Ziad Ben Ahmed Habassi v.

Denmark
Article 26 on Discrimination
Race and National Origin

FACTS:

1. The author of the communication is Ziad Ben Ahmed Habassi, a Tunisian citizen born in 1972
currently residing in Århus, Denmark. He claims to be a victim of violation by Denmark of article
2, paragraph 1 (d), and article 6 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Racial Discrimination.
2. The author was obtaining a loan from Sparbank Vest, a local bank, and was given a loan
application form which he completed and returned immediately to the shop. The application
form included, inter alia, a standard provision according to which the person applying for the
loan declared himself or herself to be a Danish citizen. The author, who had a permanent
residence permit in Denmark and was married to a Danish citizen, signed the form in spite of
this provision.
3. The author was informed that it was the general policy of the bank not to approve loans to non-
Danish citizens.
4. Neither the police department of Skive nor the State Prosecutor examined whether the bank's
loan policy constituted indirect discrimination on the basis of national origin and race.

ISSUE:

1. Whether or not the author was subjected to racial discrimination.

HELD:

1. Yes, nationality is not the most appropriate requisite when investigating a person's will or
capacity to reimburse a loan. The applicant's permanent residence or the place where his
employment, property or family ties are to be found may be more relevant in this context. A
citizen may move abroad or have all his property in another country and thus evade all attempts
to enforce a claim of repayment.
2. On the basis of article 2, paragraph (d), of the Convention, it is appropriate to initiate a proper
investigation into the real reasons behind the bank's loan policy vis-à-vis foreign residents, in
order to ascertain whether or not criteria involving racial discrimination, within the meaning of
article 1 of the Convention, are being applied.
3. The author was denied effective remedy within the meaning of article 6 of the Convention in
connection with article 2 (d).