CAT/C/18/D/46/1996
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
Eighteenth session
concerning
Communication No. 46/1996
Submitted by:
Cyril Le Gayic et al.
(represented by counsel)
Alleged victim:
The authors
State party:
France
Date of communication:
5 February 1996
The Committee against Torture, established under article 17 of the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment,
Meeting on 9 May 1997,
Adopts the following decision:
Decision on admissibility
1.
The communication is presented by counsel on behalf of
Mr. Cyril Le Gayic and 12 other individuals, French citizens, residing
in Papeete, Tahiti. They claim to be victims of violations by France of
articles 16, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the Convention against Torture.
The facts as presented by the authors
2.1
Following the resumption of nuclear tests in the Pacific by France,
riots took place in Tahiti on 6 September 1995. The union A TI'A I MUA, which
had called for a strike that day, was held responsible for the riots by the
authorities. On 9 September 1995, the members of the Executive of the union
were meeting at the organization's office in Papeete. Around 1 p.m., when the
participants were preparing for a press conference to be held at 3 p.m.,
mobile guards in battle-dress invaded the premises. They ordered the
unionists to line up against the wall, legs apart and hands behind their
heads. The unionists complied without resistance, but were bludgeoned by the
police nevertheless. Then they were handcuffed two by two, led out of the
building, thrown in a van and transported to the police station in the
Avenue Bruat.