Ahmadiyya Community: Advocate’s General opinion in joined cases of the European Court of Justice; C-71/11 and C-99/11, Bundesrepublik Deutschland v Y & Z

According to Advocate General Bot, a serious infringement of the freedom of religion may constitute an act of persecution where an asylum seeker runs a real risk of being deprived of his most fundamental rights by exercising that freedom. This would be the case where he risks death, inhuman or degrading treatment or of being prosecuted or imprisoned arbitrarily.

The German Federal Administrative Court asked the Court of Justice to set out the circumstances in which an infringement of the right to freedom of religion and in particular of an individuals right to live his faith freely and openly may constitute an act of persecution within the meaning of the directive. This reference arose from a dispute between the German authorities and two Pakistani asylum seekers who are active members of the Ahmadiyya community. This is an Islamic Reformist Movement that the Sunni Muslim majority in Pakistan have long contested and their religious activities are severely restricted by the Pakistan Penal Code. They are unable to profess their faith publicly without their activities being considered to be an act of blasphemy, a charge punishable by imprisonment or even the death penalty.

Directive 2004/83/EC seeks to establish common criteria for all of the member states to recognise the refugee status of asylum seekers within the meaning of Article 1 of the Geneva Convention. Advocate General Bot expressed his opinion that the aim of the common European asylum system is limited to an individual who may be exposed to persecution in his county of origin, which is classed as a serious and intolerable attack on his person and his indefeasible rights. 

Advocate General Bot set out the fundamental nature of the freedom of religion and rejected the idea that only a serious interference with the freedom to manifest one’s religion in private may constitute an at of persecution. The freedom of religion is subject to certain limits in order to maintain religious pluralism and the peaceful coexistence of different beliefs. Certain prohibitions may carry criminal penalties once the penalties are proportionate and determined in compliance with individual liberties. A serious infringement of the freedom of religion may constitute an act of persecution where the asylum seeker runs a real risk of being treated unjustly.

The AG was of the view that the prohibitions in Pakistani law in relation to the situation of the members of the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan are likely to constitute a serious infringement of the freedom of religion. The penalties may constitute persecution because they aim to deprive any person of his most basic rights if they persist in publicly manifesting their faith by threatening them with imprisonment or death.

The authority responsible for examining an asylum application cannot reasonably expect the applicant to renounce his religious activities to avoid persecution. This would deny him a basic right guaranteed by the convention and also deprive the directive of its effectiveness since it would not protect a person who is exposed to acts of persecution.

Brophy Solicitors

27.04.12