An Iranian who converted to Christianity has had his asylum request denied by the German authorities. He now faces deportation and imprisonment in his home country.

Newsroom (16/08/2022 1:00 PM Gaudium Press) A 44-year-old Iranian man who converted to Christianity has seen his request for asylum denied by authorities in Germany.

The European Court of Human Rights has denied the Iranian convert’s attempt to appeal the decision claiming the right to freedom of religion.

The man, whose identity is protected, is registered in the file as HH or “Hassan.” After converting, he had to abandon Iran along with his family.

His asylum application was opened in 2018.

Converted thanks to his brother-in-law

HH came into contact with Christianity through his wife’s brother. One day, the brother-in-law said he had a treasure to show: “There is a treasure, there is a living God, Jesus Christ, we are his children and not his slaves… He said there is free salvation available,” HH explained during the process.

Religious persecution and exile

Eventually, the whole family converted to the Christian faith. When they were discovered, HH’s home was raided, and the authorities confiscated the family’s documents, computer and Bible.

Following the raid, the family fled. First, they went to Turkey and then travelled to Germany, where they applied for asylum.

The brother-in-law, meanwhile, was detained in Iran for propagating Christianity and executed in prison for continuing to practice his Faith. 

“My greatest goal is that my children can find Christ in freedom and do good,” Hassan stated.

Asylum application denied: risk of imprisonment

When his asylum application was denied by the German authorities, HH appealed the decision before the administrative court.

However, Hassan’s request was denied on the grounds of a lack of credibility. In the court’s view, it is unlikely that a Muslim would decide to convert to Christianity after his brother-in-law was tortured and killed.

Last week, the European Court of Human Rights refused to hear HH’s defence arguments.

The Iranian risks deportation to his home country, where conversion to Christianity can be punished by imprisonment.

Requests denied by the German authorities

The UN provides special guidelines for asylum applications based on religious issues. Yet, in Germany, these guidelines follow diverse criteria.

The German authorities do not consider the person’s country of origin or the context of the situation, explained Lidia Rieder, a lawyer with ADF International, an association of lawyers and jurists who specialize in defending Christians around the world.

Now, “Iran is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians, and converts are particularly at risk. In the past year, religious persecution has worsened considerably,” Rieder says.

Therefore, “German courts should take this into consideration when processing asylum applications,” she concluded.

Indeed, Iran ranks among the ten worst countries to live in as a Christian. Religious persecution is considered “extreme,” according to the Open Doors World Watch List. (FM)

With information from AFD International.

Compiled by Gustavo Kralj