’WPCM mįī{RPвXč†PßćŠNü°X {ˆ“ø2’xiķōGĮƒžĪł"TšIńĖ©C.4ś“P4Ę­ówu\1bćL^˜Æv/i.ī|‰ō±•\#¢P|ÕśÜyāŪ^®·"n†3‹r§ōHå>„‡¼=£pqŚüÅ»ÉĶN.VNŸ¼JKĒ“Z®UzšĖ6éHųB;FŻ2¢×†»X1.­+5j¶ģ™‚Xį5·¦'¼leĒ•79§&9g; ņuMåÕnĖ#ø«½t:bqyj‹:…#˜Yų޹ŹVķüB×}½dOšCM‡ ̽ojšó“P•‚}/.fämQ˜é°Ų8T"SŪ`"&ŠķlO±VĻkdń;aćͱcŃųēŽä¢§GŻ•v4Ęξ§²Yā=ĆģZ|Ž$L°e=œ*ų}nfĢ«™Gķ„Öd¤Ż:@ōy÷žH–’tDBčĢlžŽq×­Ö6“%R>;ŽS²żŠuœa­juĢź¢€ģ²1¦`[Ž`£ĀE7M"ŒąŽ@Ķt€(ÉܹÖ>K·!b2Šŗ]pyMŒ#­ķ-n/¤Ü”!Ś^z'OÉōüa©AŪĆ)ي-»U V+¦j¾_bH“?9 |“b™ ›øaīb #ÉØUNq %æ 0:ÅN’^ w 4%4 m6˜\\YORK_UNIVERSITY\q_hrts_hp4000tnŅV,,,,ŅV0(@ųŠ Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(ö\$””ŌCEUS.,Ōw{1— 3·s1ź:i¢×+003|x’U‹’ĄĄĄŻ ƒö\!ŻŌCEUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_Ōņ ņCOMMITTEE€AGAINST€TORTUREŠ ° ŠĢŌ_ŌņņZ.Ō_Ō€T.€v.€AustraliaóóŠ „Ō ŠĢCommunication€No.€153/2000Š XØ ŠĢ11€November€2003Š , | ŠĢCAT/C/31/D/153/2000*Š  P ŠĢĢVIEWSó óŠ ¾  ŠĢĢņņņņSubmitted€byóó:€Z.€T.€(represented€by€Ms.€Angela€Cranston)Š zŹ  ŠĢņņAlleged€victimóó:€R.€T.Š H˜ ŠĢņņState€partyóó:€Australia€Š f ŠĢņņDate€of€complaintóó:€4€January€2000€(initial€submission)óóŠ ä4 ŠĢÓ  ÓĢņņThe€Committee€against€Tortureóó,€established€under€Article€17€of€the€Convention€against€Torture€andŠ ķ ŠOther€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,Š †Ö ŠĢņņMeetingóó€on€11€November€2003,Š XØ Š€ĢņņHaving€concludedóó€its€consideration€of€complaint€No.€153/2000,€submitted€to€the€Committee€againstŠ *z ŠTorture€by€Ms.€Z.€T.€under€article€22€of€the€Convention€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€InhumanŠ c Šor€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,€Š üL ŠĢņņHaving€taken€into€accountóó€all€information€made€available€to€it€by€the€author€of€the€complaint,€hisŠ Ī!  Šcounsel€and€the€State€party,€Š ·"! ŠĢņņAdopts€the€followingóó:Š ‰$Ł# ŠĢĢÓmÓņņņ ņÓ  ÓDecision€of€the€Committee€Against€Torture€under€article€22€of€the€Conventionó óóóŠ D'”"& ŠÓ£ÓÓÓĢĢ1.1€€The€complainant€in€the€case€dated€4€January€2000€is€Z.€T.€She€submits€the€case€on€behalf€of€herŠ *P%) Šbrother,€R.€T.,€an€Algerian€citizen€born€on€16€July€1967.€She€claims€that€her€brother€is€a€victim€ofŠ é*9&* Šviolations€by€Australia€of€article€3€of€the€Convention€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel€Inhuman€orŠ Ņ+"'+ ŠDegrading€Treatment€or€Punishment.€She€is€represented€by€counsel.Š », (, ŠŠ ¤-ō(- ŠŌ_Ō‡1.2€€On€26€January€2000,€the€Committee€forwarded€the€complaint€to€the€State€party€for€commentsŠ ° Šand€requested€it,€under€Rule€108,€paragraph€1,€of€the€Committee's€rules€of€procedure,€not€to€returnŠ ™é Šthe€complainant€to€Algeria€while€his€complaint€was€under€consideration€by€the€Committee.€€TheŠ ‚Ņ ŠState€party,€however,€expelled€the€complainant€the€same€day€without€having€had€time€to€considerŠ k» Šthe€request.Š T¤ ŠĢņņThe€facts€as€submitted€by€the€complainantóó:Š & v ŠĢ2.1€On€27€November€1997,€the€complainant,€who€held€a€visitors€visa,€visited€Mecca€in€Saudi€Arabia.Š ų H ŠHe€stayed€there€for€7€months.€He€then€"purchased"€an€Australian€visa€and€left€for€South€Africa,€toŠ į 1  Šcollect€the€Australian€visa.€Š Ź   ŠĢ2.2€On€21€August€1998,€the€complainant€arrived€in€Australia€from€South€Africa.€He€destroyed€hisŠ œģ  Štravel€documents€at€the€airport€of€arrival.€He€immediately€applied€for€refugee€status€at€the€airport,Š …Õ  Šwhere€he€was€interviewed€by€an€officer€of€the€Department€of€Immigration€and€Multicultural€AffairsŠ n¾  Š(DIMA).€As€undocumented€arrival,€he€was€refused€immigration€clearance€under€s172€of€theŠ W§  ŠAustralian€Immigration€Act.€On€the€same€day,€he€was€detained€and€escorted€to€WestbridgeŠ @ ŠImmigration€Detention€Centre.Š )y Š€Ģ2.3€On€26€August€1998,€the€complainant€applied€for€a€Protection€Visa.€He€was€assisted€by€a€solicitorŠ ūK Šfrom€the€Legal€Aid€Commission€of€New€South€Wales.€On€16€October€1998,€his€application€wasŠ ä4 Šrejected€by€DIMA.€On€16€October€1998,€he€appealed€to€the€Refugee€Review€Tribunal.€The€appealŠ Ķ Šwas€rejected€on€11€November€1998.€He€further€appealed€to€the€Federal€Court€of€Australia,€whichŠ ¶ Šdismissed€his€appeal€on€10€March€1999.Š Ÿļ ŠĢ2.4€The€complainant€did€not€appeal€the€decision€of€the€Federal€Court€of€Australia€to€the€Full€FederalŠ qĮ ŠCourt€because€his€representatives€were€of€the€view€that,€in€light€of€the€narrow€grounds€of€reviewŠ ZŖ Šavailable€in€the€Federal€Court,€an€appeal€did€not€have€any€prospect€of€success€and€therefore€did€notŠ C“ Šfall€within€the€guidelines€which€determine€whether€legal€aid€can€be€granted.€He€alleges€that€withoutŠ ,| Šlegal€aid€it€would€had€been€likely€that€he€would€have€been€unrepresented€in€his€appeal.Š e ŠĢ2.5€The€complainant€sent€three€subsequent€appeals€to€the€Minister€of€Immigration€and€MulticulturalŠ ē 7 ŠAffairs€on€17€March€1999,€6€July€1999,€and€26€August€1999.€He€requested€the€Minister€exercise€hisŠ Š!   Šdiscretion€and€allow€him€to€stay€in€Australia€on€humanitarian€grounds.€The€Minister€declined€toŠ ¹" ! Šexercise€his€discretion€in€an€undated€letter€received€by€counsel€on€22€July€1999,€and€a€further€letterŠ ¢#ņ" Šdated€23€August€1999.€€The€Minister's€decision€was€not€subject€to€appeal.€On€29€October€1999,€anŠ ‹$Ū# Šimmigration€agent€from€the€South€Brisbane€Immigration€and€Community€Legal€Service€appealedŠ t%Ä $ Što€the€Minister€asking€to€allow€the€complainant€to€remain€in€Australia€on€humanitarian€grounds;€theŠ ]&­!% Šdirector€of€Amnesty€International€Australia€also€submitted€a€letter,€requesting€that€the€complainantŠ F'–"& Šwould€not€be€returned€"in€the€foreseeable€future".Š /(#' ŠĢ2.6€The€complainant€and€another€two€asylum€seekers€thereupon€started€a€hunger€strike€in€SeptemberŠ *Q%) Š1999.€On€8€October€1999,€they€were€removed€from€Westbridge.€They€were€denied€the€opportunityŠ ź*:&* Što€consult€with€their€legal€advisors€and€were€not€permitted€to€pack€their€own€belongings.€On€16Š Ó+#'+ ŠOctober€1999,€they€submitted€a€complaint€to€the€Minister€for€Immigration€and€Multicultural€Affairs.Š ¼, (, ŠŠ „-õ(- Š2.7€The€complainant€alleges€that€he€was€not€notified€of€the€decision€to€remove€him€from€Australia.Š ° ŠHe€was€effectively€removed€to€South€Africa€on€26€January€2000.Š ™é ŠĢ2.8€In€an€additional€letter€dated€12€April€2000,€Ms.€T.€provides€further€information€about€herŠ k» Šbrother.€She€states€that€her€brother,€after€his€expulsion€from€Australia,€was€held€for€1€or€2€days€atŠ T¤ Šan€airport€hotel€in€Johannesburg.€He€was€then€handed€over€to€South€African€government€officialsŠ =  Šand€was€detained€as€an€illegal€arrival€in€the€Lindela€detention€centre€for€more€than€30€days.€Š & v ŠĢ2.9€On€or€about€7€February€2000€he€filed€an€asylum€application€and€was€granted€a€temporary€visa,Š ų H Šwhich€allowed€him€to€be€released€from€detention.Š į 1  ŠĢ2.10€On€or€about€30€January€2000,€the€complainant€was€told€to€expect€a€visit€from€the€AlgerianŠ ³  ŠAmbassador€to€South€Africa.€The€purpose€of€the€visit€was€to€provide€documentation€for€onwardsŠ œģ  Štravel€to€Algeria.€The€visit€did€not€take€place,€after€interventions€from€the€complainant's€lawyer.€Š …Õ  ŠĢ2.11€The€complainant€claims€that€he€does€not€feel€safe€in€South€Africa€after€his€expulsion€fromŠ W§  ŠAustralia.€He€argues€that€there€is€no€guarantee€under€South€African€law€that€he€cannot€be€expelledŠ @ Šat€any€time.€His€concern€about€the€actions€of€the€South€African€government€include€the€notificationŠ )y Šof€the€Algerian€Ambassador€of€his€presence€in€South€Africa;€accepting€and€then€revoking€acceptanceŠ b Šof€an€asylum€application€and€revoking€the€grant€of€temporary€visa;€his€detention€beyond€theŠ ūK Šstatutory€limit€of€30€days€in€the€Lindela€detention€centre.€He€claims€that€because€of€arms€tradeŠ ä4 Šbetween€the€governments€of€South€Africa€and€Algeria,€he€fears€his€application€will€be€rejected€inŠ Ķ Šdeference€to€trade€imperatives.Š ¶ ŠĢ2.12€It€is€submitted€that€the€complaint€has€not€been€submitted€to€any€other€procedure€of€internationalŠ ˆŲ Šinvestigation€or€settlement.Š qĮ ŠĢņņThe€complaintóó:Š C“ ŠĢ3.1€The€complainant€claims€that€there€are€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€he€would€be€inŠ e Šdanger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€upon€return€to€Algeria€and€that,€therefore,€Australia€would€beŠ žN Šviolating€article€3€of€the€Convention€if€he€were€returned€there.€He€claims€that€he€fears€prosecutionŠ ē 7 Šin€Algeria€on€account€of€his€political€opinions€and€membership€of€the€Islamic€Salvation€Front€(FIS).Š Š!   ŠHe€also€fears€having€to€serve€in€the€Algerian€army,€and€claims€that€members€of€his€family€wereŠ ¹" ! Šaccused€by€the€Algerian€authorities€of€supporting€armed€Islamic€groups.€As€a€consequence€he€andŠ ¢#ņ" Šother€members€of€his€family€were€targeted€by€the€Algerian€army.Š ‹$Ū# ŠĢ3.2€It€is€submitted€that€the€complainant€is€personally€at€risk€of€being€subjected€to€torture€because€ofŠ ]&­!% Šhis€support€of€the€FIS€and€his€close€family€relationship€with€several€people€who€have€been€targetedŠ F'–"& Šbecause€of€their€membership€of€the€FIS€and,€in€some€cases,€their€history€of€standing€as€FISŠ /(#' Šcandidates.Š )h$( ŠĢ3.3€Finally,€it€is€submitted€that€the€complainant€is€personally€at€risk€of€being€subjected€to€torture€dueŠ ź*:&* Što€the€publication€of€the€decision€of€the€Federal€Court.€The€decision€provides€personal€details€andŠ Ó+#'+ Šfamily€details,€his€claims,€and€the€process€of€his€application€for€protection€in€Australia.€TheŠ ¼, (, Šcomplainant€claims€that€such€publication€rendered€him€personally€at€risk€if€he€is€forcibly€returnedŠ „-õ(- Što€Algeria€because€of€the€probability€that€the€Algerian€authorities€are€aware€of€the€publishedŠ ° Šdecision€and€of€the€details€of€his€application€for€protection.Š ™é ŠĢ3.4€The€author€argues€that€Algeria€remains€an€authoritarian€state€with€a€consistently€poor€record€ofŠ k» Šgross€and€flagrant€human€rights€abuses.€It€is€submitted€that€those€detained€on€national€securityŠ T¤ Šgrounds€in€Algeria€are€routinely€subjected€to€torture,€and€the€reports€of€several€organizations€areŠ =  Šinvoked€in€support€of€this€argument.€This€evidence€is€said€to€establish€"substantial€grounds"€forŠ & v Šbelieving€that€the€complainant€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€on€return€to€Algeria.€Š  _ ŠĢ3.5€The€complainant€seeks€a€finding€that€his€expulsion€from€Australia,€in€circumstances€where€heŠ į 1  Šdoes€not€have€the€right€to€return€or€go€to€any€other€country€except€Algeria,€constitutes€a€violationŠ Ź   Šof€article€3€of€the€Convention.€Š ³  ŠĢņņThe€State€party's€submission€on€the€admissibility€and€merits€of€the€complaintóó:Š …Õ  ŠĢ4.1€On€14€November€2000,€the€State€party€submitted€its€observations€on€the€admissibility€and€meritsŠ W§  Šof€the€case.€It€explains€that€it€was€unable€to€comply€with€the€Committee's€request€for€interimŠ @ Šmeasures€of€protection€because€no€written€request€from€the€Committee€had€been€received€by€theŠ )y Štime€of€the€complainant's€removal€from€Australia€on€26€January€2000.€The€State€party€adds€thatŠ b ŠUNHCR's€office€in€Australia€was€notified€of€the€complainant's€imminent€removal€and€did€not€object,Š ūK Šand€that€all€potential€risks€of€return€had€been€fully€assessed€based€on€available€country€information.Š ä4 ŠĢ4.2€For€the€State€party,€the€complaint€is€inadmissible€as€incompatible€with€the€provisions€of€theŠ ¶ ŠConvention.€Further,€the€State€party€alleges€that€the€complainant€has€failed€to€make€out€a€ņņprima€facieŠ Ÿļ Šóócase€that€there€are€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€he€would€be€subjected€to€torture,€on€theŠ ˆŲ Ševent€of€his€return€to€Algeria.€The€State€party€adds€that€the€complainant€has€failed€to€disclose€anyŠ qĮ Šreasonable€basis€for€his€belief€that€he€is€at€risk€of€torture.Š ZŖ ŠĢ4.3€The€State€party€observed€that€there€is€no€evidence€that€Algerian€authorities€have€ever€torturedŠ ,| Šthe€complainant€in€the€past,€and€evidence€that€he€has€actually€been€involved€in€the€political€activitiesŠ e Šof€the€FIS€is€very€scant.€It€argues€that€the€account€of€the€complainant's€activities€contains€manyŠ žN Šinconsistencies,€which€casts€doubts€on€his€credibility.€On€the€strength€of€the€evidence,€the€State€partyŠ ē 7 Šdoes€not€accept€that€the€complainant€is€a€FIS€supporter.Š Š!   ŠĢ4.4€On€the€possibility€that€the€complainant€may€be€required€to€undergo€military€service€upon€hisŠ ¢#ņ" Šreturn€to€Algeria,€the€State€party€argues€that€the€complainant€was€unlikely€to€be€required€to€undergoŠ ‹$Ū# Šfurther€military€service€either€because€he€has€already€completed€the€service,€or€because€he€is€too€oldŠ t%Ä $ Što€be€drafted€into€military€service.€The€State€party€states€that,€in€any€event,€any€requirement€toŠ ]&­!% Špertain€military€service€does€not€constitute€torture.€In€addition,€the€State€party€invokes€the€RefugeeŠ F'–"& ŠReview€Tribunal's€(RRT)€finding€that€the€complainant€has€fabricated€his€claim€to€have€outstandingŠ /(#' Šmilitary€service€obligations.€The€RRT€stated€that€the€complainant€had€exaggerated€his€claims€inŠ )h$( Šcomparison€to€when€he€first€raised€them€on€arrival€in€Australia.Š *Q%) ŠĢ4.5€As€to€the€publication€of€the€judgment€of€the€Federal€Court€of€Australia,€the€State€party€deniesŠ Ó+#'+ Šthat€this€might€prompt€the€Algerian€authorities€to€torture€the€complainant€upon€his€return€to€Algeria.Š ¼, (, ŠThere€is€no€evidence€to€suggest€that€the€Algerian€authorities€have€shown€any€interest€in€theŠ „-õ(- Šcomplainant's€activities€since€1992,€when€he€claims€to€have€been€arrested€and€detained€for€45Š ° Šminutes.€The€State€party€notes€that€the€suggestion€that€the€Algerian€authorities€would€be€scanningŠ ™é Šinternet€legal€databases€in€Australia€to€determine€his€whereabouts,€strains€credulity.€For€the€StateŠ ‚Ņ Šparty,€it€is€highly€unlikely€that€that€the€publication,€on€Internet,€to€refuse€him€a€protection€visa€wouldŠ k» Šhave€come€to€the€Algerian€authorities'€attention.€Accordingly,€there€are€no€substantial€grounds€forŠ T¤ Šbelieving€that€the€complainant€is€in€danger€of€torture€on€this€count.Š =  ŠĢ4.6€The€State€party€concedes€that€DIMA€had€noted€that€the€author's€relatives€who€had€experiencedŠ  _ Šharm€or€mistreatment€had€been€active€members€of€the€FIS€or€Islamic€clerics,€but€his€own€evidence,Š ų H Šthe€complainant€was€neither€of€these,€and€had€not€attracted€the€attention€of€the€authorities,€exceptŠ į 1  Šonce€in€1992,€when€he€claimed€to€have€been€detained€for€45€minutes.€Further,€the€State€Party€citesŠ Ź   Šthe€RRT's€finding€that€the€complainant€was€able€to€depart€from€Algeria€on€three€occasions€and€toŠ ³  Šreturn€twice€without€any€problems.€This€indicates€that€the€complainant€does€not€attract€theŠ œģ  Šauthorities'€attention.Š …Õ  ŠĢ4.7€Moreover,€the€State€party€claims€that€during€the€hearing,€the€complainant€admitted€that€none€ofŠ W§  Šhis€immediate€family€had€problems€with€the€authorities€(with€the€exception€of€his€brother-in-law,Š @ Šin€1995),€and€that€he€personally€had€had€no€problems€since€his€detention€in€1992.€This€againŠ )y Šindicates€that€the€complainant€does€not€attract€adverse€attention€from€the€authorities.Š b ŠĢ4.8€The€State€party€observes€that€the€complainant€has€a€general€fear€of€harm€as€a€result€of€civilŠ ä4 Šconflict€in€Algeria;€this€fear€however€is€not€sufficient€to€bring€him€under€the€Convention'sŠ Ķ Šprotection.€ņņThe€State€party€adds€that€the€Minister€of€Immigration€and€Multicultural€AffairsŠ ¶ Šconsidered€information€received€from€the€French€and€United€Kingdom€authorities€to€the€effect€thatŠ Ÿļ Šthey€were€unaware€of€any€instance€in€which€a€person€returning€to€Algeria€from€those€countries€hadŠ ˆŲ Šmet€with€violence€upon€returnóó.€The€State€party€also€refers€to€recent€reports€that€indicate€that€theŠ qĮ Šhuman€rights€situation€in€Algeria€has€improved.Š ZŖ ŠĢ4.9€The€State€party€also€invokes€DIMA's€opinion,€which€noted€that€the€Algerian€authorities€areŠ ,| Šaware€that€many€citizens€who€travel€to€foreign€countries€make€refugee€applications€to€escape€fromŠ e Šthe€civil€strife€and€adverse€economic€situation€in€Algeria.€It€is€noted€that€a€mere€asylum€applicationŠ žN Šby€an€Algerian€citizen€in€another€country€is€not€a€reason€for€the€Algerian€authorities€to€attempt€toŠ ē 7 Špersecute€or€torture€that€person.€Š Š!   ŠĢ4.10€The€State€party€notes€that€by€letter€of€25€January€2000,€the€complainant€was€advised€thatŠ ¢#ņ" Šarrangements€had€been€made€for€him€to€leave€Australia€on€South€African€Airways€flight€SA281,Š ‹$Ū# Šdeparting€Sydney€for€Johannesburg€at€9:40€pm€on€26€January€2000.€He€was€accompanied€by€3Š t%Ä $ Šescorts€on€the€flight€to€South€Africa.€Further,€the€State€party€adds€that€the€complainant's€currentŠ ]&­!% Šwhereabouts€are€unknown€to€Australian€authorities.Š F'–"& ŠĢņņIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€Committeeóó:Š )h$( ŠĢņņConsideration€of€admissibilityóó:Š ź*:&* ŠĢ5.1The€Committee€has€noted€the€State€party's€information€that€the€return€of€the€complainant€was€notŠ ¼, (, Šsuspended€and€that€it€had€not€received€in€time€the€Committee's€request€for€interim€measures€underŠ „-õ(- Šrule€108,€paragraph€1,€of€its€rules€of€procedure.€The€complainant€was€returned€to€Johannesburg€onŠ ° Š26€January€2000.€He€stayed€in€South€Africa€for€some€time,€but€his€current€whereabouts€areŠ ™é Šunknown.Š ‚Ņ ŠĢ5.2€Before€considering€any€claims€contained€in€a€complaint,€the€Committee€against€Torture€mustŠ T¤ Šdecide€whether€or€not€it€is€admissible€under€article€22€of€the€Convention.€€In€this€respect€theŠ =  ŠCommittee€has€ascertained,€as€it€is€required€to€do€under€article€22,€paragraph€5€(a),€of€theŠ & v ŠConvention€that€the€same€matter€has€not€been€and€is€not€being€examined€under€another€procedureŠ  _ Šof€international€investigation€or€settlement.€The€Committee€also€notes€that€the€State€party€has€notŠ ų H Šcontested€that€domestic€remedies€have€been€exhausted.€The€State€party€further€submits€that€theŠ į 1  Šcomplainant€has€not€substantiated€his€case€for€purposes€of€admissibility.€It€refers€to€the€Committee'sŠ Ź   ŠViews€in€€ņņG.R.B.€v.€Swedenóó,ņņ1óó€in€which€the€Committee€held€that€"A€State's€party's€obligation€toŠ ³  Šrefrain€from€forcibly€returning€a€person€to€another€State€where€there€are€substantial€grounds€toŠ œģ  Šbelieve€that€he€or€she€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€is€directly€linked€to€theŠ …Õ  Šdefinition€of€torture€as€found€in€the€article€1€of€the€Convention".€The€State€party€also€notes€that€theŠ n¾  ŠCommittee€stated€that€the€burden€is€on€the€author€to€present€an€arguable€case.€The€State€partyŠ W§  Šexplains€that€this€means€establishing€a€factual€basis€for€the€author's€position€sufficient€to€require€aŠ @ Šresponse€from€the€State€party.€It€argues€that€the€facts€relating€to€the€complainant€are€not€such€as€toŠ )y Šwarrant€any€response€from€Australia,€and€reiterates€that€the€Committee€noted€that€the€risk€of€tortureŠ b Šmust€be€assessed€on€grounds€that€go€beyond€mere€theory€or€suspicion.€For€the€State€party,€there€areŠ ūK Šno€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€the€complainant€will€be€subjected€to€torture.€Š ä4 ŠĢ5.3€Notwithstanding€the€State€party's€observations,€the€Committee€considers€that€the€complainantŠ ¶ Šhas€provided€sufficient€information€€on€the€danger€the€complainant€claims€to€run€in€the€event€of€hisŠ Ÿļ Šreturn€to€Algeria€to€warrant€consideration€of€his€complaint€on€the€merits.€€As€the€Committee€seesŠ ˆŲ Šno€further€obstacles€to€admissibility,€it€declares€the€complaint€admissible€and€proceeds€to€theŠ qĮ Šconsideration€of€the€merits.Š ZŖ ŠĢņņConsideration€of€the€meritsóó:Š ,| ŠĢ6.1€The€Committee€must€decide€whether€the€forced€return€of€the€complainant€to€Algeria€wouldŠ žN Šviolate€the€State€party's€obligation,€under€article€3,€paragraph€1€of€the€Convention,€not€to€expel€orŠ ē 7 Šreturn€(refouler)€an€individual€to€another€State€where€there€are€substantial€grounds€for€believing€thatŠ Š!   Šhe€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture.€€In€order€to€reach€its€conclusion€the€CommitteeŠ ¹" ! Šmust€take€into€account€all€relevant€considerations,€including€the€existence€in€the€State€concerned€ofŠ ¢#ņ" Ša€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights.€€The€aim,€however,€is€toŠ ‹$Ū# Šdetermine€whether€the€individual€concerned€would€personally€risk€torture€in€the€country€to€whichŠ t%Ä $ Šhe€or€she€would€return.€€It€follows€that,€in€conformity€with€the€Committee's€jurisprudence€andŠ ]&­!% Šdespite€the€allegations€of€the€complainant€in€regard€to€the€situation€in€Algeria€outlined€in€paragraphŠ F'–"& Š3.4€above,€the€existence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rightsŠ /(#' Šin€a€country€does€not€as€such€constitute€sufficient€grounds€for€determining€whether€the€particularŠ )h$( Šperson€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€upon€his€return€to€that€country;€additionalŠ *Q%) Šgrounds€must€be€adduced€to€show€that€the€individual€concerned€would€be€personally€at€risk.€Š ź*:&* ŠConversely,€the€absence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross€violations€of€human€rights€does€not€meanŠ Ó+#'+ Šthat€a€person€cannot€be€considered€to€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€in€his€or€her€specificŠ ¼, (, Šcircumstances.Š „-õ(- Ї6.2€The€Committee€notes€that€the€petitioner€invokes€protection€under€article€3€of€the€Convention€onŠ ° Šthe€ground€that€he€is€personally€at€danger€of€being€arrested€and€tortured€in€connection€with€his€andŠ ™é Šhis€relatives'€support€for€the€FIS.€His€alleged€connections€with€the€FIS€date€back€to€1992,€when€heŠ ‚Ņ Šwas€detained€and€interrogated€for€45€minutes.€It€is€not€submitted€that€the€complainant€was€torturedŠ k» Šor€prosecuted€for€his€connections€with€the€FIS€before€leaving€for€Saudi€Arabia.€The€complainant€hasŠ T¤ Šnot€satisfied€the€burden€placed€upon€him€to€€support€his€claim€that€there€are€substantial€grounds€forŠ =  Šbelieving€that€he€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture,€and€that€Algeria€is€a€country,Š & v Šwhere€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights€exist.€Š  _ ŠĢ6.3€In€the€present€case,€the€Committee€also€notes€that€the€political€activities€of€the€complainant'sŠ į 1  Šbrother-in-law€took€place€about€10€years€ago,€and€that€they€may€not€in€themselves€constitute€a€riskŠ Ź   Šfor€the€complainant€himself€to€be€subjected€to€torture,€should€he€be€returned€to€Algeria.€It€furtherŠ ³  Šobserves€that€the€complainant's€alleged€fear€for€military€recall€is€not€relevant€to€the€issue€underŠ œģ  Šconsideration.Š …Õ  ŠĢ6.4€The€Committee€recalls€that,€for€the€purposes€of€article€3€of€the€Convention,€a€foreseeable,€realŠ W§  Šand€personal€risk€must€exist€of€being€tortured€in€the€country€to€which€a€person€is€returned€or,€as€inŠ @ Šthis€case,€a€third€country€where€it€is€foreseeable€that€he€subsecuently€may€be€expelled.€On€the€basisŠ )y Šof€the€above€considerations,€the€Committee€considers€that€the€complainant€has€not€presentedŠ b Šsufficient€evidence€to€convince€it€that€he€would€face€a€personal€risk€of€being€subjected€to€torture€inŠ ūK Šthe€event€of€his€return€to€Algeria.Š ä4 ŠĢ6.5€The€Committee€against€Torture,€acting€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€Convention€againstŠ ¶ ŠTorture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,€concludes€that€theŠ Ÿļ Šremoval€of€the€complainant€to€South€Africa,€on€the€basis€of€the€information€submitted,€did€not€entailŠ ˆŲ Ša€breach€of€article€3€of€the€Convention.€Š qĮ ŠĢ______________Š C“ ŠĢ[Adopted€in€English,€French,€Spanish€and€Russian,€the€English€text€being€the€original€version.Š e ŠSubsequently€to€be€issued€in€Arabic€and€Chinese€as€part€of€the€Committee's€annual€report€to€theŠ žN ŠGeneral€Assembly.]Š ē 7 ŠĢ*€€Made€public€by€decision€of€the€Committee€against€Torture.Š ¹" ! ŠĢĢņņNotesóóŠ t%Ä $ ŠĢ1/€€Case€No.€€083/1997,€Views€adopted€15€May€1998.Š F'–"& ŠÓ&Ó