Afghanistan Tadjik Conversion

Concerning Z.S. vs. Denmark for violation of article 6 or 7 of CCPR.

The complainant is a Tadjik Afghan citizen from Maidan Wardak province. As a child his farther and older brother were killed. Consequently, the rest of his family had to flee Afghanistan. The author has no family or relatives in neither Denmark nor Afghanistan. He then lived in Pakistan with his mother, who later passed away. Later on, he moved to Iran but without any legal residence. When he applied for asylum in Denmark, he expressed his fear for a return to Afghanistan by saying that he has no relatives or network, since he was abroad for more than 14 years. If returned he would be killed or kidnapped and raped by Taliban or forced to fight. He has nowhere to go for protection.

Since the author has been living in the western world there is a certain risk that he has to be perceived to be contrary to Islamic rules, and to be supportive of the Government and/or the international community.
Being in the fighting age, he also risks being forced to fight either for the Government or the Taliban, as well as report about sexual assaults on young men are common. He has no protection since he has no family left in Afghanistan and he belongs to an ethnic minority group. Furthermore he has baptized to Christianity and fears persecution due to his faith.

A complain was sent to the CCPR. The author was awarded Refugee Status in Denmark, after the State Party reconsidered the asylum application.

9. February 2021

CCPR 2286/2013
  • Decision: 18. November 2014
  • Comm: Human Rights