CAT/C/65/D/691/2015
granted residence permits and international protection.11 Furthermore, the complainant cites
the 2014 human rights report on the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Department of State of
the United States of America, which contains information on the human rights violations
suffered by women in the country.
State party’s observations on admissibility
4.1
On 25 September 2013, the State party contested the admissibility of the complaint,
claiming that the European Court of Human Rights had already examined the same matter
raised before the Committee. The State party recalls the Committee’s jurisprudence in
which it has consistently held that the “same matter”, within the meaning of article 22 (5) (a)
of the Convention, must be understood as relating to the same parties, the same facts and
the same substantive rights.12 In that connection, it notes that the present communication
raises claims under article 3 of the Convention in relation to the alleged risk of torture to
which the complainant would be subjected if removed to the Islamic Republic of Iran. It
points out that, from the letter of the European Court of Human Rights to the complainant
dated 10 February 2015, it is clear that she had submitted an application to the Court,
including a request that the Court prevent her expulsion to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
4.2
The State party indicates that, according to the Court’s requirements concerning
requests for interim measures, complainants must state the reasons on which their particular
fears are based, the nature of the alleged risks and the provisions of the European
Convention on Human Rights that have allegedly been violated. Given that, on 10 February
2015, the European Court of Human Rights decided to reject the complainant’s request for
interim measures and to declare her application inadmissible, the complainant must have
stated the reasons for her request to that Court. The State party therefore finds it evident
that the application to the European Court of Human Rights and the request for interim
measures submitted by the complainant must, as is the case with the present communication
to the Committee, have concerned the risks that she would allegedly face if returned to the
Islamic Republic of Iran. The State party therefore concludes that the present
communication concerns the same matter as the application previously lodged by the
complainant with the European Court of Human Rights.13
4.3
With regard to the issue of whether the European Court of Human Rights has
examined the substance of the complainant’s application in the sense of article 22 (5) (a) of
the Convention, the State party recalls that the Committee has on many occasions
considered that a communication has been examined by another procedure of international
investigation or settlement if its decision was not based solely on mere procedural grounds,
but also on reasons that indicate a sufficient consideration of the merits of the case. 14 The
State party notes that, according to the complainant’s submissions and the letter of the
European Court, the European Court declared the complainant’s application inadmissible
on 10 February 2015, since it found that the admissibility criteria in articles 34 and 35 of
the European Convention on Human Rights had not been met. The State party also notes
that there is nothing in the complainant’s submission that indicates that her application to
the European Court did not fulfil the criteria established in article 34 of the European
Convention on Human Rights, as it is evident from the facts of the case that the decision
concerning the complainant’s expulsion had gained legal force and that she had exhausted
domestic remedies in 2014 before she submitted her application to the European Court. In
addition, according to case law of the European Court, the six-month time limit does not de
facto apply in cases concerning expulsion when the applicant has not yet been expelled. 15
11
12
13
14
15
4
No further information is provided on the report.
The State party quotes M.T. v. Sweden (CAT/C/55/D/642/2014) and the Committee’s decisions on the
communications cited therein.
The State party quotes M.T. v. Sweden; A.R.A. v. Sweden (CAT/C/38/D/305/2006), paras. 6.1–6.2;
and A.G. v. Sweden (CAT/C/24/D/140/1999), paras. 6.2 and 7.
The State party quotes M.T. v. Sweden; A.A. v. Azerbaijan (CAT/C/35/D/247/2004), paras. 6.6–6.9;
and E.E. v. Russian Federation (CAT/C/50/D/479/2011), paras. 8.2–8.4.
The State party quotes the European Court of Human Rights, P.Z. and others v. Sweden (application
No. 68194/10), judgment of 29 May 2012; and B.Z. v. Sweden (application No. 74352/11), judgment
of 18 December 2012.