(2) Forms of Reparation
Restitution
51. Restitution is designed to re-establish the victim’s situation prior to the violation.81 For violations of
Article 3, restitution will typically require return to the expelling country. Where a State Party violates
Article 3 it must take all possible steps to enable the victim(s) to return to its jurisdiction. 82 Positive
actions to enable the return of the victim may include: the provision of travel expenses;83 free legal
assistance;84 provision of travel documents, for example a humanitarian visa;85 and review of any
previous request for asylum.86
52. If the victim is in detention or is otherwise made inaccessible in the receiving State, effectuating a return
may only be possible once he or she has been released or is again accessible. In such cases the State
party should monitor the welfare and treatment of the victim in the receiving State.
53. The draft General Comment stipulates that States parties should provide financial and legal assistance
to persons who have been deported in violation of Article 3. However, additional measures are required
while the victim remains in the receiving State.87 The sending State should also determine the
individual’s “current whereabouts and state of well-being”88 and establish “an effective follow-up
mechanism to ensure that the complainant is not subjected to torture or ill-treatment,”89 such as “regular
visits and effective monitoring to ensure that he is not subjected to treatment contrary to article 3 of the
Convention.”90 The draft refers to requests to international experts and others; however it should be
made clear that the obligation is on the violating State to put adequate measures in place. Requests to
third parties do not absolve a violating State of its obligations.
Compensation
81
CAT, General Comment No. 3, UN Doc. CAT /C/GC/3, 19 November 2012, para. 8.
CAT, Abdussamatov v. Kazakhstan, UN Doc. CAT/C/48/444/2010, 11 July 2012, para. 15; See also, CAT, Concluding
Observations: Kazakhstan, UN Doc. CAT/C/KAZ/CO/3, 12 Dec. 2014, para. 16(g); HRC, AH v. Denmark, UN Doc.
CCPR/C/114/D/2370/2014, 7 September 2015, para. 10 and follow up at HRC, 118th Session (17 Oct 2016-04 Nov 2016);
CAT, X v. Kazakhstan, UN Doc. CAT/C/55/D/554/2013, 9 October 2015, para. 14.
83
See e.g., ECtHR, X v. Switzerland, App. no. 16744/14, 26 Jan. 2017.
84
Ibid.
85
Ibid.
86
See e.g., CAT, Concluding Observations: Sweden, UN Doc. CAT/C/SWE/CO/6-7, 12 Dec. 2014, para. 11; HRC, AH
v. Denmark, UN Doc. CCPR/C/114/D/2370/2014, 7 September 2015, para. 10 and follow up at HRC, 118th Session (17
Oct 2016-04 Nov 2016); ECtHR, X v. Switzerland, App. no. 16744/14, 26 January 2017.
87
See e.g., ECtHR, Hirsi Jamaa v. Italy, App. no. 27765/09, 23 February 2012, para. 211.
88
CAT, Mafhoud Brada v. France, UN Doc. CAT/C/34/D/195/2002, 24 May 2005, para. 15; See also, CAT, Tebourski
v. France, UN Doc. CAT/C/38/D/300/2006, 11 May 2007, para. 10; CAT, Bachan Singh Sogi v. Canada, UN Doc.
CAT/C/39/D/297/2006, 29 November 2007, para. 12; CAT, Boily v. Canada, UN Doc. CAT/C/47/D/327/2007, 13
January 2012, para. 16.
89
CAT, Alexey Kalinichenko v. Morocco, UN Doc. CAT/C/47/D/428/2010, 18 January 2012, para. 17.
90
CAT, Tursonov v. Kazakhstan, UN Doc. CAT/C/54/D/538/2013, 3 July 2015, para. 11. See also, CAT, X v. Kazakhstan,
UN Doc. CAT/C/55/D/554/2013, 9 October 2015, para. 14; HRC, Valetov v. Kazakhstan, UN Doc.
CCPR/C/110/D/2104/2011, 29 April 2014, para. 16.
82
25
AI Index: IOR 40/6040/2017
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