CCPR/C/120/D/2640/2015
United Nations
International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights
Distr.: General
22 August 2017
Original: English
Human Rights Committee
Views adopted by the Committee under article 5 (4) of the
Optional Protocol, concerning communication No.
2640/2015*, **
Communication submitted by:
R.I.H. and S.M.D. (represented initially by the
Danish Refugee Council and subsequently by
Advokatkompagniet)
Alleged victims:
The authors and their four children
State party:
Denmark
Date of communication:
6 August 2015 (initial submission)
Document references:
Decision taken pursuant to rules 92 and 97 of the
Committee’s rules of procedure, transmitted to
the State party on 6 August 2015 (not issued in
document form)
Date of adoption of Views:
13 July 2017
Subject matter:
Deportation from Denmark to Bulgaria
Procedural issue:
Level of substantiation of claims
Substantive issue:
Torture and ill-treatment
Article of the Covenant:
7
Article of the Optional Protocol:
2
1.1
The authors of the communication are R.I.H., born on 10 April 1971, and his wife,
S.M.D., born on 15 April 1971. They present the communication on their own behalf and
that of their four children, two of whom are minors: R.R.H., born on 1 January 2002, and
M.R.H., born on 1 January 2003. The authors also have two adult children, Ri.R.H., born
on 7 August 1996, and Ra.R.H., born on 3 April 1995.
1.2
The family is currently staying at the Sandholm Asylum Center in Birkerød. Their
deportation to Bulgaria, where they have subsidiary protection, was scheduled for 6 August
2015. The authors claim that, by deporting them to Bulgaria, Denmark would violate their
rights under article 7 of the Covenant. The Optional Protocol entered into force for
* Adopted by the Committee at its 120th session (3-28 July 2017).
** The following members of the Committee participated in the examination of the present
communication: Tania María Abdo Rocholl, Yadh Ben Achour, Ilze Brands Kehris, Ahmed Amin
Fathalla, Olivier de Frouville, Christof Heyns, Yuji Iwasawa, Bamariam Koita, Marcia V.J. Kran,
Duncan Laki Muhumuza, Photini Pazartzis, José Manuel Santos Pais, Yuval Shany and Margo
Waterval.
GE.17-14441(E)