03-28-201311:00VG 23

Arsam N.

- Asylum law - - Main proceedings -

1 Interpreter

Arsam N., 20 years old, was born in Iran. There he was arrested after an incident. During his confinement he met a man who told him about Jesus Christ. Shortly after, Arsam was cleared of all charges and believed from that moment on that Jesus helped him to be freed. He started to visit a Protestant church in Iran. One day the church was attacked by the police. Arsam received threats from the police and even from his own family. He fled to Turkey and from there on to Germany. In Berlin he first attended an Iranian Christian congregation and switched then to the Protestant Congregation in R...trasse. The federal office rejected Arsam‘s application for asylum, claiming that his description of events was unrealistic and not true-to-life.

At the trial in the courtroom many members of his congregation are present to support him.Persian - German interpretation is provided.

At the federal office you claimed to be from a strictly religious family. But you didn‘t attend the Friday prayer on a regular basis

and you consumed alcohol.I‘ve got your baptism

certificate here in front of me, and you told to the federal office earlier that you are attending an advanced course in Christian

faith at the Protestant Congregation in R...strasse.

I‘m going to church three times a week: Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

At first you fled to the North of Iran, then to

Turkey and later to Germany.

In your asylum application you wrote that you are

a Christian.

Mrs. Götz from your parish is 100% sure that your faith is

sincere.

Can you remember the conversations you had at your

home church in Iran?

At our home church, we used to sing and play the

guitar. I hadn‘t seen something like that

before. Then a verse from the

Bible was read and discussed. Of course I listened, but can‘t

remember anything special.

Please describe the reason for your asylum application in your own

words.

I‘d live my faith in Iran. But if I do that, my family, my father and the police will continue to threaten me. I was already

threatened by police and my family

before.

Arsam starts weeping, the trial is interrupted.

In Iran I lost everything. My job, my family. But I got something which is better, even better than my family (starts weeping). That was Jesus Christ. He gave me a feeling of security which even my family could not offer (sniffs).

Do you have a favourite

verse from the Bible?

Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.

Islam is a religion calling for violence, war and bloodshed. I can quote you from

the Qur‘an.

Not necessary, thank you.

What is your opinion about wars which are fought in the name of Jesus? Such

like the Thirty Years‘ War, or more recently, the clashes between Protestants and Catholics in Northern

Ireland?

I don‘t want to judge. I can only quote from

the Holy Book.

Why did you choose David as your baptismal name?

When asked, why he decided to take on the baptismal name of David, the plaintiff answered: Because he was king of Israel.

The Prostentant church is more free. And I can read the Bible

by myself, without

a mediator.

Why did you choose the Protestant

denomiation over Catholicism?

My last question: How would you live your faith, should you

return to Iran?

The trial was closed 13:53.

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