CAT/C/20/D/65/1997
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control. He left Djibouti on 25 September 1991 arriving in Stockholm via
Moscow on 26 September 1991. Upon his arrival in Stockholm, he immediately
presented himself to the airport police and requested Swedish asylum.
2.9
On 4-5 December 1991 he had a more comprehensive interview with police
authorities at Carlslund Refugee Reception Centre. At this time he described
his political activities, the actions against him by the Djibouti Government
and his detentions. He claims that the investigating officer did not question
him about torture so he only briefly mentioned the subject. The author’s
counsel notes that his client was not represented by counsel at this
interview.
2.10 It is submitted that the author was granted legal aid and a counsel to
assist him in the asylum process. The Immigration Board rejected the author’s
application on 16 November 1992 and ordered that he be expelled from Sweden.
It is submitted by counsel that the Board, which had been given copies of his
political writings, did not find the character of the author's political
involvement such that his fear of persecution was well-founded.
2.11 The Immigration Board decision was appealed on 14 December 1992 to the
Aliens Appeals Board. It is stated that the appeal underscored the author’s
torture experiences and included a certificate from Dr. Hans Söderlund, dated
17 February 1993, corroborating his claims. According to the author, the
medical report states that the author exhibited emotional distress when
describing his experiences in Djibouti, and identifies scars which could be
the result of physical violence.
2.12 The appeal was ultimately rejected on 29 September 1995. It is
submitted that the Aliens Appeals Board based its decision in part on
information from the U.S. Department of State's Djibouti Country Report on
Human Rights Practices which reported that the general political situation in
Djibouti had improved since the accord between FRUD and the Djiboutian
Government in December 1994. 2 It is submitted by his counsel that the Board
also found the author’s account of his personal situation not credible,
doubting that Djiboutian authorities could know about his activities against
the regime and still release him from prison several times, and doubting that
he would be offered a diplomatic post if the authorities considered him to be
a great threat to the regime. Following the rejection of his appeal the
author went into hiding.
2.13 It is stated that on 6 September 1996 the author submitted a new
application for a residence permit to the Aliens Appeals Board. Included was
documentation of forensic and psychiatric examinations at the Centre for
Torture and Trauma Survivors, CTD (Centrum för Tortyr och Traumaskadade)and a
certificate of his hospitalization in 1991 at the Ibin-Sina clinic. 3
According to the psychiatric examination the author exhibits symptoms of
post-traumatic stress disorder. The forensic examination identifies several
scars which are consistent with his torture claims.
2.14 It is stated by counsel that on 16 September 1996 the Aliens Appeals
Board revoked the deportation order against the author and granted him a
personal hearing on 7 November 1996 where he was represented by counsel.
According to the author, on 10 December 1996 the Board rejected his new