Issues and proceedings before the Committee 8.1 Before considering any claims contained in a communication, the Committee must decide whether or not it is admissible under article 22 of the Convention. The Committee has ascertained, as it is required to do under article 22, paragraph 5 (a), of the Convention, that the same matter has not been and is not being examined under another procedure of international investigation or settlement. 8.2 With regard to the exhaustion of domestic remedies, the Committee has taken note of the observations by the State party and by the author's counsel. Pursuant to article 22, paragraph 5 (b), of the Convention, the Committee is precluded from considering any communication unless it has been ascertained that all available domestic remedies have been exhausted. This rule does not, however, apply if it is established that the application of domestic remedies has been or would be unreasonably prolonged or would be unlikely to bring effective relief to the presumed victim. In this connection, the Committee notes that the author was removed to Afghanistan on 27 November 1998. The Committee therefore declares the communication admissible. 8.3 The Committee notes that both the State party and the author's counsel have provided observations on the merits of the communication. It therefore decides to consider the merits at the present stage. 8.4 The Committee is of the opinion that the author did not bring any evidence that he would be personally at risk of being subjected to torture if he were returned to Afghanistan. The Committee also noted that the author has not suggested that he had been subjected to torture in the past. Nor has he alleged that he has been involved in any political or religious activities such that his return could draw the attention of the Taliban to the extent of putting him at personal risk of torture. 8.5 The author only brought information on the general situation in Afghanistan and claimed that, as a member of the Tajik ethnic group, he would face torture upon return to Afghanistan. Although it recognizes the difficulties encountered by some ethnic groups in Afghanistan, the Committee considers that the mere claim of being a member of the Tajik ethnic group does not sufficiently substantiate the risk that the author would be subjected to torture upon return.