CEDH · PRESS;GENERAL;ENG — 19 mars 2004

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .sFE10DC93 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:center } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .s40F41F73 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:right } .s9793A85B { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s4DDA3AA3 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; font-style:italic } .s7ED160F0 { text-decoration:none } .s33165EBA { font-family:Arial; font-size:8pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .sCB9E0544 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:left } .s9F8EB0C0 { width:18.63pt; display:inline-block } .s9E97F54A { width:85.05pt; display:inline-block } .sF6A12959 { width:33%; height:1px; text-align:left } .s2EB42ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:10pt } .s653E6C45 { font-family:Arial; font-size:6.67pt; vertical-align:super; color:#0069d6 } EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS   139 19.3.2004   Press release issued by the Registrar   European Court of Human Rights completes fact-finding mission in Helsinki   Judges from the European Court of Human Rights have today completed a fact-finding mission in Helsinki, in the case N. v. Finland (application no. 38885/02), which was declared admissible [1] by the Court’s Fourth Section on 23 September 2003.   Judges Lech Garlicki (Polish) and Elisabet Fura-Sandström (Swedish), assisted by the Section Registrar Michael O’Boyle and two other members of the Registry, took evidence from four witnesses on 18 and 19 March 2004.   Principal Facts   The applicant, Mr N., originates from Zaire (currently the Democratic Republic of Congo; “the DRC”).   He arrived in Finland on 20   July 1998, requesting political asylum on the strength of having been a member of the special division ( Division Spéciale Présidentielle ) responsible for protecting former President Mobutu, his family and property. President Mobutu was removed from power in May 1997.   In 1999 the applicant met another asylum seeker, Ms E., and they lived together until Ms E. was deported on 22   February 2000.   On 6 March 2001 the Directorate of Immigration ordered the applicant’s deportation to the DRC, finding his submissions inconsistent, that he had failed to prove his identity and that, if deported, he would not face a real risk of treatment contrary to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (prohibition of inhuman treatment). Mr N. appealed unsuccessfully.   Some time after her prohibition on re-entry had expired, Ms E. returned to Finland and had a son with the applicant.   On 5 November 2002 the Government of Finland decided not to expel the applicant to the DRC until the European Court of Human Rights had examined his application, following a request from the Court under Rule 39 (interim measures) of the Rules of Court.   Complaints   Mr N. complains that he risks facing inhuman treatment if sent back to the DRC, given his background and, in particular, his close connections with former President Mobutu.     He also complains that his deportation would violate his right to respect for his private and family life as his family is currently in Finland.   He relies on Articles 3 (prohibition of inhuman treatment) and 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the Convention.   ***   Registry of the European Court of Human Rights F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex Press contacts:   Roderick Liddell (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 24 92)   Emma Hellyer (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 90 21 42 15)   Stéphanie Klein (telephone: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 21 54) Fax: +00 33 (0)3 88 41 27 91   The European Court of Human Rights was set up in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe Member States in 1959 to deal with alleged violations of the 1950 European Convention on Human Rights. Since 1 November 1998 it has sat as a full-time Court composed of an equal number of judges to that of the States party to the Convention. The Court examines the admissibility and merits of applications submitted to it. It sits in Chambers of 7 judges or, in exceptional cases, as a Grand Chamber of 17 judges. The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe supervises the execution of the Court’s judgments. [1] The Court’s admissibility decision is available on its Internet site: http://www.echr.coe.int