The author M.R., a national of the Islamic Republic of Iran, entered Denmark in 2014 without valid travel documents and applied for asylum the same day. The author invoked his fear of conflicts with the Basij if to return because M.R. had abandoned them and left the country, and also because they had discovered that M.R. produced and sold alcohol. He also feared being forced to shoot people for the Basij. The Danish Immigration Service dismissed his application.

The author requested the Refugee Appeals Board to reopen the asylum proceedings. He submitted, inter alia, that he had been baptized and thus had a new sur place claim for protection. He feared persecution by the Iranian authorities because he had left Islam to become a Christian. The author also contended that because of his tattoos – an angel and other symbols contrary to Islamic teachings – he could not conceal from the Iranian authorities that he had converted to Christianity. The case was reopened twice by the Refugee Appeals Board, which upheld the refusal by the Danish Immigration Service of the author’s application for asylum.

The author claims that by forcibly deporting him to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Denmark would violate rights under articles 7, 18 and 19 of the Covenant. CCPR in its turn, is of the view that the facts before it do not permit it to conclude that the author’s expulsion to the Islamic Republic of Iran would, if implemented, constitute a violation of author’s rights under article 7 of the Covenant.