CAT/C/71/D/792/2016
examined by the domestic authorities and because the complainant has failed to substantiate
the claim that there is a personal risk of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment contrary to article 3 of the Convention upon her return to Uganda.
7.4
The Committee considers, however, that the complainant’s claim that she risks being
subjected to ill-treatment contrary to article 3 of the Convention on account of her sexual
orientation has been sufficiently substantiated for the purpose of admissibility.
7.5
As the Committee finds no further obstacles to admissibility, it declares the
communication submitted under article 3 of the Convention admissible and proceeds with its
consideration of the merits.
Consideration of the merits
8.1
In accordance with article 22 (4) of the Convention, the Committee has considered
the communication in the light of all the information made available to it by the parties.
8.2
The issue before the Committee is whether the forced removal of the complainant to
Uganda would constitute a violation of the State party’s obligation under article 3 of the
Convention not to expel or to return (refouler) a person to another State where there are
substantial grounds for believing that the person would be in danger of being subjected to
torture.13
13
For jurisprudence on non-refoulement claims of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex
persons facing removal to Uganda, see; J.K. v. Canada, in which the Committee found a violation of
article 3 in view of the author’s sexual orientation, his militancy in organizations advocating the rights
of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons and the fact that he could be detained
pursuant to criminal charges brought against him; and Nakawunde v. Canada
(CAT/C/64/D/615/2014), in which the Committee found the communication inadmissible due to the
non-exhaustion of domestic remedies. For jurisprudence related to non-refoulement claims of lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, see: H.R.E.S v. Switzerland (CAT/C/64/D/783/2016),
in which the Committee did not find a violation of article 3 in the event of the complainant’s return to
the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite the fact that homosexuality is generally prohibited in the
country, because the complainant did not claim that the Iranian authorities were aware of his sexual
orientation or that he would express his homosexuality in the public sphere; and Mondal v. Sweden
(CAT/C/46/D/338/2008), in which the Committee found a violation of article 3 in the event of the
complainant’s expulsion to Bangladesh in view of his past experience of torture, his former political
activities and the risk of persecution on the basis of his homosexuality combined with the fact that he
belongs to a minority Hindu group. For jurisprudence of other treaty bodies, see Human Rights
Committee, X. v. Sweden, (CCPR/C/103/D/1833/2008), in which the Committee found a violation of
articles 6 and 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights because the State party’s
authorities focused mainly on credibility in the author’s account of facts and insufficient weight was
given to the author’s allegations of the real risk he might face in Afghanistan in view of his sexual
orientation; Human Rights Committee, M.K.H. v. Denmark (CCPR/C/117/D/2462/2014), in which the
Committee found a violation of article 7 of the Covenant because of the arbitrary examination of the
complainant’s claims, inter alia, as regards the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
intersex persons in Bangladesh; Human Rights Committee, M.I. v. Sweden
(CCPR/C/108/D/2149/2012), in which the Committee found a violation of article 7 of the Covenant
because of the authorities’ failure to take into due consideration the author’s allegations regarding the
events she experienced in Bangladesh because of her sexual orientation – in particular, her
mistreatment by the police – in assessing the alleged risk she would face if returned to her country of
origin; Human Rights Committee, W.K. v. Canada, (CCPR/C/122/D/2292/2013), in which the
Committee did not find a violation of articles 6 and 7 of the Covenant in the event of the
complainant’s return to Egypt, notwithstanding serious human rights abuses committed against
homosexuals in Egypt, because the author did not provide any specific argument that would lead to
the conclusion that he would be at a real and personal risk if he were to return and because the
applications filed and the arguments submitted by the author were thoroughly examined by the State
party’s authorities; and Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, A.S. v.
Denmark (CEDAW/C/69/D/80/2015), in which the Committee found the communication
inadmissible owing to lack of substantiation and to the absence of evidence demonstrating that the
authorities gave insufficient consideration to the author’s application for asylum, or that, in the
examination of her case, there was any procedural defect or arbitrariness.
9