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2020 RLLR 138

Citation: 2020 RLLR 138
Tribunal: Refugee Protection Division
Date of Decision: September 14, 2020
Panel: Roderick Flynn
Counsel for the Claimant(s): Ronald Yacoub
Country: Iraq
RPD Number: TB9-32420
Associated RPD Number(s):
ATIP Number: A-2021-01106
ATIP Pages: 000138-000140

DECISION

[1]       MEMBER: This is a decision in the refugee claim of [XXX]. The file number in this matter is TB9-32420. [XXX], you are claiming to be a citizen of Iraq and you are claiming refugee protection pursuant to Section 96 and 97 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

[2]       Based upon the totality of the oral and documentary evidence provided at the hearing, and before the hearing, I find you to be a Convention refugee pursuant to Section 96 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for reason of your imputed political opinion. And so, imputed political opinion is just a fancy way of saying what others think you believe. It’s not necessarily what you do believe. But I accept your evidence as credible that others, including the militias that you said have threatened you, believe that you support Jewish influence and foreign influence in Iraq. That’s what I mean by imputed political opinion, it’s not what you actually believe but what others think you believe.

[3]       So, just to review the allegations, you described that in [XXX] 2019 in an outdoor festival in Babel, a discussion between you and your daughter was overheard. You innocently talked about the history of the – a mosque close to your home. Including the fact that it had originally been settled by Jewish people. When your remarks were overheard, they were misinterpreted including by the sister of a prominent leader of the Militia Group, AAH. When you described that the large mosque near your home had originally been settled on land owned by Jews, she and others loudly denounced you and she said under sharia law people who supp – such as yourself should be liquidated. You allege that if you return to Iraq, there’s a strong likelihood you will be harmed or killed by militia members who both believe strictly in sharia law and dealing with violence of people – with people who dissent from those beliefs. You testified there’s no state protection for you and no viable internal flight alternative.

[4]       Your identity as a citizen of Iraq has been established by your testimony and your passport which have been filed as exhibits at the hearing. I find on a balance of probabilities that identity and country of reference in Iraq have been established.

[5]       I find, also, that there’s a nexus between your fear of persecution in Iraq and the political belief that you support Israel and Jewish and foreign influence in Iraq. This political belief has been mistakenly but (unintelligible) described to you by members of AAH. Therefore, I’ve assessed your claim under Section 96 of the IRPA.

[6]       In terms of credibility, I find you to be a very credible and consistent witness. I believe what you’ve – you’ve told me in your Basis of Claim and your oral testimony. That you have been targeted by extremist militias who somehow believe that you support Jewish influence and foreign influence in Iraq. I accept your evidence that your innocent remarks about the history of a local masque have been misinterpreted as some sort of political statement. Particularly, I accept your account that a week after the – the remarks, the local mo – mayor and a militia leader attended your home demanding that you visit the local militia headquarters to discuss your comments. Indicating that, as a widow who is now [XXX] you wanted your son to attend the meeting with you, you successfully asked for a deferral for 30 hours. You immediately took steps to leave your home. First staying with your son’s friend before taking a flight arranged for you to Canada by your son, in Ottawa. You credibly outlined that if you return to Iraq you face a possibility of being harmed or killed. Not only for being identified as a supporter or foreign interests but for – for disrespecting the militia, AAH, by failing to show up for the meeting.

[7]       You’ve provided extensive documentation in support of your claim, including multiple identity documents, confirmation of your husband’s untimely death and statements for – from your son. You’ve also provided country documents showing the influence of militias in Iraq and how dissenters and other activists are dealt with by militias in Iraq. Based upon the evidence provided, I find that your subjective fear of persecution is established by your credible testimony and supporting documents.

[8]       The objective evidence from the NDP for Iraq shows that individuals who are perceived as deviating from religious and political norms are targets for violence. Particularly, women and widows are identified as being vulnerable. Item 5.3 of the NDP states, and I quote “Widows or divorced women can face discrimination or violence on the streets targeted by anti-women death squads who target women they believe to be acting contrary to Islam.” Based upon the objective documentation in the NDP, as well as your credible evidence, I’m satisfied your fear of persecution is well founded and that you would face violence at the hands of militias if you were to return. Accordingly, I find that you have established a well­ founded fear of persecution in Iraq on the grounds of your imputed political belief.

State Protection

[9]       The obj – objective documentation from Iraq indicates widespread violence in various areas of Iraq with little reliable state protection available. The security – the NDP also supports your oral evidence that protection from authorities in Iraq is complicated by the fact that a number of militias have been recruited to be part of the government apparatus. Given the widespread incidence of violence in Iraq and the objective documentation confirming limited protection and resources for people like you who need help, I find that the presumption of state protection is rebutted in this case and that there will be no adequate state protection available to you if you were to return.

[10]     I’ve also considered whether there is viable state – internal flight alternatives for you if you were to return. You are a widow currently in your [XXX]. You have credibly testified that realistically, there is nowhere else for you to live on your own in Iraq and to be away from harm. Particularly as you testified you had no male sponsor at the time you lived in Iraq. As 5.3 of the NDP points out, women are restricted in their movement and choice of where to live under the personal status law. Based upon your credible evidence provided, including the fact that the conditions described in the objective documentation seemed to prevail throughout the Country, and specific to your circumstances that the options for widows and single women are limited in Iraq, I’m satisfied there is a serious possibility of persecution for you throughout Iraq and therefore you have no viable internal flight alternative.

[11]     So, based upon the totality of evidence before me, I conclude that you face a serious possibility of persecution on the grounds of imputed political opinion in Iraq and therefore I find you to be a Convention refugee pursuant to Section 96 of the IRPA. In short, I accept your claim.

———- REASONS CONCLUDED ———-