CAT/C/60/D/648/2015 United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Distr.: General 22 June 2017 Original: English Committee against Torture Decision adopted by the Committee under article 22 of the Convention concerning communication No. 648/2015*, ** Communication submitted by: S.S. (represented by counsel, Rasan T. Selliah) Alleged victim: The complainant State party: Australia Date of complaint: 14 October 2014 (initial submission) Date of present decision: 10 May 2017 Subject matter: Deportation to Sri Lanka Procedural issue: Admissibility — manifestly unfounded Substantive issue: Non-refoulement Articles of the Convention: 3 and 22 Background 1.1 The complainant is S.S., a national of Sri Lanka, born in 1980. He claims that if it proceeds with his deportation to Sri Lanka, Australia would violate article 3 of the Convention. The State party made the declaration under article 22 of the Convention on 28 January 1993. The complainant is represented by counsel, Rasan Selliah. 1.2 On 7 January 2015, in application of rule 114, paragraph 1, of its rules of procedure, the Committee requested the State party to refrain from deporting the complainant to Sri Lanka pending the consideration of his case. On 27 July 2016, the State party requested the Committee to lift its request for interim measures. On 21 September, the Committee rejected this request. Facts as presented by the complainant 2.1 The complainant is a Tamil of Hindu religion. He was born in Kalmunai in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. He worked in the jewellery business in Colombo. In 2006, due to the escalation of political troubles and the increase in criminal activities, including abductions and extortions of money from Tamils, he attempted to obtain a visa for Australia through a friend who was an “agent”. He was introduced to “a minister”. Papers were signed and handed over to the minister. 2.2 Five days later, the complainant was arrested by agents of the Criminal Investigation Department and detained for five days on the fourth floor of its headquarters, 1 where he was beaten and tortured. The officers wanted to know why the complainant had tried to leave the country and if he was a member of the Pirapaharan or the Karuna faction of the 1 The complainant states that this location is notorious for its methods of interrogation and torture. GE.17-10398(E) 

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