Religion – Weltanschauung – Recht [ RWR ]

The applicant, F.G., is an Iranian national who was born in 1962 and is currently in Sweden. He applied for asylum and a residence permit in Sweden in November 2009, stating in particular that he had been active in the opposition movement, that he had been arrested on two occasions, and that he had converted to Christianity after coming to Sweden. He therefore risked persecution if returning to Iran. He also submitted a summons to the Revolutionary Court in Iran ordering him to present himself at Evin prison in Teheran in November 2009.

The Migration Board rejected his request in a decision eventually upheld by the migration courts in June 2011. The courts found in particular that the summons to the Revolutionary Court could not in itself substantiate a need for protection, and they doubted that F.G.’s political activities had been of such a nature and extent to lead to a risk of persecution. F.G.’s request to stay the enforcement of his expulsion to Iran was also rejected by the authorities in a decision eventually upheld in November 2011.

Relying on Article 2 (right to life) and Article 3 (prohibition of torture and of inhuman or degrading treatment), F.G. complains that if expelled to Iran he would be at a risk of being punished or sentenced to death.

Press release ECHR 002 (2014) 08/01/2014