EU High Court rules in favor of Iranian Christian convert seeking asylum in Sweden
The European High Court has ruled in favor of an Iranian Christian convert seeking asylum in Sweden. The court's ruling in the case of F.G. v Sweden was based on the life-threatening situation that the man could and would face should he be deported back to his Islamic country.
The Catholic News Agency quotes part of the ruling that states: "The applicant's conversion to Christianity is a criminal offence punishable by death in Iran. In addition to the risk of social persecution as a Christian, the applicant risks criminal prosecution for the crime of apostasy.
"The order for the applicant's deportation to Iran, where he could be tried under the above-mentioned criminal and procedural law, equates to a violation of principles deeply enshrined in the universal legal conscience."
In its ruling, the Grand Chamber said that deporting the man would be a violation of Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the statutes of which protect people's lives and safeguard them from inhumane treatment.
In 2009, the man who was politically persecuted for opposing the regime in Iran sought asylum and residency in Sweden. In 2011, his requst was denied by the Swedish Migration Office. His appeal was denied in 2014 by the lower chamber, saying that the migration office's decision was just since his life was not really in danger. According to the CNA, the lower court said that he could keep his faith private since the Iranian government does not know that he has converted to Christianity.
The Alliance Defending Freedom International disagreed. A brief filed by the organization to the European Human Court of Human Rights argued that Christian converts are at risk in Iran and that the lower court has violated the man's religious freedom.
In an interview with the Catholic News Agency, Robert Clarke, director of European Advocacy for ADF International, said that "the lower chamber (of the court) underestimated the severe danger to this convert's life."
He explained that the Islamic regime in Iran has ways of identifying Christian converts.
"If a convert to Christianity is identified by the Iranian government, he or she is very likely to suffer substantial harm, deprivation of liberty, assaults and continual harassment. In the worst case the individual could face severe ill-treatment or death," he said.
According to Clarke, the Grand Chamber was correct in noting that "Christian converts are one of the most persecuted religious minorities in Iran."
The 2016 World WatchList by OpenDoors says that Iran ranks ninth in the list of countries where Christians are most severely persecuted. North Korea, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan make the top eight, while Libya is 10th in the list.
