CCPR/C/126/D/2699/2015
United Nations
International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights
Distr.: General
25 November 2019
Original: English
Human Rights Committee
Views adopted by the Committee under article 5 (4) of
the Optional Protocol, concerning communication No.
2699/2015*, **, ***
Communication submitted by:
Semen Sbornov (represented by counsel, Sergei
Romanov)
Alleged victim:
The author
State party:
Russian Federation
Date of communication:
22 June 2015 (initial submission)
Document references:
Decision taken pursuant to rule 97 of the
Committee’s rules of procedure (now rule 92),
transmitted to the State party on 7 December
2015 (not issued in document form)
Date of adoption of Views:
25 July 2019
Subject matter:
Torture; self-incrimination under duress
Procedural issues:
Exhaustion of domestic remedies (cassations
appeal in the Russian Federation)
Substantive issues:
Torture; forced confessions
Articles of the Covenant:
7, read alone and in conjunction with 2 (3), and
14 (3) (g)
Articles of the Optional Protocol:
5 (2) (b)
1.
The author of the communication is Semen Sbornov, a national of the Russian
Federation born in 1983. He claims that the State party has violated his rights under articles
7, read alone and in conjunction with article 2 (3), and 14 (3) (g) of the Covenant. The
Optional Protocol entered into force for the State party on 1 January 1992. The author is
represented by counsel.
The facts as submitted by the author
2.1
On 22 January 2013, the author was apprehended by three police officers. He was
suspected of having inflicted serious bodily injuries on an individual, who died as a result.
* Adopted by the Committee at its 126th session (1−26 July 2019).
** The following members of the Committee participated in the examination of the communication:
Tania María Abdo Rocholl, Yadh Ben Achour, Ilze Brands Kehris, Arif Bulkan, Ahmed Amin
Fathalla, Shuichi Furuya, Christof Heyns, Bamariam Koita, Duncan Laki Muhumuza, Photini
Pazartzis, Hernán Quezada Cabrera, Vasilka Sancin, José Manuel Santos Pais, Yuval Shany, Hélène
Tigroudja, Andreas Zimmermann and Gentian Zyberi.
*** An individual opinion by Committee member José Manuel Santos Pais (dissenting) is annexed to the
present Views.
GE.19-20359(E)