ÿWPCû U Ýxv˽œIÊá´¼qAÜw?f~þÏzãض±¹8* ìPH–ÆÆŠ§-n`Ï&êÔii¦Øo -öK•¡ì)µ,¢NpºÎË…ôÎè3«àX¹6ÜK’Ð&¼ññìªA ƒÍVEC<’i$úÊPF À¥ÐW³àá• Óø2é±vë2|ƒ$ ©îÂ}TYÚЄÿLaäËC&Ê&L? š®Ù¼‘ŸijóOz è"Ì2å½ :ÜüÍÖÒ\,ÉòMî% cÖJ…{X®ÇA'ýò± x®¯!‰&— òcï9.´ÑOYëû^”¸?Š8tÄbݘ4Ô jÅt/ªŒ8>5†«Ýš˜:®ôð'\|ÙC×þe-ºG™d{´¼S£•àÛ*;Œ³ײ‡åzÏ«IÑ|×¼<1ºïtÙ°EâìEû‡ˆM‰åÝ¡2bëYswKØ$­¸âg¦ä´\ÅŒÔ_D¹ÉcاÒÂÙ<<ØB#åôV•ÿT[„H5›•ñ¦ ‘)ðͬ»ßƒâÙOôbÓë÷Ï Ó³£3s”:ÏŠŠÑ‡¯½²lªbx¢ÌFAܪU‹n—Fz£Éä À§ª´-o«ùJôXõJU>¤Ìâ 0µ® 0<c 0YŸ 0_ø 0iW 0PÀÆ 0áÖ 0(· D+ß AM W 0Ng 0Ƶ #Á{ UN< %ŠM(”N¼^ ¾wÊ4Îâ mäô\  `‹&Times New Roman' Hector Alfredo Romero v. Uruguay, Communication No. 85/1981 (2 March 1981) (twenty-first s41981) (twenty-first s"Angie Dituri"0Angie Dituri .   6F , ÿÿ4Heading 3Ô S ÔÓ p^SÓÔ€£££Ôò òÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ€XXXÔó óÓ p^SÓ<ÿÿ:Default Para6ÿÿ4HyperlinkóóòòÔ ÿ ÔóóÔ  Ô<ÿÿ:FollowedHypeóóòòÔ  ÔóóÔ  Ô< ÿÿ:Normal (Web)Ô S ÔÓ =jSÓÓ =jSÓ0ÿÿ.Strongò òÔ  Ôó óÔ  Ô Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5(¹2ûÌ$££Ý ƒ†$!ÝÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X*fXXXÔÔ€X*fXXX*fÔÔÔÝ  Ý(ÿÿ$’’'dxd A<< cÿÿ#|x(ÍO$——ÔÿÔòòóóÔÿÔ(ž†$$¡¡ÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X/²XXXÔÔ€X/²XXX/²ÔÔÔ˜HP LaserJet 6P/6MP - Standard,ä,,,,,ä0(ÈhH  Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX„†û* Äpì*c(„³CorelÿU‹ÿÀÀÀÝ ƒ†$!ÝÒÜ°ÒÒÜ°ÒÔ..ÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ€X*fXXXÔÔ€X*fXXX*fÔÔÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôò òHUMAN€RIGHTS€COMMITTEEÐ ° ÐÌòòRomero€v.€UruguayóóÐ |Ì ÐÌCommunication€No.€85/1981Ð H˜ ÐÌ29€March€1984Ð  d ÐÌÌVIEWSó óÐ Æ   ÐÌÌòòòòSubmitted€by:€óóNelly€Ô_ÔRoveranoÔ_Ô€de€Romero€on€behalf€of€her€husband,€Hector€AlfredoÐ xÈ  ÐRomero€Ð ^®  ÐÌòòAlleged€victim:€óóHector€Alfredo€Romero€Ð *z  ÐÌòòState€party€concerned:€óóUruguay€Ð öF ÐÌòòDate€of€communication:€óó2€March€1981€Ð  ÐÌòòDate€of€decision€on€admissibility:€óó22€July€1983€óóÐ ŽÞ ÐÌÌòòÓ  ÓThe€Human€Rights€Committeeóó€established€under€article€28€of€the€International€Covenant€onÐ @ ÐCivil€and€Political€Rights:€Ð &v ÐÌòòMeetingóó€on€29€March€1984;€Ð òB ÐÌòòHaving€concludedóó€its€consideration€of€communication€No.€R.21/85€submitted€to€theÐ ¾ ÐCommittee€by€Nelly€Ô_ÔRoveranoÔ_Ô€de€Romero€under€the€Optional€Protocol€to€the€InternationalÐ ¤ô ÐCovenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights;€Ð Š Ú ÐÌòòHaving€taken€into€accountóó€all€written€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€author€of€theÐ V"¦! Ðcommunication€and€by€the€State€party€concerned;€Ð <#Œ" ÐÌòòAdoptsóó€the€following:€Ð %X $ ÐÌÌòòò òÓ  ÓViews€under€article€5€(4)€of€the€Optional€Protocoló óóóÐ º' #' ÐÓ^ÓÌÌ1.€The€author€of€the€communication€(initial€letter€dated€2€March€1981€and€further€lettersÐ l*¼%* Ðdated€15€October€1982,€7€June€1983€and€22€February€1984)€is€a€Uruguayan€national,€residingÐ R+¢&+ Ðat€present€in€Sweden.€She€submitted€the€communication€on€behalf€of€her€husband,€HectorÐ 8,ˆ', ÐAlfredo€Romero,€who€is€detained€at€Ô_ÔLibertadÔ_Ô€prison€(EMR€No.€1)€in€Uruguay.€The€authorÐ -n(- Ðdoes€not€specify€which€articles€of€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€RightsÐ ° Ðhave€been€allegedly€violated.€Ð –æ ÐÌ2.1€In€describing€her€husband's€situation,€the€author€relies€partly€on€information€provided€byÐ b² ÐÔ_ÔEdgardoÔ_Ô€Carvalho,€a€former€Uruguayan€Ô_ÔdefenceÔ_Ô€lawyer€now€residing€in€Spain,€and€on€aÐ H˜ Ðmore€recent€report€given€to€her€by€David€Ô_ÔCamporaÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔSchweizerÔ_Ô,€a/€who,€in€December€1980,Ð . ~ Ðarrived€from€Uruguay€in€the€Federal€Republic€of€Germany,€and€according€to€whom€HectorÐ  d ÐAlfredo€Romero€was€being€detained€in€a€cell€alone€at€Ô_ÔLibertadÔ_Ô€prison€and€had€been€subjectedÐ ú J Ðduring€the€entire€month€of€November€1980€to€punishment€at€a€cell€called€"la€Ô_ÔIslaÔ_Ô",€whereÐ à 0 Ðrainwater€filters€in€and€one€lives€in€the€midst€of€human€excrement.€Ð Æ   ÐÌ2.2€It€is€stated€that€Mr.€Romero€was€a€worker€at€an€industrial€plant,€a€militant€trade€unionistÐ ’â  Ðand€member€of€the€Resistencia€Ô_ÔObreroÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔEstudiantilÔ_Ô,€a€leftist€organization€which€was€declaredÐ xÈ  Ðillegal€by€the€military€Government€in€Uruguay€in€December€1973.€He€was€reportedlyÐ ^®  Ðarrested€for€the€first€time€in€September€1970€on€charges€of€attempted€robbery€and€illicitÐ D”  Ðassociation.€He€subsequently€escaped€from€prison€in€September€1971€and€was€rearrested€inÐ *z  ÐDecember€1971.€At€the€end€of€1975€he€was€sentenced€to€a€five„year€prison€term€which,Ð ` Ðcounting€the€time€he€had€already€spent€in€detention,€was€soon€finished€and€his€release€wasÐ öF Ðordered.€However,€he€was€immediately€transferred€by€order€of€the€military€authorities€to€theÐ Ü, Ðcentral€police€prison€where€he€allegedly€was€held€at€the€disposal€of€the€executive€authorities.Ð Â ÐHis€application€to€opt€to€leave€Uruguay€(a€right€applicable€to€a€person€so€held€and€still€validÐ ¨ø Ðat€present)€was€rejected.€From€then€on,€Hector€Romero€was€allegedly€transferred€from€oneÐ ŽÞ Ðpolice€detention€Ô_ÔcentreÔ_Ô€to€another,€held€incommunicado,€and€during€that€time€allegedlyÐ tÄ Ðsubjected€to€torture€and€ill„treatment€in€order€to€have€him€confess€crimes€he€had€notÐ Zª Ðcommitted.€At€the€end€of€May€1976,€Hector€Romero,€together€with€other€political€prisoners,Ð @ Ðwas€brought€briefly€before€journalists€in€order€to€silence€Ô_ÔrumoursÔ_Ô€from€abroad€that€he€andÐ &v Ðother€political€prisoners€had€disappeared€in€Uruguay.€Ð  \ ÐÌ2.3€According€to€Jose€Ô_ÔValdesÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔPieriÔ_Ô,€a€former€Uruguayan€prisoner€at€present€residing€inÐ Ø( ÐSpain,€Hector€Romero€was€transferred€by€the€military€in€November€1976€to€an€unknownÐ ¾ Ðplace€and€kept€incommunicado€until€the€middle€of€1977,€when€he€again€appeared€in€Ô_ÔLibertadÔ_ÔÐ ¤ô Ðprison,€awaiting€another€trial€before€a€military€tribunal.€The€author€alleges€that€the€new€trialÐ Š Ú Ðwas€a€travesty€of€justice.€Ð p!À  ÐÌ3.€By€its€decision€of€18€March€1981€the€Human€Rights€Committee€transmitted€theÐ <#Œ" Ðcommunication€under€rule€91€of€the€provisional€rules€of€procedure€to€the€State€'party,Ð "$r# Ðrequesting€information€and€observations€relevant€to€the€admissibility€of€the€communicationÐ %X $ Ðand€asking€for€copies€of€any€court€orders€or€decisions€relevant€to€that€case.€Ð î%>!% ÐÌ4.€By€a€note€of€3€June€1981€the€State€party€objected€to€the€admissibility€of€theÐ º' #' Ðcommunication€on€the€ground€that€the€same€matter€was€already€being€examined€by€the€Inter„Ð  (ð#( ÐAmerican€Commission€on€Human€Rights€(Ô_ÔIACHRÔ_Ô)€as€case€No.€3106.€Ð †)Ö$) ÐÌ5.€Further€proceedings€before€the€Human€Rights€Committee€were€delayed€until€it€wasÐ R+¢&+ Ðascertained€that€the€case€had€been€effectively€withdrawn€from€Ô_ÔIACHRÔ_Ô€pursuant€to€a€writtenÐ 8,ˆ', Ðrequest€by€the€author,€dated€4€May€1982,€subsequently€confirmed€by€Ô_ÔIACHRÔ_Ô€in€DecemberÐ -n(- ÐÔ_Ô1982.€The€State€party€was€informed€of€the€withdrawal€by€note€of€1€March€1983.€Ð ° ÐÌ6.€In€its€reply€dated€4€May€1983€the€State€party€submitted€Ð |Ì ÐÌ"that€the€person€in€question€was€arrested€because€of€his€links€with€the€Tupamaros€NationalÐ H˜ ÐLiberation€Movement€and€while€attacking€a€branch€office€of€a€bank.€A€sentence€of€secondÐ . ~ Ðinstance€has€been€handed€down€in€the€case€of€Mr.€Romero:€he€was€sentenced€to€25€years'Ð  d Ðimprisonment€and€to€from€1€to€5€years'€precautionary€detention,€having€been€found€guiltyÐ ú J Ðof€the€offences€of€'criminal€conspiracy',€'aggravating€circumstances',€'action€to€upset€theÐ à 0 ÐConstitution€amounting€to€a€conspiracy€followed€by€criminal€preparations',€'co„perpetrationÐ Æ   Ðof€robbery',€'co„perpetration€of€deprivation€of€freedom',€'co„perpetration€of€the€use€of€bombs,Ð ¬ ü  Ðmortars€or€explosives€in€order€to€cause€fear€in€the€community',€'co„perpetration€of€usurpationÐ ’â  Ðof€functions'€and€'co„perpetration€of€damage',€all€offences€in€the€Ordinary€Criminal€Code.€Ð xÈ  ÐÌ"Mr.€Romero€is€currently€imprisoned€in€EMR€No.€1.€The€criminal€trial€was€held€inÐ D”  Ðaccordance€with€the€relevant€legal€provisions.€What€the€author€wrongly€presents€as€a€travestyÐ *z  Ðof€justice€is€the€stage€in€the€trial€when€the€sentence€of€first€instance€was€handed€down,€andÐ ` Ðnot€a€new€trial.€Finally,€Mr.€Romero€was€at€no€time€subjected€to€physical€maltreatment.€InÐ öF ÐUruguay,€the€integrity€of€prisoners€is€protected€by€strict€provisions€of€positive€law€and€alsoÐ Ü, Ðin€fact."€Ð  ÐÌ7.€In€a€further€submission€dated€7€June€1983€the€author€alleges€that,€according€to€informationÐ ŽÞ Ðobtained€through€the€Swedish€Embassy€in€Uruguay,€her€husband€has€been€subjected€to€threeÐ tÄ Ðjudicial€proceedings,€two€under€civilian€and€one€under€military€justice,€and€that€he€has€beenÐ Zª Ðsentenced€to€25€years'€imprisonment€and€to€1€to€5€years'€precautionary€detention.€Ð @ ÐÌ8.1€With€regard€to€article€5€(2)€(a)€of€the€Optional€Protocol,€the€Committee€ascertained€fromÐ  \ Ðthe€secretariat€of€the€Inter„American€Commission€on€Human€Rights€that€the€case€concerningÐ òB ÐHector€Alfredo€Romero,€submitted€to€the€Commission€by€a€close€family€member€on€20€JulyÐ Ø( Ð1979€and€registered€under€number€3106,€had€been€withdrawn€from€active€consideration€inÐ ¾ ÐSeptember€1982.€Accordingly,€the€Committee€found€that€the€communication€was€notÐ ¤ô Ðinadmissible€under€article€5€(2)€(a)€of€the€Optional€Protocol.€Ð Š Ú ÐÌ8.2€With€regard€to€the€exhaustion€of€local€remedies€the€Committee€was€unable€to€conclude,Ð V"¦! Ðon€the€basis€of€the€information€before€it,€that€there€were€effective€remedies€available€to€theÐ <#Œ" Ðalleged€victim€which€he€should€have€pursued.€Accordingly,€the€Committee€found€that€theÐ "$r# Ðcommunication€was€not€inadmissible€under€article€5€(2)€(b)€of€the€Optional€Protocol.€Ð %X $ ÐÌ9.€On€22€July€1983,€the€Human€Rights€Committee€therefore€òòdecided,óó€Ð Ô&$"& ÐÌ(1)€That€the€communication€was€admissible€in€so€far€as€it€related€to€events€which€allegedlyÐ  (ð#( Ðcontinued€or€took€place€on€or€after€23€March€1976,€the€date€on€which€the€Covenant€and€theÐ †)Ö$) ÐOptional€Protocol€entered€into€force€for€Uruguay;€Ð l*¼%* ÐÌ(2)€That,€in€accordance€with€article€4€(2)€of€the€Optional€Protocol,€the€State€party€beÐ 8,ˆ', Ðrequested€to€submit€to€the€Committee,€within€six€months€of€the€date€of€the€transmittal€to€itÐ -n(- Ðof€this€decision,€written€explanations€or€statements€clarifying€the€matter€and€the€remedy,€ifÐ ° Ðany,€that€may€have€been€taken€by€it;€Ð –æ ÐÌ(3)€That€the€State€party€be€informed€that€the€written€explanations€or€statements€submittedÐ b² Ðby€it€under€article€4€(2)€of€the€Optional€Protocol€must€relate€primarily€to€the€substance€of€theÐ H˜ Ðmatter€under€consideration.€The€Committee€stressed€that,€in€order€to€perform€itsÐ . ~ Ðresponsibilities,€it€required€specific€responses€to€the€allegations€which€had€been€made€by€theÐ  d Ðauthor€of€the€communication,€and€the€State€party's€explanations€of€the€actions€taken€by€it.Ð ú J ÐThe€State€party€was€requested,€in€this€connection,€(i)€to€enclose€copies€of€any€court€ordersÐ à 0 Ðor€decisions€of€relevance€to€the€matter€under€consideration€and€in€particular€to€Mr.€Romero'sÐ Æ   Ðcontinued€detention€after€he€had€served€a€five„year€prison€term€to€which€he€was€sentencedÐ ¬ ü  Ðin€1975,€(ii)€to€inform€the€Committee€of€the€reasons€for€his€continued€detention€and€of€anyÐ ’â  Ðfurther€proceedings€against€him,€and€(iii)€to€inquire€into€the€allegations€made€concerning€theÐ xÈ  Ðconditions€in€which€Mr.€Romero€has€been€detained€(paras.€2.1,€2.2€and€2.3€above)€and€toÐ ^®  Ðinform€the€Committee€of€the€result€of€its€inquiries.€Ð D”  ÐÌ10.1€In€its€Submission€under€article€4€(2)€of€the€Optional€Protocol,€dated€23€January€1984,Ð ` Ðthe€State€party€reiterated€what€was€stated€in€its€reply€to€the€Committee€dated€4€May€1983,Ð öF Ðexplaining€the€grounds€on€which€Mr.€Romero€was€imprisoned.€The€State€party€alsoÐ Ü, Ðreiterated€"that€the€conditions€to€which€prisoners€are€subject€have€been€observed€byÐ Â Ðinternational€officials€and€diplomats€accredited€in€Uruguay,€in€the€course€of€numerous€visitsÐ ¨ø Ðmade€by€them€to€the€various€prison€establishments".€Ð ŽÞ ÐÌ10.2€In€her€letter€of€22€February€1984,€the€author€maintains€her€allegations€and€points€outÐ Zª Ðthat€the€State€party€has€not€specified€who€are€the€international€officials€and€diplomats€whoÐ @ Ðhave€visited€the€prison€establishments,€whereas€she€mentions€all€her€witnesses€by€name,€e.g.,Ð &v ÐEdgardo€Carvalho,€David€Campora€Schweizer€and€Jose€Valdes€Pieri.€Ð  \ ÐÌ11.1€The€Human€Rights€Committee,€having€examined€the€present€communication€in€the€lightÐ Ø( Ðof€all€the€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€parties€as€provided€in€article€5€(1)€of€theÐ ¾ ÐOptional€Protocol,€hereby€decides€to€base€its€views€on€the€following€facts,€which€appearÐ ¤ô Ðuncontested.€Ð Š Ú ÐÌ11.2€Hector€Alfredo€Romero€was€a€militant€trade€unionist€and€member€of€the€ResistenciaÐ V"¦! ÐObrero€Estudiantil;€he€was€arrested€for€the€first€time€in€September€1970€on€charges€ofÐ <#Œ" Ðattempted€robbery€and€illicit€association;€in€second€instance€he€was€sentenced€to€25€years'Ð "$r# Ðimprisonment€and€to€from€1€to€5€years'€precautionary€detention;€from€November€1976€to€theÐ %X $ Ðmiddle€of€1977€he€was€held€incommunicado€at€an€unknown€place€of€detention.€Ð î%>!% ÐÌ12.1€In€formulating€its€views,€the€Human€Rights€Committee€also€takes€into€account€theÐ º' #' Ðfollowing€considerations.€Ð  (ð#( ÐÌ12.2€In€operative€paragraph€3€of€the€Working€Group's€decision€of€18€March€1981€and€againÐ l*¼%* Ðin€operative€paragraph€3€of€the€Committee's€decision€of€22€July€1983,€the€State€party€wasÐ R+¢&+ Ðrequested€to€enclose€copies€of€any€court€orders€or€decisions€of€relevance€to€the€case,€and€inÐ 8,ˆ', Ðparticular€with€respect€to€Mr.€Romero's€continued€detention€after€he€had€served€a€five„yearÐ -n(- Ðprison€term€to€which€he€had€been€sentenced€in€1975.€The€State€party€was€also€requested€toÐ ° Ðinvestigate€the€author's€allegations€with€regard€to€the€conditions€of€Mr.€Romero's€detentionÐ –æ Ð(paras.€2.1,€2.2€and€2.3€above)€and€to€inform€the€Committee€of€the€result€of€its€inquiries.€TheÐ |Ì ÐCommittee€notes€with€regret€that€it€has€not€received€the€requested€information.€Ð b² ÐÌ12.3€With€regard€to€the€burden€of€proof,€the€Committee€has€already€established€in€otherÐ . ~ Ðcases€(e.g.,€No.€30/1978)€that€this€cannot€rest€alone€on€the€author€of€the€communication,Ð  d Ðespecially€considering€that€the€author€and€the€State€party€do€not€always€have€equal€accessÐ ú J Ðto€the€evidence€and€that€frequently€the€State€party€alone€has€access€to€relevant€information.Ð à 0 ÐIt€is€implicit€in€article€4€(2)€of€the€Optional€Protocol€that€the€State€party€has€the€duty€toÐ Æ   Ðinvestigate€in€good€faith€all€allegations€of€violations€of€the€Covenant€made€against€it€and€itsÐ ¬ ü  Ðauthorities€and€to€furnish€to€the€Committee€the€information€available€to€it.€In€cases€whereÐ ’â  Ðthe€author€has€submitted€to€the€Committee€allegations€supported€by€witness€testimony,€asÐ xÈ  Ðin€this€case,€and€where€further€clarification€of€the€case€depends€on€information€exclusivelyÐ ^®  Ðin€the€hands€of€the€State€party,€the€Committee€may€consider€such€allegations€as€substantiatedÐ D”  Ðin€the€absence€of€satisfactory€evidence€and€explanations€to€the€contrary€submitted€by€theÐ *z  ÐState€party.€Ð ` ÐÌ13.€The€Human€Rights€Committee,€acting€under€article€5€(4)€of€the€Optional€Protocol€to€theÐ Ü, ÐInternational€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights,€is€of€the€view€that€the€facts€as€foundÐ Â Ðby€the€Committee,€in€so€far€as€they€continued€or€occurred€after€23€March€1976€(the€date€onÐ ¨ø Ðwhich€the€Covenant€and€the€Optional€Protocol€entered€into€force€for€Uruguay),€discloseÐ ŽÞ Ðviolations€of:€Ð tÄ ÐÌ„€Article€10,€paragraph€1€of€the€International€Covenant€on€Civil€and€Political€Rights,€becauseÐ @ ÐHector€Alfredo€Romero€has€not€been€treated€with€humanity€and€with€respect€for€the€inherentÐ &v Ðdignity€of€the€human€person,€in€particular€because€he€was€kept€incommunicado€at€anÐ  \ Ðunknown€place€of€detention€for€several€months€(from€November€1976€to€the€middle€of€1977)Ð òB Ðduring€which€time€his€fate€and€his€whereabouts€were€unknown.€Ð Ø( ÐÌ14.€The€Committee,€accordingly,€is€of€the€view€that€the€State€party€is€under€an€obligation€toÐ ¤ô Ðensure€that€Hector€Alfredo€Romero€is€henceforth€treated€with€humanity,€and€to€transmit€aÐ Š Ú Ðcopy€of€these€views€to€him.€Ð p!À  ÐÌÌòòNotesóó€Ð "$r# ÐÌa/€€€The€Committee's€views€in€the€Campora€Schweizer€case€were€adopted€at€its€seventeenthÐ î%>!% Ðsession€(CCPR/C/D/(XVII)/66/1980).€