1621682 (Refugee)

This matter concerned an application for a protection visa by an individual from Liberia. The applicant claimed to fear forced initiation into the Poro Society and threats of death if he refused, citing his Christian beliefs. The Tribunal was required to determine whether the applicant met the criteria for a protection visa, either under the refugee convention or complementary protection provisions.

The court was tasked with assessing the applicant's claims of persecution and significant harm. Specifically, it needed to determine if there were substantial grounds for believing that the applicant faced a real risk of significant harm as a necessary and foreseeable consequence of removal to Liberia. This involved evaluating the credibility of the applicant's evidence regarding his alleged Poro Society obligations and the potential consequences of refusal.

The Tribunal considered evidence provided to the Department and the Tribunal, as well as independent country information. It applied the principles that an applicant must satisfy the Tribunal that all statutory elements for protection obligations are made out, and that a decision-maker is not required to make the applicant's case for them. The Tribunal found that the applicant had not satisfied it that he was of interest to the Poro Society, and therefore concluded that he did not meet the refugee or complementary protection criteria. The decision under review was affirmed.