CAT/C/39/D/269/2005
page 2
ANNEX
DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE UNDER
ARTICLE 22 OF THE CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND
OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT
OR PUNISHMENT
Thirty-ninth session
concerning
Communication No. 269/2005
Submitted by:
Mr. Ali Ben Salem (represented by counsel)
Alleged victim:
The complainant
State party:
Tunisia
Date of complaint:
2 May 2005 (initial submission)
The Committee against Torture, established under article 17 of the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,
Meeting on 7 November 2007,
Having concluded its consideration of complaint No. 269/2005, submitted in the name of
Mr. Ali Ben Salem under article 22 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,
Having taken into account all information made available to it by the complainant and the
State party,
Adopts the following:
Decision under article 22, paragraph 7, of the Convention against Torture
1.
The complainant is Mr. Ali Ben Salem, a 73-year-old Tunisian national. He alleges he was
the victim of violations by Tunisia of article 2, paragraph 1, read in conjunction with article 1;
article 16, paragraph 1; and articles 11, 12, 13 and 14, read separately or in conjunction with
article 16, paragraph 1, of the Convention. He is represented by counsel.
Factual background as presented by the complainant
2.1 The complainant has a long history of human rights activism in Tunisia, where, over the
past 24 years, he has helped set up and run human rights monitoring organizations. In 1998, he
co-founded the National Council for Fundamental Freedoms in Tunisia (CNLT), which the
Tunisian Government refused to register as a legal non-governmental organization (NGO) and