CEDH · CASELAW;COMMUNICATEDCASES;ENG — 3 novembre 2009

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .sCF12AA88 { width:299.85pt; display:inline-block } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s523616E0 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:center; font-size:14pt } .s3E839E41 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:30pt; text-align:center } .sDA30A789 { margin-top:30pt; margin-bottom:36pt; text-align:center } .sC7EAD8B { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:underline } .s967D43C6 { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:14pt } .s87F05BA2 { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s10950C61 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .sEC177689 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:36pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .sC443675D { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:30pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:14pt } .s3C0142D3 { margin-top:30pt; margin-left:29.2pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17.6pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .s401C450A { margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:18pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .s7EE1C8F0 { margin-top:18pt; margin-left:29.2pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-indent:-17.6pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s673A384F { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:24pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .sAD9CA6D3 { margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:0pt; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s37CDBE05 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s98A7B623 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .sA1D3DA2E { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify } .s2D638DB { width:35.27pt; display:inline-block } .s23A41E03 { width:36pt; display:inline-block } .s69E2E442 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify; page-break-inside:avoid } .sC83B07C { margin-top:0pt; margin-left:36pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:justify }   22 July 2009   THIRD SECTION Application no. 31930/09 by Abdulahi AWEYS AHMED against the Netherlands and Greece lodged on 18 June 2009 STATEMENT OF FACTS THE FACTS The applicant, Mr Abdulahi Aweys Ahmed, is a Somali national who was born in 1983 and is currently staying in the Netherlands. He is represented before the Court by Ms T. Pondaag, a lawyer practicing in Wageningen. The facts of the case, as submitted by the applicant, may be summarised as follows. The applicant belongs to the Duruqbo minority group and hails from Mogadishu. He fled his country of origin because he feared persecution after Islamist militia forced him to take part in the fighting against Government forces. In May 2008 the applicant arrived in Greece, travelling by boat from Turkey. During his boat trip the Greek coastguard shot at the boat and the applicant was apprehended. His finger prints were taken by Greek police in Mytilini, the capitol of the island of Lesbos, and he was subsequently detained for seven days. After his detention the applicant was told to leave the country. He subsequently travelled to Athens but was unable to request asylum. He was not provided with any accommodation, money or medication. A Somali man, who had rented a mattress for 80 euros a month in a room he shared with eight people, allowed the applicant the use of this mattress during the day. The applicant arrived in the Netherlands in July 2008. His asylum application in that country was rejected on 1 April 2009 since it was considered that, pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No. 343/2003 of 18   February 2003 (“the Dublin Regulation”), Greece was responsible for examining the asylum request. The applicant’s appeal against this decision was rejected by the Regional Court ( rechtbank ) of The Hague, sitting in Almelo, on 4 June 2009. The Regional Court having reached its decision without a hearing, the applicant lodged an objection ( verzet ) against it, which proceedings are currently still pending. However, it was not open to the applicant to apply for an injunction to stay his transfer to Greece pending these proceedings. On 19 June 2009 the President of the Chamber decided to indicate to the Government of the Netherlands that it was desirable in the interests of the parties and the proper conduct of the proceedings before the Court not to remove the applicant from their territory until further notice. COMPLAINTS Against the Netherlands Invoking Article 3 of the Convention, as well as Article 13 in conjunction with Article 3, the applicant complains that by returning him to Greece, the Dutch authorities exposed him to a real risk of being returned to Somalia without a proper examination of his Article 3 claim having taken place. He alleges that, in Somalia, he runs a real risk of being subjected to treatment in breach of Article 3. The applicant further complains under Article 6. Against Greece The applicant complains that the Greek authorities will, once again, not examine – let alone rigorously examine – his claim that his return to Somalia would expose him to a real risk of being subjected to treatment in breach of Article 3. In this respect he also invokes Articles 6 and 13 in conjunction with Article 3. He argues that, in Greece, he will not be enabled to elaborate his claim with the assistance of an interpreter, that he will not have an effective remedy to challenge a rejection of his asylum request, and that he will not be provided with legal assistance. Finally the applicant complains under Article 5 concerning his unlawful detention after he first arrived in Greece. The applicant bases his allegations on his experiences during his previous stay in Greece as well as on reports drawn up (by UNHCR and the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights) about the treatment of asylum seekers and the examination of asylum applications by the Greek authorities. QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES A.     To the Government of the Netherlands   1.     With regard to the information provided previously that a Dutch Government official will be present during the transfer of an asylum seeker to Greece pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No. 343/2003 of 18   February 2003 (“the Dublin Regulation”), the Government are requested to specify what exactly this presence entails. Does the official accompany the asylum seeker to the office of the police department at Athens airport? Does the official stay with the asylum seeker until an asylum application is lodged?   2.     In the light of the applicant’s claims and the documents which have been submitted, would he face a risk of being subjected to treatment in breach of Article 3 of the Convention if he were transferred to Greece, followed by a return to his country of origin?   3.     Having regard to   i) the reports referred to by the applicant, relating to the way in which asylum applications are processed in Greece and asylum seekers treated, and       ii) the applicant’s claim that, if transferred to Greece, he runs a real risk of being (indirectly) returned to his country of origin without the Greek authorities having established through a rigorous scrutiny that he will not run a real risk of being subjected to treatment in breach of Article 3 in that country,   is it compatible with Article 3 and/or Article 13 of the Convention for the Netherlands authorities to:   a)     apply the Dublin Regulation without sufficiently examining the claim, supported by the submitted reports, that Greece cannot be considered a safe third country and/or without ascertaining that Greece will actually submit the applicant’s asylum application to a rigorous scrutiny;   b)     apply the Dublin Regulation without examining the merits of the applicant’s claims?   In view of the requirement to secure effective protection of Convention rights (see e.g. Soering v. the United Kingdom , 7 July 1989, Series A no.   161, § 87, and Assenov and Others v. Bulgaria , 28 October 1998, Reports of Judgments and Decisions 1998-VIII, § 102), is it relevant to take into account in determining question 3a) that UNHCR has recently suspended its participation in the examination of more than 30,000 pending asylum applications in Greece due to reservations about new regulations?         B.     To the Government of Greece   1.     With regard to the information provided previously by the Government of Greece that an asylum seeker transferred to Greece pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No.   343/2003 of 18 February 2003 (“the Dublin Regulation”) is able to apply for asylum at the office of the police department at Athens airport, and also having regard to the information contained in the various reports referred to by the applicant, the Government are requested to indicate   a)     whether, subsequent to the lodging of such an asylum application, the asylum seeker concerned is subjected to an obligation to report to the authorities and whether he or she has an effective means of complying with this obligation; and   b)     whether the processing of the asylum application is dependent on any other factors, such as the asylum seeker having an address.   2a.     With regard to the information provided previously by the Government of Greece that an asylum seeker has a right to housing, the Government are requested to elaborate on the kind of accommodation that will be made available to asylum seekers being returned to Greece pursuant to the Dublin Regulation and whether, in light of the current large influx of asylum seekers, the availability of accommodation can be guaranteed.   2b.     In addition, are asylum seekers provided with (the means to procure) essentials such as food and medical care during the time the asylum application has not yet been finally decided? If not, in what way are asylum seekers meant to obtain such essentials?   3.     In the light of the applicant’s claims and the documents which have been submitted, would he face a risk of being subjected to treatment in breach of Article 3 of the Convention if returned, even indirectly, to his country of origin?   4a.     What procedure will be applied to the applicant – as an asylum seeker transferred in application of the Dublin Regulation –, upon his return to Greece?   4b.     Can this procedure be considered as constituting an effective remedy before a national authority as required by Article 13 of the Convention? In particular:   i.     Will the applicant have access to the services of an interpreter at all stages of the procedure? ii.     Will the applicant have access to (State-funded) legal assistance, if required? iii.     If the asylum application is rejected, what possibilities of appeal exist?