Case summaries

Sweden - Migration Court, 3 January 2014, UM 9908-13
Country of applicant: Afghanistan

It is the Applicant's age on the date of the asylum application rather than the date of the transfer decision that forms the basis for the assessment of whether or not the Dublin Regulation applies.

Date of decision: 03-01-2014
Spain: National Court. Chamber of Contentious-Administrative Proceedings, 26 December 2013, Appeal No. 327/2012
Country of applicant: Iran

The case appeals a decision of the Ministry of Interior to deny asylum and subsidiary protection considering the alleged crimes against humanity committed by the appellant, national of Iran. He was a member of a declared criminal organization. The Court analyses his adherence to the organisation following a proportionality approach. It addresses the need to examine the existence of substantial proof of the commission of crimes against humanity when applying the exclusion clauses to deny international protection. 

 

Date of decision: 26-12-2013
Sweden - Migration Court of Appeal, 20 December 2013, UM 5693-13

The Migration Court committed serious breaches of procedure in an asylum case (in which grounds arising sur place were cited), as the Court failed to respond to all requests, state its assessment of political activity sur place, or communicate important written documents.

Date of decision: 20-12-2013
Netherlands - ABRvS, 20 December 2013, 201309301/1/V2

Processing an appeal without a hearing, on application of Article 91(2) of the Foreigners Act (2000), is not in breach of Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Date of decision: 20-12-2013
Italy - Rome Court, 20 December 2013, No. RG 4627/2010
Country of applicant: Ghana

Two things are required for recognition of refugee status: the existence of a ground for persecution (whether actual or threatened) and the breakdown of the social bonds between the country of origin and its citizen to the extent that the State is no longer able to guarantee protection.

Date of decision: 20-12-2013
ECtHR - T.K.H. v. Sweden, Application No. 1231/11
Country of applicant: Iraq

The seven year time lapse since the Sunni Muslim Applicant’s former service in the Iraqi army, no evidence of future risk arising from previous injuries, and no medical reasons preventing return, led the majority to find that return to Iraq would not violate the applicants rights under Articles 2 or 3.

Date of decision: 19-12-2013
ECtHR - T.A. v. Sweden, Application No. 48866/10
Country of applicant: Iraq

Internal contradictions in the Sunni Muslim Applicant’s account, coupled with the time lapse since the relevant acts of persecution, led the majority to conclude that his return to Iraq, despite former employment with US-backed security companies, would not violate Articles 2 or 3.

Date of decision: 19-12-2013
ECtHR - N.K. v. France, Application No. 7974/11
Country of applicant: Pakistan

The return of a Pakistani national of the Ahmadiyya religion to Pakistan would violate Article 3. The French authorities had wrongly rejected the Ahmadiyya Applicant’s credibility, which is supported by evidence of prosecution by the Pakistani authorities for blasphemy.

Date of decision: 19-12-2013
ECtHR - B.M. v. Greece, Application No. 53608/11
Country of applicant: Iran

Greek detention conditions and lack of effective review violate Iranian asylum seeker’s Article 3 and Article 13 rights, but complaint against removal declared inadmissible and detention ruled to be lawful and non-arbitrary.

Date of decision: 19-12-2013
ECtHR - B.K.A. v. Sweden, Application No. 11161/11
Country of applicant: Iraq

The reasonable possibility of relocation to the Anbar governorate rendered a Sunni Muslim’s return to Iraq Article 3 compliant in spite of the personal risk he faced in Baghdad from a blood feud. His former membership of the Ba’ath party and military service was no longer regarded as a threat by the Court.

Date of decision: 19-12-2013