In recent years, the number of asylum claims involving religious conversion has increased notably. This trend has sparked discussions among national authorities and academia, focusing on the credibility of such claims and good practices for their assessment.
The report “Nordic Asylum Practice in relation to Religious Conversion: Insights from Denmark, Norway and Sweden” was launched at an event in UN City Copenhagen.
On 13 December, the UNHCR Representation for the Nordic and Baltic Countries, in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen, released the report “Nordic Asylum Practice in relation to Religious Conversion: Insights from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden”, addressing questions around efficient and fair evaluation of asylum claims that involve religious conversion. The report unpacks law, policy and practice applied in the three countries, offering a detailed analysis of current practices and tailored recommendations for each country. These suggestions are designed to enhance the fairness and efficiency of the asylum adjudication process.
“We are happy to see such a great interest in this topic,” said Gisela Thater, UNHCR Senior Legal Officer, at the launch event that took place in Copenhagen, Denmark and gathered around 100 participants online and onsite. “We hope that the good practices identified and exchanges that took place can serve as a model for future, including more dialogue between decision-makers and religious institutions”.
Key issues examined in the report include methods used in assessing the credibility of an applicant’s religious conversion, the weight attributed to a variety of factors and evidence that feed into the decision-making process, as well as the forward-looking risk assessment in view of the applicant’s profile if returned to the home country.
Click on the link below to read the full report:
A recording of the launch event where the report’s findings and implications were discussed is accessible here:
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