CAT/C/20/D/65/1997
page 2
Annex
VIEWS OF THE COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE UNDER ARTICLE 22,
PARAGRAPH 7, THE CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER
CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT TWENTIETH SESSION
concerning
Communication No. 65/1997
Submitted by:
I.A.O. (name withheld)
(represented by counsel)
Alleged victim:
The author
State Party:
Sweden
Date of communication:
21 March 1997
Date of admissibility decision:
25 November 1997
The Committee against Torture, established under Article 17 of the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment,
Meeting on 6 May 1998,
Having concluded its consideration of communication No. 65/1997,
submitted to the Committee against Torture 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
author of the communication, his counsel and the State Party,
Adopts its Views under article 22, paragraph 7, of the Convention.
1.
The author of the communication is I.A.O. (born on 29 May 1966), a
Djibouti citizen and member of the Afar ethnic group, currently seeking asylum
in Sweden. He claims that his return to Djibouti would constitute a violation
of Article 3 of the Convention against Torture by Sweden. He is represented
by the Advisory Centre for Asylum seekers and refugees.
Facts as presented by the author
2.1
The author is described as a publicist who has written articles
criticizing the political situation in Djibouti, in particular the
mistreatment of the Afar ethnic group by the politically-dominant Issa ethnic
group. He maintains that since coming to Sweden he has continued his
publicist work critical of the current government, and is thus still
considered to be a significant enemy to the regime.