Tailor imprisoned for sewing kurdish clothes

Concerning J.J.I. vs. Denmark for violation of article 3 of CAT

The author is kurdish. He is a former owner of a textile and cloth store in Damascus, Syria. He was accused of making original Kurdish folklore clothing, which he denied. He was imprisoned in March 2009 and never saw a judge. He was constantly interrogated and tortured during the first four days of detention. He was released in July 2009. By his release, he promised to help the authorities: partly with stopping sewing clothes to Kurds, partly by meeting with the authorities every week and pass information about the Kurdish activities.

The author fled to Denmark and applied for asylum to be protected against the Syrian authorities. He was denied asylum on 11 May 2010 by the Immigration Service and the Refugee Board upheld the decision.

Thus the case was brought to the Committee. While the case was pending at the Committee, it was decided by the State Party to grant the author recidence permit. Therefore the case is discontinued.

21. November 2023

CAT 445/2011
  • Decision: 29 August 2013
  • Comm: Torture