D.M. v. SWITZERLAND



                      AS TO THE ADMISSIBILITY OF

                      Application No. 37750/97

                      by D. M.

                      against Switzerland

      The European Commission of Human Rights sitting in private on

18 September 1997, the following members being present:

           Mrs.  G.H. THUNE, Acting President

           Mr.   S. TRECHSEL

           Mrs.  J. LIDDY

           MM.   E. BUSUTTIL

                 G. JÖRUNDSSON

                 A.S. GÖZÜBÜYÜK

                 A. WEITZEL

                 J.-C. SOYER

                 H. DANELIUS

                 F. MARTINEZ

                 C.L. ROZAKIS

                 L. LOUCAIDES

                 J.-C. GEUS

                 M.P. PELLONPÄÄ

                 M.A. NOWICKI

                 I. CABRAL BARRETO

                 B. CONFORTI

                 N. BRATZA

                 I. BÉKÉS

                 J. MUCHA

                 D. SVÁBY

                 G. RESS

                 A. PERENIC

                 C. BÎRSAN

                 P. LORENZEN

                 K. HERNDL

                 E. BIELIUNAS

                 E.A. ALKEMA

           Mrs.  M. HION

           MM.   R. NICOLINI

                 A. ARABADJIEV

           Mr.   H.C. KRÜGER, Secretary to the Commission

      Having regard to Article 25 of the Convention for the Protection

of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;

      Having regard to the application introduced on 26 May 1997 by

D. M. against Switzerland and registered on 10 September 1997 under

file No. 37750/97;

      Having regard to the report provided for in Rule 47 of the Rules

of Procedure of the Commission;

      Having deliberated;

      Decides as follows:

THE FACTS

      The applicant, a citizen of Bosnia-Herzegovina born in 1970, is

currently imprisoned in Regensdorf in Switzerland.

      The facts of the case, as submitted by the applicant, may be

summarised as follows.

      The applicant resided for a period of time in Austria.  In 1993

he was expelled to Bosnia-Herzegovina where he had to undertake

military service.  However, after one month he deserted the army.  The

applicant then travelled to Switzerland where he is apparently now

serving a prison sentence until 22 September 1997.

COMPLAINTS

      The applicant complains that after his release from prison he

will be expelled to Bosnia-Herzegovina where he will be punished as a

war criminal and will suffer persecution as he is of Christian faith.

THE LAW

      The applicant complains of his expulsion to Bosnia-Herzegovina

where he fears to be punished as a war criminal and suffer persecution.

      The Commission has examined this complaint under Article 3

(Art. 3) of the Convention which states:

      "No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading

      treatment or punishment."

      However, the applicant failed to raise this complaint before the

domestic authorities, in particular in last resort before the Swiss

Asylum Appeals Commission (Schweizerische Asylrekurskommission).  The

applicant has, therefore, not exhausted the remedies available to him

under Swiss law.

      As a result, the application must be rejected under Article 27

para. 3 (Art. 27-3) of the Convention.

      For these reasons, the Commission, unanimously,

      DECLARES THE APPLICATION INADMISSIBLE.

        H.C. KRÜGER                          G.H. THUNE

         Secretary                        Acting President

     to the Commission                    of the Commission

 

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