Belgrade, March 22 – In March 2019, the Republic of Serbia granted asylum in the scope of refugee protection to a gay man from Iran, on the basis of belonging to a social group – LGBT persons. During the six-month asylum procedure, it was found that his fears for life were established due to the systematic violation of human rights for persons belonging to the LGBT community in Iran, and his own personal traumatic experiences. The young Iranian, since entering Serbia, clearly expressed his intentions to stay in the country forever. Serbia was his end destination, while dreaming of the beginning of his new life. After months of uncertainty, he finally received a positive decision that enabled him to stay in Serbia.

However, accessing the territory, and the asylum procedures were not easy. Domestic authorities did not let the young Iranian enter Serbia last August, even though he had expressed his intention to seek asylum, leaving him detained for 4 days. It was only after Asylum Protection Center intervened, that the young Iranian was released and allowed to enter Serbia, where he was issued a registration certificate obligating him to go to the reception center. And yet, this was not the end of his worries and troubles in attempting to approach the asylum procedure. The reception center is not a center where asylum seekers are to be accommodated, and APC lawyers once again, had to urge his re-accommodation to an asylum center and to be allowed to apply for asylum. Attempts to access asylum procedures lasted for an entire month, and in this case, this young asylum seeker would not have been able to successfully access the asylum procedure without the support and representation of our organization. That is, exactly, why our work is important!