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ƒûœ!ÝÔUKUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÓ  ÓÓ  Óò òCOMMITTEE€AGAINST€TORTUREÐ ° ÐÌòòM.€S.€v.€SwitzerlandóóÐ à ÐÌ13€November€2001Ð pÀ ÐÌCommunication€No€156/2000Ð P   ÐÌCAT/C/27/D/156/2000Ð 0 € ÐÌÌVIEWSó óÐ P  ÐÌÌòòòòSubmitted€byóó:€€Ô_ÔM.S.Ô_Ô€(name€withheld)€[represented€by€counsel]€Ð Ð  ÐÌòòAlleged€victimóó:€The€complainant€Ð ° ÐÌòòState€partyóó:€Switzerland€Ð à ÐÌòòDate€of€complaintóó:€9€February€2000€Ð pÀ ÐóóÌÌòòThe€Committee€against€Tortureóó,€established€under€article€17€of€the€Convention€against€Torture€andÐ @ ÐOther€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,€Ð 0€ ÐÌòòMeetingóó€on€13€November€2001,€Ð ` ÐÌòòHaving€concludedóó€its€consideration€of€complaint€No.€156/2000,€submitted€to€the€Committee€againstÐ ð@ ÐTorture€under€article€22€of€the€Convention€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€DegradingÐ à0 ÐTreatment€or€Punishment,€Ð Ð  ÐÌòòAdoptsóó€the€following:€Ð °"  ÐÌÓIÓò òViews€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€Conventionó óÐ $à" ÐÓÓÌ1.1€€The€complainant€is€a€Sri€Lankan€national€of€Tamil€origin,€born€on€13€April€1979.€He€is€currentlyÐ p&À!$ Ðin€Switzerland,€where€he€applied€for€asylum.€His€application€was€turned€down€and€he€maintains€thatÐ `'°"% Ðhis€expulsion€to€Sri€Lanka€would€constitute€a€violation€by€Switzerland€of€article€3€of€the€ConventionÐ P( #& Ðagainst€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment.€He€asked€theÐ @)$' ÐCommittee€to€deal€with€his€case€as€a€matter€of€urgency,€as€he€was€facing€imminent€expulsion€whenÐ 0*€%( Ðhe€submitted€his€complaint.€He€was€represented€by€counsel€until€9€April€2001.€Ð  +p&) ÐÌ1.2€€On€21€February€2000,€in€accordance€with€article€22,€paragraph€3,€of€the€Convention,€theÐ -P(+ ÐCommittee€transmitted€the€complaint€to€the€State€party.€At€the€same€time,€the€Committee,€acting€inÐ ð-@), Ðaccordance€with€rule€108,€paragraph€9,€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€requested€the€State€party€not€toÐ ° Ðexpel€the€complainant€to€Sri€Lanka€while€his€complaint€was€under€consideration.€On€23€May€2000,Ð  ð Ðthe€State€party€informed€the€Committee€that€steps€had€been€taken€to€ensure€that€the€complainant€wasÐ à Ðnot€sent€back€to€Sri€Lanka€while€his€complaint€was€under€consideration€by€the€Committee.€Ð €Ð ÐÌòòThe€facts€as€presented€by€the€authoróó€Ð ` ° ÐÌ2.1€€The€complainant€states€that,€like€most€Sri€Lankans€of€Tamil€origin,€he€was€forced€to€work€fromÐ @  Ða€very€early€age€for€the€Liberation€Tigers€of€Tamil€Eelam€(LTTE)€movement,€particularly€in€buildingÐ 0 € Ðbunkers€and€putting€up€propaganda€posters.€He€says€that€he€had€to€flee€from€Kilinochchi€to€ColomboÐ  p  Ðbecause€he€refused€to€be€more€active€in€the€movement.€Ð `  ÐÌ2.2€€The€complainant€maintains€that€he€was€arrested€several€times€by€the€government€authorities€inÐ ð@  ÐColombo€and€sometimes€held€for€over€a€fortnight€and€that€he€was€tortured€on€the€grounds€of€beingÐ à0  Ða€member€of€the€Tamil€Tigers.€He€says€that€he€was€taken€before€the€court€on€several€occasions,€theÐ Ð  Ðfirst€time€being€on€15€March€1997,€before€being€released€shortly€afterwards.€He€adds€that€he€wasÐ À Ðarrested€again€on€3€January€1999€by€the€Colombo€police€and€detained€for€a€month€before€beingÐ ° Ðbrought€before€the€court€again€on€10€February€1999.€According€to€the€complainant,€the€judgeÐ  ð Ðreleased€him€only€on€condition€that€he€report€every€Saturday€to€the€office€of€the€CriminalÐ à ÐInvestigation€Department€(CID)€in€order€to€sign€a€register.€Ð €Ð ÐÌ2.3€€The€complainant€states€that€he€fled€Sri€Lanka€on€28€March€1999€with€the€help€of€a€trafficker.Ð `° ÐHe€adds€that,€as€a€result€of€his€flight,€a€warrant€was€issued€for€his€arrest,€with€reference€to€which€aÐ P  Ðdocument€issued€by€the€Colombo€police€was€produced€dated€23€August€1999.€He€arrived€inÐ @ ÐSwitzerland€on€29€March€1999.€Ð 0€ ÐÌ2.4€€The€complainant's€application€for€asylum€in€Switzerland,€filed€on€30€March€1999,€was€turnedÐ ` Ðdown€on€18€August€1999.€On€10€December€1999,€in€response€to€an€appeal€lodged€by€theÐ P Ðcomplainant€on€21€September€1999,€the€Swiss€Appeal€Commission€on€Asylum€Matters€upheld€theÐ ð@ Ðoriginal€decision€to€refuse€asylum.€The€complainant€was€given€until€15€January€2000€to€leave€theÐ à0 Ðcountry,€but,€on€10€January€2000,€requested€an€extension€of€the€deadline€on€health€grounds.€On€20Ð Ð  ÐJanuary€2000,€the€Federal€Office€for€Refugees€found€that€those€grounds€did€not€justifyÐ À! Ðpostponement,€but€decided€to€extend€the€deadline€until€15€February€2000€to€allow€the€author€timeÐ °"  Ðto€prepare€his€departure.€Ð  #ð! ÐÌòòThe€complaintóó€Ð €%Ð # ÐÌ3.1€€The€complainant€states€that€his€return€to€Sri€Lanka€would€heighten€the€suspicions€of€the€localÐ `'°"% Ðpolice€that€he€was€a€member€of€the€Tamil€Tigers,€so€that€he€would€be€in€danger€of€being€summarilyÐ P( #& Ðarrested€and€tortured€on€arrival€in€Colombo.€According€to€the€complainant,€there€is€no€doubt€that€anyÐ @)$' ÐSri€Lankan€national€of€Tamil€origin€who€has€fled€his€country€after€being€persecuted€by€governmentÐ 0*€%( Ðforces€is€more€likely€to€be€tortured€if€he€returns€to€the€country.€Ð  +p&) ÐÌ3.2€€The€complainant€refers€to€a€report€by€Amnesty€International€dated€1€June€1999,€according€toÐ -P(+ Ðwhich€acts€of€torture€carried€out€by€the€security€forces€are€reported€on€an€almost€daily€basis€in€theÐ ð-@), Ðcontext€of€the€armed€conflict€with€the€LTTE.€According€to€the€report,€the€problem€also€extends€toÐ ° Ðroutine€policing,€with€police€officers€regularly€torturing€criminal€suspects.€Thus,€again€according€toÐ  ð Ðthe€same€source,€despite€existing€legal€safeguards,€torture€continues€to€be€practised€with€relativeÐ à Ðimpunity.€Ð €Ð ÐÌ3.3€€The€complainant€concludes€that€the€argument€that€the€persecution€he€had€suffered€was€notÐ ` ° Ðserious€enough€to€entitle€him€to€asylum€is€worthless€when€set€against€the€persecution€thatÐ P   Ðundoubtedly€awaits€him€if€he€returns€to€Sri€Lanka.€Ð @  ÐÌ3.4€€The€complainant€adds€that€he€has€been€suffering€from€pleural€tuberculosis€since€May€1999.€HeÐ  p  Ðstates€that€he€received€anti„tubercular€treatment€between€May€and€December€1999€in€the€departmentÐ `  Ðof€chest€medicine€at€the€teaching€hospital€of€the€canton€of€Vaud,€Switzerland.€According€to€theÐ P  Ðcomplainant,€the€doctors€in€this€department€believe€that€his€clinical€progress€should€be€monitoredÐ ð@  Ðover€the€next€two€years,€as€the€medical€condition€from€which€he€is€suffering€must€be€consideredÐ à0  Ðserious.€The€complainant€claims€that€essential€emergency€medical€treatment€might€be€necessary€andÐ Ð  Ðthat€hospital€conditions€in€Sri€Lanka,€notwithstanding€the€contrary€view€of€the€Swiss€AppealÐ À ÐCommission€on€Asylum€Matters,€would€not€permit€appropriate€medical€treatment.€Ð ° ÐÌòòObservations€of€the€State€party€on€the€admissibility€and€merits€of€the€communicationóó€Ð à ÐÌ4.1€€The€State€party€did€not€challenge€the€admissibility€of€the€communication€and€made€itsÐ pÀ Ðobservations€on€the€merits€in€a€letter€dated€21€August€2000.€Ð `° ÐÌ4.2€€The€State€party€first€of€all€considered€the€decision€by€the€Swiss€Appeal€Commission€on€AsylumÐ @ ÐMatters.€Ð 0€ ÐÌ4.3€€The€State€party€notes€that,€although€the€Commission€considered€the€appeal€to€be€manifestly€ill„Ð ` Ðfounded€and€hence€could€have€been€summarily€rejected,€it€nevertheless€undertook€to€examine€it€inÐ P Ðdetail.€Ð ð@ ÐÌ4.4€€The€State€party€recalls€that€the€Commission,€like€the€Federal€Office€for€Refugees,€found€that€theÐ Ð  Ðcomplainant€had€not€proved€he€had€suffered€serious€harm€that€might€give€him€reason€to€fear,Ð À! Ðobjectively€and€subjectively,€persecution€if€he€returned€to€Sri€Lanka.€According€to€the€State€party,Ð °"  Ðthe€complainant€has€not€in€fact€established€that€there€is€a€personal,€concrete€and€serious€risk€that€heÐ  #ð! Ðwill€be€subjected,€if€sent€back€to€his€home€country,€to€treatment€prohibited€under€article€3€of€theÐ $à" ÐEuropean€Convention€on€Human€Rights€and€the€Convention€against€Torture€and€Other€Cruel,Ð €%Ð # ÐInhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment.€According€to€the€State€party,€it€follows€from€theÐ p&À!$ Ðdecision€by€the€Swiss€Appeal€Commission€on€Asylum€Matters€that,€in€the€light€of€Switzerland'sÐ `'°"% Ðinternational€commitments,€the€return€("refoulement")€of€the€complainant€is€lawful.€The€State€partyÐ P( #& Ðrecalls€that€the€Commission€rejected€the€arguments€put€forward€by€the€complainant,€who€cited€hisÐ @)$' Ðstate€of€health€in€objecting€to€his€refoulement.€Ð 0*€%( ÐÌ4.5€€Secondly,€the€State€party€considered€the€merits€of€the€Commission's€decision€in€the€light€ofÐ ,`'* Ðarticle€3€of€the€Convention€and€the€Committee's€jurisprudence.€Ð -P(+ ÐÐ ð-@), Ð4.6€€The€State€party€states€that€the€complainant€in€his€complaint€merely€recalls€the€grounds€he€hadÐ ° Ðinvoked€before€the€national€authorities.€According€to€the€State€party,€the€complainant€produces€noÐ  ð Ðnew€information€that€might€call€into€question€the€decision€of€the€Federal€Office€for€Refugees€of€18Ð à ÐAugust€1999€and€the€Commission's€decision€of€10€December€1999.€The€State€party€asserts€that€theÐ €Ð Ðcomplainant€provides€no€explanation€to€the€Committee€of€the€inconsistencies€and€contradictions€inÐ pÀ Ðhis€allegations.€On€the€contrary,€according€to€the€State€party,€the€complainant€merely€confirms€them,Ð ` ° Ðsince,€for€reasons€unknown€to€the€Swiss€authorities,€he€claims€to€have€been€arrested€again€on€3Ð P   ÐJanuary€1999€by€the€Colombo€police€and€then€to€have€been€brought€before€the€court€on€10€FebruaryÐ @  Ð1999.€The€State€party€recalls€that€those€claims€were€supposed€to€be€confirmed,€according€to€theÐ 0 € Ðcomplainant,€by€the€Colombo€police€document€dated€23€August€1999.€Ð  p  ÐÌ4.7€€The€State€party€finds€these€claims€to€say€the€least€surprising,€since€during€the€internal€procedure,Ð P  Ðthe€complainant€initially€stated€spontaneously€that€he€had€not€been€arrested€again€by€the€police€orÐ ð@  Ðthe€CID€after€April€1997.€During€the€hearing,€however,€the€complainant€claimed€to€have€beenÐ à0  Ðarrested€by€the€People's€Liberation€Organization€Tamil€Eelam€(PLOTE)€in€February€1998.Ð Ð  ÐAccording€to€the€State€party,€it€was€only€in€his€appeal€to€the€Commission€that€the€complainantÐ À Ðindicated,€in€a€very€vague€way€and€completely€contradicting€his€earlier€claims,€that€he€had€beenÐ ° Ðarrested€or€detained€by€the€police€or€the€CID€on€several€occasions€between€February€1998€and€hisÐ  ð Ðdeparture€for€Switzerland.€Ð à Ð4.8€€The€State€party€points€out€that,€although€the€document€allegedly€drawn€up€by€the€ColomboÐ €Ð Ðpolice€is€dated€23€August€1999,€the€complainant€never€said€that€he€had€been€arrested€in€1999€eitherÐ pÀ Ðduring€the€above„mentioned€hearings,€or€in€his€appeal€to€the€Commission€of€21€September€1999,€orÐ `° Ðin€his€letters€to€the€Commission€dated€15€and€19€October€1999.€According€to€the€State€party,€it€isÐ P  Ðeven€more€surprising€that€the€complainant€did€not€refer€to€this€document€in€his€request€for€anÐ @ Ðextension€of€the€10€January€2000€deadline€for€his€departure.€The€State€party€points€out€that,€sinceÐ 0€ Ðthis€document€was€never€produced€in€the€course€of€the€ordinary€proceedings,€the€complainant€couldÐ  p Ðhave€called€for€a€review€of€the€facts,€but€had€not€done€so.€The€State€party€points€out€that€such€aÐ ` Ðreview€is€recognized€as€an€effective€domestic€remedy€within€the€meaning€of€article€22,€paragraphÐ P Ð5€(b),€of€the€Convention.€The€State€party€is€of€the€view€that,€in€any€event,€this€document€cannot€beÐ ð@ Ðtaken€into€account€in€the€present€case.€Ð à0 ÐÌ4.9€€The€State€party€explains€that€there€is€good€reason€to€doubt€the€origin€and€content€of€thisÐ À! Ðdocument,€which,€again,€was€never€produced€before€the€national€bodies.€The€State€party€observesÐ °"  Ðthat€it€might€be€wondered€why€the€complainant€is€afraid€of€being€prosecuted€by€the€police€when€theÐ  #ð! Ðlatter€obligingly€provide€him€with€a€document€setting€out€in€chronological€order€all€the€occasionsÐ $à" Ðon€which€he€claims€to€have€been€arrested.€According€to€the€State€party,€it€would€be€a€strange€policeÐ €%Ð # Ðforce€indeed€that€was€kind€enough€to€provide€a€person€it€wished€to€arrest€with€the€very€means€ofÐ p&À!$ Ðavoiding€arrest.€The€State€party€concludes€that€the€1999€arrest€is€obviously€implausible€and€that€theÐ `'°"% Ðdocument€supposedly€issued€by€the€Colombo€police,€produced€in€the€form€of€an€uncertified€copy,Ð P( #& Ðhas€no€probative€value.€Ð @)$' ÐÌ4.10€€After€recalling€the€Committee's€jurisprudence€and€its€general€comment€on€the€implementationÐ  +p&) Ðof€article€3,€the€State€party€states€that,€in€the€case€under€consideration,€the€Swiss€Government€entirelyÐ ,`'* Ðagrees€with€the€grounds€given€by€the€Commission€in€support€of€its€decision€to€turn€down€theÐ -P(+ Ðcomplainant's€application€for€asylum€and€to€confirm€his€expulsion.€With€regard€to€article€3€of€theÐ ð-@), ÐConvention,€the€State€party€wishes€to€point€out,€by€way€of€a€preliminary€remark,€that€according€toÐ ° Ðthe€Committee's€jurisprudence€(communication€No.€57/1996,€òòÔ_ÔP.Q.L.Ô_Ô€v.€Canadaóó),€this€provisionÐ  ð Ðaffords€no€protection€to€a€complainant€who€simply€claims€to€fear€arrest€upon€returning€to€hisÐ à Ðcountry.€The€same€conclusion€applies€òòa€fortiorióó€to€the€mere€risk€of€arrest€(communication€No.Ð €Ð Ð65/1997,€òòÔ_ÔI.A.O.Ô_Ô€v.€Swedenóó).€The€State€party€recalls€that,€in€the€present€case,€the€complainant€in€factÐ pÀ Ðclaims€that€he€would€be€arrested€for€not€fulfilling€his€obligation€to€report€to€the€CID€office€once€aÐ ` ° Ðweek.€Ð P   ÐÌ4.11€€The€State€party€asserts€that€it€is€because€the€arguments€were€persuasive€that€the€CommissionÐ 0 € Ðconsidered€the€complainant's€claims€to€be€lacking€in€credibility.€According€to€the€State€party,€theseÐ  p  Ðarguments€are€not€weakened€by€the€mere€fact€that€the€complainant€is€now€transmitting€to€theÐ `  ÐCommittee€for€the€first€time€a€document€which€was€allegedly€issued€by€the€Colombo€police€on€23Ð P  ÐAugust€1999,€according€to€which€the€complainant€had€been€arrested€again€on€3€January€1999€andÐ ð@  Ðwas€wanted€by€the€police€for€having€failed€to€report€to€the€CID€office.€The€State€party€points€out€thatÐ à0  Ðthe€complainant€should€have€and€could€have€provided€this€information€to€the€Swiss€authoritiesÐ Ð  Ðduring€the€internal€procedure,€as€an€asylum„seeker€is€bound€by€a€duty€to€cooperate.€The€State€partyÐ À Ðfinds€it€particularly€surprising€that,€when€the€complainant€appeared€before€the€Swiss€authorities€heÐ ° Ðnever€mentioned€his€arrest€on€3€January€1999,€even€though€this€supposedly€took€place€shortly€beforeÐ  ð Ðhe€left€Sri€Lanka.€The€State€party€adds€that€the€complainant€also€argues€that€he€was€subjected€toÐ à Ðtorture€while€under€arrest€and€that€the€Sri€Lankan€authorities€bound€and€beat€him.€However,Ð €Ð Ðaccording€to€the€State€party,€the€Swiss€doctors€who€examined€the€complainant€and€administered€hisÐ pÀ Ðanti„tubercular€treatment€never€reported€any€suspected€after„effects€of€acts€of€violence.€Ð `° ÐÌ4.12€€The€State€party€explains€that,€quite€apart€from€these€inconsistencies,€it€should€be€pointed€outÐ @ Ðthat€the€complainant's€allegations€in€connection€with€the€arrest€on€3€January€1999€and€the€arrestÐ 0€ Ðwarrant€are€implausible.€During€the€cantonal€hearing,€the€complainant€explicitly€stated€that,€after€hisÐ  p Ðarrest€in€Colombo€by€the€PLOTE€in€February€1998,€he€was€released€"on€condition€that€he€returnÐ ` Ðimmediately€to€Kilinochchi",€adding€that€members€of€the€PLOTE€"told€me€not€to€return€toÐ P ÐColombo".€If€he€had€returned€to€Colombo,€the€complainant€would€allegedly€have€been€in€danger€ofÐ ð@ Ðbeing€"detained€for€longer,€without€being€brought€before€a€court".€According€to€the€State€party,Ð à0 Ðhowever,€these€assertions€with€regard€to€the€arrest€by€the€Colombo€police€on€3€January€1999€and,Ð Ð  Ðespecially,€the€judge's€order€that€the€complainant€be€released€on€condition€that€he€report€to€the€CIDÐ À! Ðoffice€every€Saturday€clearly€lack€credibility.€Ð °"  ÐÌ4.13€€Lastly,€the€State€party€believes€that€the€complainant's€explanations€concerning€the€way€he€leftÐ $à" ÐSri€Lanka€need,€at€the€very€least,€to€be€treated€with€caution.€The€complainant€does€not€explain,€inÐ €%Ð # Ðparticular,€how€he€was€able€to€leave€the€country€from€Colombo€airport€although€wanted€by€theÐ p&À!$ Ðpolice.€According€to€the€State€party,€the€extremely€tight€security€controls€in€operation€at€the€airportÐ `'°"% Ðwould€never€have€allowed€the€complainant€to€check€in€for€the€flight€and€pass€through€police€andÐ P( #& Ðborder€controls.€The€State€party€considers€it€unlikely€that€he€could,€as€he€claims,€have€been€assistedÐ @)$' Ðby€a€trafficker,€who€allegedly€told€him€not€to€speak€to€the€customs€officers€and€would€have€promisedÐ 0*€%( Ðto€intervene€if€questions€were€asked.€According€to€the€State€party,€the€facts€show€that,€on€theÐ  +p&) Ðcontrary,€there€is€no€evidence€that€the€complainant€was€being€sought€by€the€police€on€the€day€of€hisÐ ,`'* Ðdeparture,€on€24€or€25€March€1999.€Ð -P(+ ÐÐ ð-@), Ð4.14€€The€State€party€concludes€that€there€is€therefore€reasonable€doubt€as€to€whether€theÐ ° Ðcomplainant€is€wanted€by€the€Sri€Lankan€authorities.€It€is€also€unlikely€that€the€author€would€be€atÐ  ð Ðrisk€of€arrest€if€he€returned€to€his€country.€However,€according€to€the€State€party,€even€if€such€a€riskÐ à Ðexisted,€it€would€not€be€sufficient€to€conclude€that€there€were€substantial€grounds€for€believing€thatÐ €Ð Ðhe€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€(communications€Nos.€157/1996€and€65/1997).€Ð pÀ ÐÌ4.15€€With€regard€to€the€health€grounds€cited€by€the€complainant,€the€State€party€points€out€that€theÐ P   ÐCommission€took€them€into€account.€On€the€basis€of€two€medical€certificates,€it€concluded€that€theÐ @  Ðbasic€anti„tubercular€treatment€had€been€completed€and€that€the€complainant€no€longer€suffered€fromÐ 0 € Ðany€life„threatening€or€health„threatening€condition.€According€to€the€State€party,€the€new€medicalÐ  p  Ðcertificate€dated€6€January€2000,€on€which€the€complainant€based€his€argument,€merely€confirms€thisÐ `  Ðconclusion.€After€consultations,€the€surgeons€who€saw€the€patient€decided€not€to€perform€a€surgicalÐ P  Ðdecortication.€The€State€party€adds€that,€even€if€an€operation€should€prove€necessary,€which€is€notÐ ð@  Ðthe€case€at€present€according€to€the€above„mentioned€certificate,€it€could€be€performed€in€Colombo.Ð à0  ÐAccording€to€the€State€party,€the€same€is€true€of€the€health€check„ups€and€any€medical€treatment€theÐ Ð  Ðcomplainant€might€require.€The€State€party€states€that€the€Commission€was€therefore€right€toÐ À Ðconclude€that€the€medical€services€available€in€Colombo€could€be€considered€satisfactory€and€ableÐ ° Ðif€necessary€to€provide€any€treatment€needed€by€the€complainant.€Ð  ð ÐÌ4.16€€In€the€light€of€the€above€arguments,€the€State€party€concludes€that€there€is€nothing€to€suggestÐ €Ð Ðthat€there€are€substantial€grounds€for€fearing€that€the€complainant€would€actually€be€personally€atÐ pÀ Ðrisk€of€torture€on€returning€to€Sri€Lanka.€According€to€the€State€party,€the€complainant's€allegationsÐ `° Ðalso€fail€to€prove€that€sending€him€back€to€Sri€Lanka€would€expose€him€to€a€real,€concrete€andÐ P  Ðpersonal€risk€of€being€tortured.€Ð @ ÐÌòòComments€by€the€complainant€on€the€State€party's€observationsóó€Ð  p ÐÌ5.1€€The€complainant€points€out€that€the€contradictions€and€inconsistencies€found€in€his€allegationsÐ P Ðand€cited€by€the€Swiss€Government€to€confirm€the€decision€of€the€Swiss€Appeal€Commission€onÐ ð@ ÐAsylum€Matters€should€be€seen€in€the€context€of€the€way€in€which€he€was€heard€by€the€SwissÐ à0 Ðauthorities€when€he€arrived.€In€this€respect,€the€complainant€states€that€he€was€seriously€ill€withÐ Ð  Ðtuberculosis€and€that€he€was€in€an€extremely€weak€condition€when€he€had€to€answer€all€the€questionsÐ À! Ðof€the€Swiss€authorities.€The€complainant€asserts€that,€given€his€condition,€it€is€obvious€that€certainÐ °"  Ðdetails€might€have€been€forgotten€or€badly€explained€and€that,€moreover,€six€months€after€his€arrivalÐ  #ð! Ðhe€had€needed€to€be€hospitalized€for€three€weeks.€Ð $à" ÐÌ5.2€€The€complainant€then€contests€the€arguments€of€the€Federal€Office€for€Refugees€casting€doubtÐ p&À!$ Ðon€his€flight€from€Colombo,€stating€that€he€had€called€on€the€services€of€a€trafficker€precisely€toÐ `'°"% Ðavoid€police€and€customs€controls€at€Colombo€airport.€Ð P( #& ÐÌòòIssues€and€proceedings€before€the€Committeeóó€Ð 0*€%( ÐÌ6.1€€Before€considering€a€complaint,€the€Committee€against€Torture€must€decide€whether€or€not€itÐ ,`'* Ðis€admissible€under€article€22€of€the€Convention.€The€Committee€has€ascertained,€as€it€is€requiredÐ -P(+ Ðto€do€under€article€22,€paragraph€5€(a),€of€the€Convention,€that€the€same€matter€has€not€been€and€Ô_ÔisÐ ð-@), Ðnot€being€examined€under€another€procedure€of€international€investigation€or€settlement.€In€this€case,Ð ° Ðthe€Committee€also€notes€that€all€domestic€remedies€have€been€exhausted€and€that€the€State€partyÐ  ð Ðhas€not€contested€admissibility.€It€therefore€finds€the€complaint€admissible.€Since€both€the€StateÐ à Ðparty€and€the€complainant€have€provided€observations€on€the€merits€of€the€complaint,€the€CommitteeÐ €Ð Ðproceeds€with€the€consideration€of€the€merits.€Ð pÀ ÐÌ6.2€€The€issue€before€the€Committee€is€whether€the€expulsion€of€the€complainant€to€Sri€Lanka€wouldÐ P   Ðviolate€the€State€party's€obligation€under€article€3€of€the€Convention€not€to€expel€or€return€a€personÐ @  Ðto€a€State€where€there€are€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€he€or€she€would€be€in€danger€ofÐ 0 € Ðbeing€subjected€to€torture.€Ð  p  ÐÌ6.3€€The€Committee€must€decide,€pursuant€to€article€3,€paragraph€1,€whether€there€are€substantialÐ P  Ðgrounds€for€believing€that€the€complainant€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€torture€ifÐ ð@  Ðreturned€to€Sri€Lanka.€In€reaching€this€decision,€the€Committee€must€take€into€account€all€relevantÐ à0  Ðconsiderations,€pursuant€to€article€3,€paragraph€2,€including€the€existence€of€a€consistent€pattern€ofÐ Ð  Ðgross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights.€The€aim€of€the€determination,€however,€is€toÐ À Ðestablish€whether€the€individual€concerned€would€be€personally€at€risk€of€being€subjected€to€tortureÐ ° Ðin€the€country€to€which€he€would€be€returned.€It€follows€that€the€existence€of€a€consistent€pattern€ofÐ  ð Ðgross,€flagrant€or€mass€violations€of€human€rights€in€the€country€does€not€by€itself€constitute€aÐ à Ðsufficient€ground€for€determining€that€a€particular€person€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€toÐ €Ð Ðtorture€upon€returning€to€that€country.€There€must€be€other€grounds€indicating€that€he€or€she€wouldÐ pÀ Ðbe€personally€at€risk.€Similarly,€the€absence€of€a€consistent€pattern€of€gross€violations€of€humanÐ `° Ðrights€does€not€mean€that€a€person€cannot€be€subjected€to€torture€in€his€or€her€specific€circumstances.€Ð P  ÐÌ6.4€€The€Committee€recalls€its€general€comment€on€the€implementation€of€article€3,€which€reads€asÐ 0€ Ðfollows:€"Bearing€in€mind€that€the€State€party€and€the€Committee€are€obliged€to€assess€whether€thereÐ  p Ðare€substantial€grounds€for€believing€that€the€author€would€be€in€danger€of€being€subjected€to€tortureÐ ` Ðwere€he/she€to€be€expelled,€returned€or€extradited,€the€risk€of€torture€must€be€assessed€on€groundsÐ P Ðthat€go€beyond€mere€theory€or€supposition.€However,€the€risk€does€not€have€to€meet€the€test€of€beingÐ ð@ Ðhighly€probable"€(A/53/44,€annex€IX,€para.€229).€Ð à0 ÐÌ6.5€€In€the€present€case,€the€Committee€notes€that€the€State€party€has€drawn€attention€toÐ À! Ðinconsistencies€and€contradictions€in€the€complainant's€account,€casting€doubt€on€the€truthfulnessÐ °"  Ðof€his€allegations.€It€also€takes€note€of€the€explanations€provided€by€counsel€in€this€respect.€Ð  #ð! ÐÌ6.6€€The€Committee€also€notes€that€it€has€not€been€clearly€established€that€the€complainant€wasÐ €%Ð # Ðwanted€by€the€Sri€Lankan€police€or€CID€or€that€the€Colombo€police€document€be€provided€asÐ p&À!$ Ðevidence€was€genuine,€it€being€indeed€surprising€that€this€document,€dated€23€August€1999,€wasÐ `'°"% Ðnever€shown€to€the€Swiss€authorities,€even€when€the€complainant€applied€to€have€the€20€JanuaryÐ P( #& Ðdeadline€for€his€departure€extended.€Ð @)$' ÐÌ6.7€€Furthermore,€the€Committee€believes€that€there€is€insufficient€support€for€the€complainant'sÐ  +p&) Ðallegations€of€having€been€tortured€in€Sri€Lanka€and€that,€in€particular,€his€allegations€are€notÐ ,`'* Ðcorroborated€by€medical€evidence,€even€though€the€complainant€received€medical€treatment€inÐ -P(+ ÐSwitzerland€shortly€after€his€arrival.€Ð ð-@), Ї6.8€€The€Committee€is€aware€of€the€seriousness€of€the€human€rights€situation€in€Sri€Lanka,€and€ofÐ ° Ðreports€alleging€the€practice€of€torture€there.€However,€it€recalls€that,€for€the€purposes€of€article€3€ofÐ  ð Ðthe€Convention,€a€foreseeable,€real€and€personal€risk€must€exist€of€being€subjected€to€torture€in€theÐ à Ðcountry€to€which€a€person€is€returned.€On€the€basis€of€the€considerations€above,€the€Committee€isÐ €Ð Ðof€the€opinion€that€such€risk€has€not€been€established.€Ð pÀ ÐÌ6.9€€The€Committee€against€Torture,€acting€under€article€22,€paragraph€7,€of€the€Convention€againstÐ P   ÐTorture€and€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment,€concludes€that€theÐ @  Ðdecision€of€the€State€party€to€return€the€complainant€to€Sri€Lanka€does€not€constitute€a€breach€ofÐ 0 € Ðarticle€3€of€the€Convention.€Ð  p  ÐÓ=ÓÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_ÔÔ_Ô