- Introduction
- Guidance note
- Common analysis
- 1. Actors of persecution or serious harm
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2. Refugee status
- Preliminary remarks
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Analysis of particular profiles
- 2.1. Members of the security forces and pro-government militias
- 2.2. Government officials, including judges, prosecutors and judicial staff; and those perceived as supporting the government
- 2.3. Individuals working for foreign military troops or perceived as supporting them
- 2.4. Religious leaders
- 2.5. Members of insurgent groups and civilians perceived as supporting them
- 2.6. Persons fearing forced recruitment by armed groups
- 2.7. Educational personnel
- 2.8. Humanitarian workers and healthcare professionals
- 2.9. Journalists, media workers and human rights defenders
- 2.10. Children
- 2.11. Women
- 2.12. Individuals perceived to have transgressed moral codes
- 2.13. Individuals perceived as ‘Westernised’
- 2.14. LGBTIQ persons
- 2.15. Persons living with disabilities and persons with severe medical issues
- 2.16. Individuals considered to have committed blasphemy and/or apostasy
- 2.17. Ethnic and religious minorities
- 2.18. Individuals involved in blood feuds and land disputes
- 2.19. Individuals accused of ordinary crimes
- 2.20. Individuals who were born in Iran or Pakistan and/or who lived there for a long period of time
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3. Subsidiary protection
- 3.1. Article 15(a) QD
- 3.2. Article 15(b) QD
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3.3. Article 15(c) QD
- 3.3.1. Preliminary remarks
- 3.3.2. Armed conflict (international or internal)
- 3.3.3. Qualification of a person as a ‘civilian’
- 3.3.4. Indiscriminate violence
- 3.3.5. Serious and individual threat
- 3.3.6. Qualification of the harm as ‘threat to (a civilian’s) life or person
- 3.3.7. Nexus/’by reason of’
- 4. Actors of protection
- 5. Internal protection alternative
- 6. Exclusion
- Abbreviations and glossary
- Country of origin information references
- Relevant case law
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Please note that this country guidance document has been replaced by a more recent one. The latest versions of country guidance documents are available at https://easo.europa.eu/country-guidance. |
This profile refers to religious leaders, such as members of Ulemas, teachers in madrassas, imams and theologists of Islam.
COI summary
[Anti-government elements, 2.6.2.4; Conflict targeting, 1.2.5, 1.5.1; State structure, 2.1.4; Security situation 2020, 2.16.3]
A high number of religious figures have been killed in recent years. Reportedly, targeting mostly happens in contested areas, but also in cities.
The reasons for targeting religious leaders are diverse but must be seen in the context of Ulemas being considered capable to delegitimise the insurgents’ religious ideology. Non-exhaustive examples of targeting include:
Risk analysis
The acts to which individuals under this profile could be exposed are of such severe nature that they would amount to persecution (e.g. killing).
Not all individuals under this profile would face the level of risk required to establish well-founded fear of persecution. The individual assessment of whether or not there is a reasonable degree of likelihood for the applicant to face persecution should take into account risk-impacting circumstances, such as: public expression of support for the government or condemnation of insurgents’ actions, performing ceremonies for killed members of the security forces, etc.
Nexus to a reason for persecution
Available information indicates that the persecution of this profile is for reasons of (imputed) political opinion and/or religion.