CAT/C/55/D/530/2012 case.14 The State party contends that it is only when this has been done that the applicants seeking asylum should be granted the benefit of doubt. 4.20 In this connection, the State party refers to information contained in the reports regarding the demonstrations of 19 December 2010 (see para. 4.7 above) and notably to information about the response from the Belarusian authorities to the demonstration during the election found in a Human Rights Watch report “Belarus survey shows massive abuse of protesters”.15 In the light of this information, the complainants’ allegation that they would be of interest to the authorities because they applied for permission for the demonstration lacks credibility. The State party notes that it appears that the demonstration in question started peacefully and the authorities only intervened when the election results had been announced and riots had broken out. 4.21 As regards the complainants’ submission concerning the political activity of the first applicant’s mother and stepfather, the State party notes that the complainants have failed to submit any evidence regarding the allegations that they were politically active, participated in the demonstration on 19 December 2010 or were detained by the authorities. The State party does not question the assertion that the first complainant’s mother and stepfather were members of the United Civil Party, but maintains that this does not prove that they are subjected to persecution or ill-treatment by the authorities, especially since the United Civil Party is a legal party. Moreover, neither the mother and stepfather nor the complainants themselves are on the list of people arrested, suspected or accused of crimes in relation to the events on 19 December 2010.16 4.22 Furthermore, the State party shares the migration authorities’ view that the documents submitted by the complainants have low evidentiary value. The mother and stepfather’s party membership cards are of a simple nature and party membership does not in any case prove that they were of interest to the authorities or prove treatment contrary to the Convention. Moreover, the documents stating that the complainants are summonsed by the police in Minsk for questioning do not prove that they are accused of any crimes in relation to the demonstration or owing to their political activities. 4.23 The State party contends that the complainants have failed to provide any documents or other evidence showing that they are wanted by the Belarusian authorities or the subject of any legal or administrative proceedings owing to their political activities. They are not members of any political party and have not shown that the authorities have any interest in their alleged political activities. The State party thus holds that the complainants have failed to substantiate the claim that they are at risk of being subjected to treatment contrary to article 3 of the Convention based on their political activities. 4.24 The State party notes that, in a further submission to the Committee, the complainants state, inter alia, that the first complainant previously conducted business activities as an entrepreneur in Belarus, that his company was shut down by the local authorities and that he has been prosecuted because of tax debts, although he had no outstanding debts when he left Belarus. The complainants claim that this is an indication that there is still some risk that the first complainant might be prosecuted, officially because of his previous economic activities, but in fact because of his political activities. In that connection, the complainants have submitted a certificate stating that the first complainant 14 15 16 10 See articles 195 and 205 (a) of the Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status under the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. Available from www.hrw.org/print/news/2011/02/09/belarus-survey-shows-massive-abusesprotesters. See compilation by the Viasna Human Rights Centre, available from http://spring96.org/en/news/41575.