Hamesd Rastkerdar’s application for asylum rejected despite atheistic conviction

Hamesd Rastkerdar from Iran, who has been living in Germany since 2015, unfortunately received a negative decision for his asylum application in August 2017. Since he had a muslim translator in the interview, the essential point that he is an atheist was not recorded in the protocol. Mr. Rastkerdar was active in Iran in a student group that had asked critical questions about Islam and distributed leaflets. When the first of his friends was arrested, Mr. Rastkerdar fled to Germany, because in Iran the death penalty can be imposed on apostasy. In Germany he was also very active in the Council of Ex-Muslims.

If he were deported, it would be probable that he would be executed in Iran because of his open commitment to atheism. This is why the Atheist Refugee Relief is committed to ensuring that he is recognised as an asylum seeker in Germany!