The Board of Immigration Appeals has reversed the grant of asylum to a political activist from an area of Moldova controlled by separatists. “The Immigration Judge’s finding was based on the fact that the respondent was issued a pretextual summons for his political activity and on country conditions evidence showing that the separatists controlling Transnistria have detained political activists and subjected them to severe harm. However, the Immigration Judge did not properly consider the respondent’s testimony that his son appeared pursuant to an identical summons and was released without incident. While we acknowledge the generalized country conditions evidence relied on by the Immigration Judge, the specific experience of the respondent’s son undermines his claim that he would be singled out for persecution based on the issuance of an identical summons. The fact that the respondent was able to remain in Moldova for several years without being physically harmed after the October 2021 beatings while continuing to publicly engage in political activity also significantly undermines his claim that he would be persecuted in the future. So does the respondent’s testimony that he was able to freely leave Moldova without incident.”
The full text of Matter of N-P-A- can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/media/1420981/dl?inline