Each year, thousands of Christians from a Muslim background flee their home countries due to persecution, as apostasy from Islam is severely punished by society, if not by the law itself. They hope to find refuge in Europe and rebuild their lives in safety. However, these refugees face new challenges: insecurity in reception centers, threats from compatriots, and suspicion from asylum authorities. The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) is alerting the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion to this concerning situation and calling for strengthened protection measures.

The testimonies of Christian converts from a Muslim background collected by the ECLJ are striking. Raha, an Iranian woman who sought refuge in Germany, fled her country after being arrested and tortured for her Christian faith. Upon arriving in Europe, she hoped to find a safe haven, but she quickly discovered that even here, she was not safe. Despite presenting solid evidence of her Christian conversion and religious commitment in a church, her asylum request was denied, and she received an order of deportation to Iran. A police officer reportedly dismissed her concerns, saying: "You are a liar; the Iranian police do not kill anyone." This reflects either ignorance or a complete disregard for the reality of Christian converts' persecution in Iran, as denounced by the ECLJ in its contribution to the Universal Periodic Review.

Christian refugees threatened on European soil

Similar tragedies are unfolding in Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands, in Greece too, where converts to Christianity have been attacked and harassed in reception centers. In the Netherlands, a Pakistani refugee was denied access to the communal refrigerator on the grounds that his food was not "halal." Germany, despite being one of the main host countries for migrants, exemplifies the complexity of the issue: according to a study by the NGO Open Doors, 91% of Christian asylum seekers have faced threats or violence from other migrants.

Access to asylum for ex-Muslim Christians: a grueling process

Despite being persecuted in their home countries, many ex-Muslim Christians struggle to obtain asylum. The sincerity of their conversion is often called into question by authorities, who suspect "opportunistic conversions" solely intended to facilitate immigration to Europe. In Sweden, between 2015 and 2018, 68% of Afghan converts to Christianity were denied asylum, with authorities dismissing their conversion as insincere, favoring an evaluation based on theological knowledge rather than the authenticity of their faith.

The situation is similar in France, where Ata Fathimaharlooei, an Iranian convert, faces deportation to his home country, where he risks the death penalty. If this decision is carried out, he would be forced to leave behind his Iranian wife, who is also a convert, and their two children, who would remain in France without their father. The arbitrariness of credibility assessments in asylum cases is a growing concern for the ECLJ. We denounce overly rigid administrative practices that fail to consider the religious and cultural context of converts.

The principle of non-refoulement at risk

Errors or biases in translation play a crucial role in the failure of many asylum applications. The ECLJ has reported several cases in which biased Muslim translators distorted the testimonies of converts, jeopardizing their asylum claims. Raha recounts that some translators deliberately sabotage asylum seekers cases. After her own interview, she realized that some of the written statements did not accurately reflect what she had communicated.

Several ex-Muslim Christian converts deported from Europe were arrested upon their return, confirming the risks they had warned about. Yet, Article 33 of the 1951 Refugee Convention explicitly prohibits the deportation of a refugee to a country where they face persecution. European authorities, however, seem to underestimate the danger facing converts.

The ECLJ calls for urgent measures to protect ex-Muslim Christians

Europe, which presents itself as a bastion of human rights and religious freedom, cannot ignore these alarming developments. In response to these dangers, the ECLJ is calling for greater protection for ex-Muslim Christian refugees in Europe. We recommend:

• Separating Christian converts from other migrants in reception centers to ensure their safety.
• Training specialized and independent translators to prevent misinterpretations during asylum procedures.
• Giving greater consideration to the opinions of religious leaders, who, as direct witnesses to an individual's spiritual journey, should play a key role in assessing the sincerity of conversions.
• Increasing oversight of mosques and Islamic schools, where some sermons still advocate for the death penalty for apostasy.