WPC o.tm0C3|:Ө/6;CGH7u\gTAXkryc~?OMbrV[ a(Ӻ`%3dA:iEps% VJ{UOط?Ɖހ9Ae2Ԙ@yPey5\b˨tAc|rIʍeqiD67u@[-Fở^_JaX~Էl*-TZ>Ji)'˔N(Wlm|9G";Y %Q<1Xt6Z D4:c}=K0QVN+J 0_level4  ` &<<DL&23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  2;+J 0_level5   #DL#23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  28+J 0_level6    DL 23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  25+J 0_level7  h DDL23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  22+J 0_level8   L23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  2/+J 0_level9    L23  ..  2( 4 <DL2  2GJ 0_levsl1  X /%4 4 <DL/23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  2DJ 0_levsl2   ," <DL,23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  2AJ 0_levsl3   ) <DL)23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  2>J 0_levsl4  ` &<<DL&23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  2;J 0_levsl5   #DL#23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  28J 0_levsl6    DL 23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  25J 0_levsl7  h DDL23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  22J 0_levsl8   L23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  2/J 0_levsl9    L23  Ԁ  2( 4 <DL2  2GJ 0_levnl1  X /%4 4 <DL/23   2( 4 <DL2  2DJ 0_levnl2   ," <DL,23   2( 4 <DL2  2AJ 0_levnl3   ) <DL)23   2( 4 <DL2  2>J 0_levnl4  ` &<<DL&23   2( 4 <DL2  2;J 0_levnl5   #DL#23   2( 4 <DL2  28J 0_levnl6    DL 23   2( 4 <DL2  25J 0_levnl7  h DDL23   2( 4 <DL2  22J 0_levnl8   L23   2( 4 <DL2  2/J 0_levnl9    L23   2( 4 <DL2  6K >4heading 1     UK XXX      US   XXX6@ 34heading 3   UK XXX    US   XXX6= 04heading 8   UK XXX    US   XXX<:Default Parak(, tQ+ Docume,3|xU !UKUS.,  _  COMMITTEEAGAINSTTORTURE  A.M.v.Switzerland  CommunicationNo.144/1999 p 14November2000 P  _CAT/C/25/D/144/1999_ 0  VIEWS  P  Submittedby:A.M.(namedeleted)      `     h   Allegedvictim:Theauthor      Stateparty:Switzerland      Dateofthecommunication:12August1999 p <( 4 <DLX<  TheCommitteeagainstTorture,establishedunderarticle17oftheConventionagainst @ TortureandOtherCruel,InhumanorDegradingTreatmentorPunishment, 0       Meetingon14November2000, `       HavingconcludeditsconsiderationofcommunicationNo.144/1999,submittedtothe @ CommitteeagainstTortureunderarticle22oftheConventionagainstTortureandOtherCruel, 0 InhumanorDegradingTreatmentorPunishment,         Havingtakenintoaccountallinformationmadeavailablebytheauthorofthe "  communicationandtheStateparty, #!       Adoptsthefollowingdecision: % #   1.1  TheauthorofthecommunicationisMr.A.M.,bornin1974andacitizenofChad.Heis `'"% currentlyresidinginSwitzerland,whereheappliedforasylumon19October1998.Hisapplication P(#& havingbeenturneddown,hemaintainsthathisforciblerepatriationtoChadwouldconstitutea @)$' violationbySwitzerlandofarticle3oftheConventionagainstTorture. 0*%( 1.2  Inaccordancewitharticle22,paragraph3,oftheConvention,theCommitteebroughtthe ,`'* communicationtotheattentionoftheStatepartyon4October1999.Atthesametime,the -P(+ Committee,pursuanttorule108,paragraph9,ofitsrulesofprocedure,requestedtheStatepartynot -@), toexpeltheauthortoChadwhilehiscommunicationwasunderconsideration.Inasubmission  dated26November1999,theStatepartyinformedtheCommitteethatmeasureshadbeentakento  ensurethattheauthorwasnotreturnedtoChadwhilehiscasewaspendingbeforetheCommittee.  USUK., Thefactsassubmittedbytheauthor  p UK.,US.,F 2.1  Theauthorhasbeentrainedincomputing.HewasanactivememberoftheChadianHuman P  RightsLeague(_LTDH_),vicepresidentofoneofthecomponentsoftheAlliance_Nationale_Ԁde @  _Rsistance_Ԁ(_ANR_)andactingvicepresidentoftheUniondesJeunes_Rvolutionnaires_Ԁ(_UJR_)foran 0  18-monthperiodduringthepresidentsabsence.Afterthisperiodhewasdenouncedtothesecurity  p  forcesbyagentswhohadinfiltratedthosebodies. `  2.2  On16September1998,soldierscametotheauthorshomeduringhisabsence.Apolice @  officerfriendadvisedhimtoleavehishouse.Afterhehadgoneintohidingathismothershome, 0  thesoldiersreturnedtohishouseatnight.Thisconvincedhimheshouldleavethecountry.   2.3  TheauthorthenrequestedasyluminSwitzerlandbuthisrequestwasturneddown.  ThereuponhewasallegedlyforcedbytheSwissauthoritiestocontacttheChadianEmbassyin  Franceinordertoorganizehisreturnhome.Theembassyofficialsreportedlyrefusedtoassisthim  astheyclaimedtheycouldnotensurehissafetyunlessheexpresslyrenouncedtheopposition  movementandsupportedtheexistingregime. p  Meritsofthecase  P 3.  Theauthorstatesthat,asheisknowntothesecurityforcesinChad,hewouldrunarealrisk 0 ofilltreatmentifhereturnedthere.Heconsidersthatithasbeensufficientlyestablished,in  p particularbytheInternationalFederationofHumanRights(_FIDH_),thathumanrightsarebeing ` violatedonamassivescaleinChad.Moreover,theSwissAppealCommissiononAsylumMatters P hasitselfrecognizedthatmembersof_LTDH_,suchastheauthor,areliabletohaveserious @ difficultieswiththeChadiansecurityforces.Three_LTDH_Ԁactivistsdisappearedaftertheywere 0 arrestedbySudanesesecurityforcesinApril1998andhandedovertotheChadianauthorities.   USUK., TheStatepartysobservationsontheadmissibilityandmeritsofthecommunication  "  4.1  TheStatepartyhasnotcontestedtheadmissibilityofthecommunication;inaletterdated4 $" April2000itcommentedonitsmerits. % # 4.2  TheStatepartypointsoutthataconsistentpatternofflagrantormassiveviolationsofhuman `'"% rightsinacountrydoesnotinitselfconstituteasufficientgroundfordeterminingthataparticular P(#& personwouldbeindangerofbeingsubjectedtotortureuponhisorherreturntothatcountry.There @)$' mustbeothergroundsindicatingthattheindividualconcernedwouldbepersonallyatrisk. 0*%( 4.3  Inthepresentcase,theStatepartyconsidersthattheriskallegedbytheauthoris ,`'* insufficientlysubstantiated.Theauthorsexplanationsofhispoliticalactivitiesweregeneraland -P(+ vague.Atthefirsthearingrelatingtohisapplicationforasylum,hewasunabletoprovidethenames -@), oftheorganizationshehadworkedfor.Moreover,theinformationhegaveon_LTDH_Ԁwas  erroneous,andtheattestationbythe_ANR_Ԁrepresentativewhichheproduceddidnotindicateclearly  whatroleheplayedin_ANR_.Hismembershipcardshowsanenrolmentdatethatdoesnot  correspondtothedatehementionedtotheSwissauthorities.Inaddition,theStatepartypossessed  informationtotheeffectthat_ANR_ԀwasnotknownasanoppositionmovementinChad. p _4.4  TheStatepartyalsoconsidersthattheaccounttheauthorhasgivenisnotplausible.With P  regardtohisallegationsthatsoldierswerelookingforhim,itisunthinkablethat,iftheyhadreally @  wantedtoapprehendhim,theywouldnothavegonetohisplaceofwork,givenhisstatementthat 0  hecontinuedgoingtoworkevenafterthesoldiershadshownupathishome,ortohismothers  p  home. `  4.5  TheStatepartyalsoreferstotheCommitteesgeneralcommentonarticle3,totheeffectthat @  considerableweightwillbegivenbytheCommitteetofindingsoffactthataremadebyorgansof 0  theStateparty,andstressesthatthecommunicationisonlyonepagelong.   4.6  TheStatepartypointsoutthat,contrarytotheauthorsclaim,_ANR_Ԁhassubsidiarybasesin  theSudanandtheCentralAfricanRepublic,anditszoneofoperationislocatedineasternChad.  Thishasbeenconfirmedbydocumentsproducedbytheauthorhimself.TheStatepartyfurther  maintainsthattheauthorclaimed,ononeoccasion,thathehadbeenprosecutedforhavingincited  youngpeopletorebel,andonanother,thathisprosecutionwastheresultoftheworkofinformants p whohadinfiltrated_ANR_Ԁortheyouthmovement. ` 4.7  TheStatepartyconsidersthattheauthorsstatementsregardinghisbehaviourafterthe @ allegedattemptstoarresthimandhisescaperouteareagainimplausible.Atthehearingsheclaimed 0 thathehadgonetoworkduringthethreeorfourdaysprecedinghisdeparture,whichseemshighly  p unlikelyforapersonwantedbythepolice.Moreover,hetookthelongestandmostcomplicated ` routeacrossthewholeofChadandtheLibyanArab_Jamahiriya_ԀonhiswaytoEurope,whereastwo P ofhisbrothersliveinCameroonandhehimselfhadspecializedinsmugglingpeopleintoNigeria. @ 4.8  TheStatepartyfurtherpointsoutthattheauthorhasneverclaimedtohavebeensubjected   totortureinthepastorclaimedthatrelativesofhiswereharassedbecauseofhisactivities;hehas ! notpursuedhispoliticalactivitysincehisarrivalinSwitzerland. "  4.9  TheStatepartypointsoutthatthiscommunicationisthefirstoccasionwhentheauthorhas $" referredtotheUniondesjeunes_rvolutionnaires_Ԁandtohispositionasvice-president.Untilthis % # pointhehadmentionedonlytheChadianRevolutionaryParty,the_ANR_Ԁ componenttowhichhe p&!$ referredhavingneverbeenclearlyidentified.Withregardtohismembershipin_LTDH_,theSwiss `'"% AppealCommissiononAsylumMattersclearlystatedthat,apartfromthebogusmembershipcard P(#& referredtoabove,hismembershipdidnotsufficientlyestablishthatherantheriskofbeingsubjected @)$' totorture.WithregardtotherefusaloftheChadianEmbassyinFrancetoissuethenecessarytravel 0*%( documentstohim,theStatepartyobservesthattheletterfromtheEmbassymakesnomentionof  +p&) thefateawaitinghimuponhisreturntoChad.ItmerelystatesthattheChadianauthoritiesare ,`'* unabletoprovidesuchdocuments.Moreover,iftheauthorwasreallywantedbytheChadian -P(+ authorities,theywouldmostlikelyhaveencouragedhimtoreturn. -@), Ї Theauthorscomments   5.1  Inaletterdated20May2000,theauthorcommentedontheStatepartysobservationson  themeritsofthecommunication.  5.2  TheauthorfirstdrawstheCommitteesattentiontothefactthatthehumanrightssituation `  inChadhascontinuedtodeterioratesince1994.Hebacksupthisstatementwithvariousdocuments P  andpressclippings.Havingbeenamemberof_LTDH_,_ANR_Ԁand_UJR_,heisconvincedthat,if @  arrested,hewouldbesubjectedtotorture. 0  5.3  WithregardtotheStatepartysobservationthathewasunableatthefirsthearingtoprovide `  thenamesoftheorganizationshewasworkingfor,hepointsoutthatitwasaparticularlyshort P  hearingandhewasnotquestionedonthatpoint.Thesubsequenthearingswerelongerandmore @  detailed,allowingtheauthortobemorespecificabouthisactivities. 0  5.4  Astothediscrepancybetweenthedateofjoining_LTDH_Ԁshownonhismembershipcardand  thedatehementionedinhisstatements,theauthorclaimsthatanerrorwasmadeonthecardand  hewasunabletohaveitcorrected.HealsostateshehadindeednamedMr._Ngare_ԀAdaasbeing  actingpresidentofthe_LTDH_.  5.5  Asto_ANR_,theauthorissurprisedthattheStatepartyhasnotheardthattheorganizationis p partoftheoppositionmovementinChad.Hehasprovidedseveralpressclippingsshowingthisto ` bethecase,inparticulararticlesreferringtoaround-tablemeetingorganizedinGabonin1996.In P addition,theauthornotesthattherewasanerrorinthe_ANR_Ԁattestationinthathehadnotsought @ asylumintheNetherlandsbuthadbeenunabletohavethedocumentcorrected. 0 5.6  RegardingtheroutehetookwhenfleeingfromChad,theauthorbelievesthattheroute ` throughtheLibyanArab_Jamahiriya_Ԁwaslesscloselywatchedandthesafestoneforhimtotake. P HepointsoutthattheborderwithCameroonismuchmorecloselyguardedandtherewasastrong @ chanceofhisbeingrecognizedthere. 0 5.7  Lastly,theauthordoesnotrecallhavingmentionedthathehadgonetoworkafterthe ! soldiershadstartedlookingforhim.Atthatpointhehadbeenunabletotakeanypracticalsteps "  himself,anditwashiswifewhohadorganizedhisescapefromthecountry. #!  IssuesandproceedingsbeforetheCommittee  % # UK.,US.,USUK.,6.1  Beforeconsideringanyoftheallegationsinacommunication,theCommitteeagainstTorture `'"% mustdecidewhetherornotthecommunicationisadmissibleunderarticle22oftheConvention.It P(#& hasascertained,asitisrequiredtodounderarticle22,paragraph5(a),oftheConvention,thatthe @)$' samematterhasnotbeenandisnotbeingexaminedunderanotherprocedureofinternational 0*%( investigationorsettlement.Itnotesalsothatalldomesticremedieshavebeenexhaustedandthat  +p&) theStatepartyhasnotcontestedtheadmissibilityofthecommunication.Itthereforeconsidersthat ,`'* thecommunicationisadmissible.AsboththeStatepartyandtheauthorhaveprovidedobservations -P(+ onthemeritsofthecommunication,theCommitteeproceedswiththeconsiderationofthosemerits. -@), Ї6.2  TheissuebeforetheCommitteeiswhethertheforcedreturnoftheauthortoChadwould  violatetheobligationoftheStatepartyunderarticle3oftheConventionnottoexpelorreturna  persontoanotherStatewheretherearesubstantialgroundsforbelievingthathewouldbeindanger  ofbeingsubjectedtotorture.    UK.,US.,96.3  TheCommitteemustdecide,pursuanttoarticle3,paragraph1,whethertherearesubstantial `  groundsforbelievingthattheauthorwouldbeindangerofbeingsubjectedtotortureuponreturn P  toChad.Inreachingthatdecision,theCommitteemusttakeintoaccountallrelevantconsiderations, @  pursuanttoarticle3,paragraph2,includingtheexistenceofaconsistentpatternofgross,flagrant 0  ormassviolationsofhumanrights.Theaimofthedetermination,however,istoestablishwhether  p  theindividualconcernedwouldbepersonallyatriskofbeingsubjectedtotortureinthecountryto `  whichheorshewouldreturn.Theexistenceofaconsistentpatternofgross,flagrantormass P  violationsofhumanrightsinacountrydoesnotinitselfconstituteasufficientgroundfor @  determiningthataparticularpersonwouldbeindangerofbeingsubjectedtotortureuponhisorher 0  returntothecountry.Theremustbeothergroundsindicatingthattheindividualconcernedwould   bepersonallyatrisk.Similarly,theabsenceofaconsistentpatternofgrossviolationsofhuman  rightsdoesnotmeanthatapersonmightnotbesubjectedtotortureinhisorherspecific  circumstances.  USUK.,6.4  TheCommitteerecallsitsgeneralcommentontheimplementationofarticle3,whichreads:  UK.,US.,3E BearinginmindthattheStatepartyandtheCommitteeareobligedtoassesswhetherthereare p substantialgroundsforbelievingthattheauthorwouldbeindangerofbeingsubjectedtotorture ` werehe/shetobeexpelled,returnedorextradited,theriskoftorturemustbeassessedongrounds P thatgobeyondmeretheoryorsuspicion.However,theriskdoesnothavetomeetthetestofbeing @ highlyprobable(A/53/44,annexIX,para.6). 0   6.5  Inthepresentcase,theCommitteenotestheStatepartysobservationstotheeffectthatthe ` authorsstatementsconcerningtheallegedrisksoftorturearevagueandgeneral,attimes P implausible,attimesinaccurateandattimesinconsistent. @ 6.6.  TheCommitteefindsthattheauthorhasnotmentionedanyformsofpersecutiontowhich   hewassubjectedinhiscountryoforigin.Hewasneverilltreatedortortured;norwasheever ! questionedordetainedbythesecurityforces. "  6.7  TheCommitteealsofindsthattheauthorhasnotproducedconclusiveevidenceof,nor $" demonstratedconvincinglyhismembershipof,oractivitiesin,theChadianHumanRightsLeague, % # theAlliance_nationale_Ԁde_rsistance_ԀortheUniondesjeunes_rvolutionnaires_. p&!$ 6.8  TheCommitteethereforefindsthatithasnotbeengivenenoughevidencebytheauthorto P(#& concludethatthelatterwouldrunapersonal,realandforeseeableriskofbeingtorturedifreturned @)$' tohiscountryoforigin. 0*%( 6.9  TheCommitteeagainstTorture,actingunderarticle22,paragraph7,oftheConvention ,`'* againstTortureandOtherCruel,InhumanorDegradingTreatmentorPunishment,therefore -P(+ concludesthatthedecisionoftheStatepartytoreturntheauthortoChaddoesnotconstitutea -@), breachofarticle3oftheConvention.  =