuant€to€paragraph€2€of€article€3,€including€the€existence€ofŠ ą 0 Ša€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights.€The€aim€of€theŠ Ę   Šdetermination,€however,€is€to€establish€whether€the€individual€concerned€would€beŠ ¬ ü  Špersonally€at€risk€of€being€subjected€to€torture€in€the€country€to€which€he€or€she€wouldŠ ’ā  Šreturn.€The€existence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€humanŠ xČ  Šrights€in€a€country€does€not€as€such€constitute€a€sufficient€ground€for€determining€that€aŠ ^®  Šparticular€person€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€upon€his€return€to€thatŠ D”  Šcountry;€specific€grounds€must€exist€indicating€that€the€individual€concerned€would€beŠ *z  Špersonally€at€risk.€Similarly,€the€absence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross€violations€of€humanŠ ` Šrights€does€not€mean€that€a€person€cannot€be€considered€to€be€in€danger€of€being€subjectedŠ öF Što€torture€in€his€or€her€specific€circumstances.€Š Ü, ŠĢ6.4€The€Committee€is€aware€of€the€serious€human€rights€situation€in€Iraq€and€considers€thatŠ Øų Šthe€author's€history€of€detention€in€that€country€as€well€as€the€possibility€of€his€being€heldŠ ŽŽ Šresponsible€for€his€son's€defection€from€the€army€should€be€taken€into€account€whenŠ tÄ Šdetermining€whether€he€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€upon€his€return.€TheŠ ZŖ ŠCommittee€also€considers€that€the€presentation€of€the€facts€by€the€author€do€not€raiseŠ @ Šsignificant€doubts€as€to€the€general€veracity€of€his€claims€and€notes€that€the€State€party€hasŠ &v Šnot€expressed€doubts€in€this€respect€either.€In€the€circumstances,€the€Committee€considersŠ  \ Šthat€substantial€grounds€exist€for€believing€that€the€author€would€be€in€danger€of€beingŠ ņB Šsubjected€to€torture€if€returned€to€Iraq.€Š Ų( ŠĢ6.5€The€Committee€notes€that€the€Swedish€immigration€authorities€had€ordered€the€author'sŠ ¤ō Šexpulsion€to€Jordan€and€that€the€State€party€abstains€from€making€an€evaluation€of€the€riskŠ Š Ś Šthat€the€author€will€be€deported€to€Iraq€from€Jordan.€It€appears€from€the€parties'€submissions,Š p!Ą  Šhowever,€that€such€risk€cannot€be€excluded,€in€view€of€the€assessment€made€by€differentŠ V"¦! Šsources,€including€Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō,€based€on€reports€indicating€that€some€Iraqis€have€been€sent€byŠ <#Œ" Šthe€Jordanian€authorities€to€Iraq€against€their€will,€that€marriage€to€a€Jordanian€woman€doesŠ "$r# Šnot€guarantee€a€residence€permit€in€Jordan€and€that€this€situation€has€not€improved€after€theŠ %X $ Šsignature€of€a€Memorandum€of€Understanding€between€the€Ō_ŌUNHCRŌ_Ō€and€the€JordanianŠ ī%>!% Šauthorities€regarding€the€rights€of€refugees€in€Jordan.€The€State€party€itself€has€recognizedŠ Ō&$"& Šthat€Iraqi€citizens€who€are€refugees€in€Jordan,€in€particular€those€who€have€been€returned€toŠ ŗ' #' ŠJordan€from€a€European€country,€are€not€entirely€protected€from€being€deported€to€Iraq.€Š  (š#( ŠĢ7.€In€the€light€of€the€above,€the€Committee€is€of€the€view€that,€in€the€prevailingŠ l*¼%* Šcircumstances,€the€State€party€has€an€obligation€to€refrain€from€forcibly€returning€the€authorŠ R+¢&+ Što€Iraq.€It€also€has€an€obligation€to€refrain€from€forcibly€returning€the€author€to€Jordan,€inŠ 8,ˆ', Šview€of€the€risk€he€would€run€of€being€expelled€from€that€country€to€Iraq.€In€this€respect€theŠ -n(- ŠCommittee€refers€to€paragraph€2€of€its€general€comment€on€the€implementation€of€article€3Š ° Šof€the€Convention€in€the€context€of€article€22,€according€to€which€"the€phrase€'another€State'Š –ę Šin€article€3€refers€to€the€State€to€which€the€individual€concerned€is€being€expelled,€returnedŠ |Ģ Šor€extradited,€as€well€as€to€any€State€to€which€the€author€may€subsequently€be€expelled,Š b² Šreturned€or€extradited".€Furthermore,€the€Committee€notes€that€although€Jordan€is€a€partyŠ H˜ Što€the€Convention,€it€has€not€made€the€declaration€under€article€22.€As€a€result,€the€authorŠ . ~ Šwould€not€have€the€possibility€of€submitting€a€new€communication€to€the€Committee€if€heŠ  d Šwas€threatened€with€deportation€from€Jordan€to€Iraq.€Š ś J ŠĢ[Done€in€English,€French,€Russian€and€Spanish,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.]€Š Ę   ŠÓŠÓ