CAT/C/20/D/65/1997 page 11 13.2 With regard to the nature of the author's publications, counsel explains that in Morocco, he published six issues of a newspaper for Afar students which dealt with the question of discrimination of Afar students in the educational system of Djibouti. During his time abroad, the author also worked on an essay on the history of Djibouti. 13.3 After his departure from Djibouti in September 1991, the author wrote articles about the political situation in Djibouti which were published in different European-based Arabic newspapers. 4 He continued to support the FRUD and opposed the Government, the 1994 peace accord and the human rights situation in Djibouti. It is stated that two of the newspapers in which the author published, are being distributed all over the Arabic-speaking world, including Djibouti. 13.4 With regard to the author's belief that he will be subjected to torture upon return to Djibouti, counsel recalls that the human rights situation is still very poor, and refers in this context to the United States State Department report on Djibouti. The Afar resistance is still opposing the Government and in autumn 1997, FRUD reopened its military campaign. A number of FRUD officials have been arrested in September 1997. Counsel submits that the author belongs to the oppressed Afar group, that he has made his views public, that he has been arrested and tortured in 1991, that he has participated in political activities and that he has published articles attacking the Government. According to counsel, it is likely that the Djibouti authorities are aware of the author's publications and that it is important to them to neutralize him. In the light of the present political situation and the lack of respect for human rights in Djibouti, counsel argues that a substantial and serious risk exists that the author, when returned to Djibouti, will once again be subjected to torture. Issues and proceedings before the Committee 14.1 The Committee has considered the communication in the light of all the information made available to it by the parties, in accordance with article 22, paragraph 4, of the Convention. 14.2 The Committee must decide, pursuant to paragraph 1 of article 3, whether there are substantial grounds for believing that the author would be in danger of being subjected to torture upon return to Djibouti. In reaching this decision, the Committee must take into account all relevant considerations, pursuant to paragraph 2 of article 3, including the existence of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights. The aim of the determination, however, is to establish whether the individual concerned would be personally at risk of being subjected to torture in the country to which he or she would return. It follows that the existence of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights in a country does not as such constitute a sufficient ground for determining that a particular person would be in danger of being subjected to torture upon his return to that country; additional grounds must exist to show that the individual concerned would be personally at risk. Similarly, the absence of a consistent pattern of gross violations of human rights does not mean that a person cannot be considered to be in danger of being subjected to torture in his or her specific circumstances.