Mr B is an asylum seeker who was born and brought up as a Muslim in Iran. He was not a practicing Muslim and his parents did not require him to attend a mosque. In his final year of high school he was introduced to Christianity through a friend which interested him and he soon began attending a house church to learn more about the religion. However, he kept his activities in secret because as an Iranian Muslim he would be considered to be an apostate for converting to Christianity, which is punishable by death.
Mr B first experienced problems during a compulsory religious study lesson at university. He was accused by the lecturer of being an apostate and was escorted from class. The problem soon worsened as his father was taken away from his home and imprisoned for two days. The Police had searched the family home and were now accusing him of being a convert and demanded that he hand himself in. He was staying at a friend’s house when his father telephoned him and told him that the Police had visited the house to look for him and that he could not stay in Iran anymore.
Feeling that his safety was at risk he left for the UK and claimed asylum. Unfortunately this was rejected at first instance. However, on appeal, WTB Solicitors used Mr B’s story to successfully argue that he had a well founded fear of persecution if he returned to Iran. Mr B was granted asylum in the UK.