CAT/C/35/D/238/2003 Page 13 on what the complainant regards as material to his reasons for seeking asylum (1,5 pages), such as his political involvement and his fear of being returned to Ethiopia. 10.4 Regarding his family and personal history, the complainant submitted that related inconsistencies concern questions of minor importance, whereas the main facts provided by him, such as his family members’ names and place of their home, were correct. 10.5 Concerning his alleged persecution in the past, the complainant claimed that, following his first asylum interrogation, he submitted additional details rather than, as the State party alleges, providing another account altogether. In fact, the complainant had, during the asylum interrogation, submitted only those details he deemed relevant, and submitted further facts once informed by the Advisory Group of their importance. The State party’s claim that the complainant had said in the interrogation that he was arrested “only” once was false. 10.6 The complainant confirmed that he had stated in the asylum interview to have been “active in��, rather than being “a member” of, the SEPDC, whose title he translated freely into English by retaining the main concepts of the organisation. The State party’s assumption that the former SEPDC leader it interviewed knew all the members of the SEPDC was, in the complainant’s view, rebutted by the former’s stated willingness to investigate further into the case. The fact that the complainant mainly operated underground in an illegal organisation supports the former SEPDC leader’s unawareness of the complainant’s work as well as his claim that activists were not formally registered. The complainant notes that the State party has not informed the Committee or the complainant about any possible verification work undertaken by it, such as further contact with the former SEPDC leader or the verification of the detailed description of the Kerchele prison in Addis Ababa provided by the complainant. 10.7 Concerning past incidents of torture, the complainant submits that he was beaten during his long imprisonment in the 1980s, whereas he was not subjected to physical torture during his last imprisonment in the 1990s. However, he claims to have been tortured mentally in custody, and witnessed the torture of Abera, one of his political leaders, by the police. 10.8 The complainant submits that he faces a substantial risk of being tortured if returned to Ethiopia. Information provided by Human Rights Watch and United States’ Department of State reports of 2003 leave little doubt that there is a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant and mass violations of human rights in Ethiopia, a country which still produces refugees. That the complainant has been politically active in two major opposition movements and escaped from prison eight years ago under the present regime, as well as his continued involvement as an “active member” in the EPRP in Norway9 all render him at a risk of being tortured if returned. Since Ethiopia has not recognised the Committee’s competence to act under article 22 of the Convention, the complainant will have no possibility of bringing a complaint before the Committee if tortured upon return. Supplementary submissions of the parties 9 The complainant provides no details as to what political activities he undertook in Norway.