Hi,

This forum has been very useful for me,it's helped me with information about almost anything i've wanted to know related to Switzerland. Thank you to those who take care of it so that we can use it.
I don't live in Switzerland and even i have a friend in Geneva,she doesn't have any experience with immigration lawyers because she's swiss.
I have to find a good immigration lawyer, if possible someone who has experience with asylum seekers. can someone recommend such a lawyer?I know an iraqi family and their son fled to Switzerland because he couldn't stand the death threaths anymore, his family being harressed and friends killed.they rely on me for finding him a lawyer that can help him in the asylum process and i don't know anybody.
Thank you

Hi,

You might want to reach OSAR ( http://www.osar.ch/?appendLang=en ) who might be able to assist you or your friends where protection ( asylum ) is concerned.

Contacts who espond in English and German are: Ms. Bernadette Widmer ( Intake ) Bernadette.widmer [@] osar.ch OR
Mr. Yann Golay ( Legal Division ) Yann.Golay [@] osar.ch

If in Geneva, you might want to reach ELISA www.elisa.ch ( site is in French ), particularly Ms. Barbara Tschopp, Co-ordinator email her at info [at] elisa.ch

Best of luck.

Hi, jrspet

Thank you very, very much for those contacts. i think i will e-mail Ms. Tschopp, beacause she's in Suisse Romande.
Before asking here, i called some asylum centers that i found on internet,or better said legal advisers from those centers, asking about his chances and i was told he has good chances,but nobody can guarantee anything,it all depends on the person taking the decision for him... Somebody told me, if he's not case for asylum than who is? It reflects what i think because he has all the documents to prove death threaths, injuries and still he has to be scared of what will be the decision. for me this is something i can't understand about asylum procedures, how people in big need of protection can't be sure of anythingthen who gets asylum.This and his family made me search for a lawyer.
thank you again

Hi again

The Swiss BFM ( and like most other nations who are signatories to 1951 convention ) would turn down applications if:

a) The required standard of proof is not met - the burden of proof rests with the applicant who is asserting a claim ;

b) There is evidence of fraud, dishonesty ( eg manufactured evidence, failed document authenticity ) etc. ;

c) If the asylum process is abused by applicants who largely demonstrate economic need rather than politically motivated persecution - this forms the single largest group of of those being rejected ( negative ), including those from Sri Lanka, Iran, Iraq, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Balkan nations, West Africa and Afghanistan. Many are attracted to the tax payer funded social security and welfare system, and in order to protect its integrity, asylum ( B permit ) is only granted to those who meet the strict politically motivated component requirement.

Many applicants think that home country situation in itself will help in obtaining asylum but it is not the case except for those proven directly involved or affected by conflicts.

But because of item c) above, there has been positive results for those from eg the US, developing nations from South Asia, Japan and other countries not normally considered as refugee producing countries.

It is the individual case of the applicant meeting the political persecution requirement that might likely win asylum. A lawyer is required in order to help the applicant make out his / her case clearly on paper, as decisions are made solely on written transcripts aided by legally competent interpreters and translators. The asylum assessing team legally cannot make out a case for the applicant and has to maintain neutrality.

Hope this helps. You ought to direct your subsequent queries to the organisations I provided earlier.



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