1830581 (Refugee)

The applicant, an Egyptian national, sought review of a decision to refuse his application for a protection visa. The dispute centred on his claims of a well-founded fear of persecution in Egypt due to his Coptic Christian faith, his daughter's alleged forced conversion and marriage, and his own conviction in absentia for insulting Islam and assisting a fugitive. The applicant contended that these circumstances placed him at risk of serious harm, including death, should he be returned to Egypt.

The court was required to determine whether the applicant had established a well-founded fear of persecution for a Convention reason, specifically his religion. This involved assessing the credibility of his claims regarding his daughter's experiences, the validity and implications of his conviction in absentia, and the availability and effectiveness of state protection in Egypt. The court also had to consider whether the applicant's fear was objectively reasonable in light of the available country information and the evidence presented.

The court affirmed the delegate's decision, finding that the applicant had not established a well-founded fear of persecution. While acknowledging the applicant's religious affiliation and the distressing circumstances involving his daughter, the court found significant deficiencies in the evidence presented. Specifically, the court noted the lack of independent corroboration for the alleged forced conversion and marriage, and the applicant's limited engagement with Egyptian legal processes to challenge his conviction. Furthermore, the court considered that the applicant had not demonstrated that he would be specifically targeted upon return, nor that Egyptian authorities would be unable or unwilling to protect him, particularly given his ability to receive a pension and reside in church-provided accommodation. The court applied the principles of assessing credibility and well-founded fear, considering the objective reasonableness of the fear in the context of the country information.