Prohibition and Prevention of Torture, Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading
Treatment and furthermore the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda
1995.
112. The Commission has pointed out in Institute for Human Rights and
Development in Africa (on behalf of Jean Simbarkiye) v DRC and previous
decisions that, there is a need for a Complainant to provide evidence
showing the moral and material constraints alleged to have prevented him
from exhausting local remedies. 26
113. The Complainants, in setting out the constraints preventing the Victim
from travelling to Uganda to attempt to exhaust local remedies indicated
that, the Victim could not return to Uganda to file a Complaint due to the
serious state of his health and the risk of re-,traumatization. Furthermore,
the Complainants argue that due to the Victim's poor health conditions, he
is now unable to perform work, gain employment and financially support
himself. This allegation is confirmed by ~ M~dical Report attached to the
Complaint (Annex 4 - Preliminary Medical. Report) which is clear in
asserting that the Victim now suff€'rs from seri◊l1-s life-long physical and
psychological health problems such as anal bleeding; complete loss of
olfactory sensation; partial deafness, loss of vision and paralysis of his
torso; loss of bowel control and sensation in his back, amongst others.
114. The Complainants also indicate that contrary to the Respondent States'
assertion that th~ Victim's safety and security is guaranteed once he enters
into Ugandan territory to instiµite his suit, the Victim cannot return to
Uganda due to well-founded fears for his safety which existed at the time
the initial Communication was filed in May 2009, and which continues to
exist today. The length of the arbitrary detention and the severity of his
torture over a long period of time naturally instilled a high level of fear in
the Victim and · left him physically impaired and traumatized. The
Complainants argue that the remedies referred to by the Respondent State
are therefore not available to the Victim because to effectively access the
remedies would require the presence of the Victim in Uganda. For these
reasons, the Complainants assert that the Victim cannot return to Uganda
to institute his claim and therefore the remedies are not available.
115.Accordingly, as illustrated above, the Commission is convinced that the
medical report thus confirms the Victim's poor health conditions, inability
to travel to Uganda and also to perform work and financially support
26 Communication 47 /02- Institute for
Jean Simbarkiye) v DRC, para, 33.
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