2009 D e c i sion s O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit 7-23-2009 

# B arrie v . Atty Ge n U SA P r e c e de nt i al or N on-P r e c e de nt i al : N on-P r e c e de nt i al D ocke t N o . 08-2988

F o llow thi s and a dd it ion al work s at : http://d i git alc ommon s .l a w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009

Thi s de c i sion i s br ou ght t o you for f r e e and ope n a c c e s s b y the O p inion s of the U nit e d S t at e s C our t of Appe al s for the Thir d C ir c uit at V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. It h as be e n a c c ept e d for inclusion in 2009 D e c i sion s b y an author i z e d a dmini s tr at or of V i ll anova U nive r sity S choo l of L a

w Di git al Reposit ory

. F or mor e inform at ion, p le as e c ont a ct Be n j amin . C arl s on@l a

w . vi ll anova . e du . Re c omme nde d C it at ion " B arr ie v . Atty Ge n U SA" (2009). 2009 D e cisio n s . P ape r 961. http://d i git alc ommon s .l a

w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2009/961NOT P RE CE DE NT I AL UN I TED STATES CO UR T OF A PP EALS F O R T H E T H IR D C IR C U IT

___________ N o. 08- 2988

___________ CH ERN OH TAH A B AR RI E,

Pet i t i oner v . A TTO RN EY G EN ER A L O F TH E U N I TED STA TES, R es pondent

_________________ O n Pet i t i on forR evi ew of an O r derof the B oard of Im m i grat i on A pp eal s ( A gencyN o. A 97 536 691 ) Im m ig ra tio n Ju d g e : H o n o ra b le M irlan d e T a d a l

____________________________________ Subm i tt ed Pur s uantt o T hi r d C i r cui tL A R 34. 1( a)

M ar ch 13, 2009 B efor e: SL O V I T E R , A M B R O and ST A PL E T O N , C i r cui tJ udges

( O pi ni on fi l ed: J ul y23, 2009)

___________ OP I NI ON

___________ P E R C UR I AM C hernoh B arr i e, pr ocee di ng pr o s e, pet i t i ons forr evi ew of a Boar d of I m m i gr at i on A ppeal s ( “B I A ”) deci s i on di s m i s s i ng hi s appea l of the I m m i gr at i on J udge’ s ( “I J ”)B arr i e’ s r eal name i s M amadu B i l l o B arr i e. H e has been r efe r r ed t o as C hernoh 1 B arr i e, t he n am e on his t ravel do cum ents , throug ho ut the ad m i nis t rat i ve p roceedings. 2 deci s i on deny i ng hi s appl i cat i ons forr el i ef f r om r emoval . W e w i l l denythe pet i t i on for r e v i e w. B a rrie is a n a tiv e a n d c iti z e n o f G u in e a . H e a ttem p ted to e n ter th e U n ited S tate s in 2007 w i t h anotherper s on’ s pas s por t . T he D epart m entof H om el and Secur i t y( “D H S”) 1 i s s ued a not i ce t o appea rchar gi ng t hatB arr i e w as s ubj ectt o r emoval fr om the U ni t ed S tate s. T h ro u g h c o u n se l, B a rrie a d m itt e d th a t h e w a s re m o v a b le b e c a u se h e lac k e d v a lid t r avel document s , and bec aus e he s oughtadmi s s i on t o t he U ni t ed St at es byfr aud or w i l l ful m i s r epr es ent at i on. B arr i e appl i ed foras y l um , w i t hhol di ng of r emoval , and r el i ef u n d e r t h e C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o rt u re . I n s uppor tof hi s appl i cat i ons , B arr i e t es t i fi ed thathe ow ned a s t or e i n G ui nea f r om 2001 unt i l 2006. H e s t at ed thathi s pr obl ems bega n i n J une 2006 w hen he s uppor t ed a w i des pr ead uni on s t r i ke. B arr i e expl ai ned thatthe per s ons i n pow eri n G ui nea w er e of Souss ou ethni ci t y , and thatper s ons of Ful a ethni ci t y , l i ke hi m s el f, w er e s uffe r i ng and w a n te d c h a n g e in th e g o v e rn m e n t. B arr i e furt hert es t i fi ed that , w hen the J une 2006 s t r i ke occ urr ed, the mi l i t aryand th e p re sid e n t’s p e o p le b e g a n to d e stro yth e m a rk e t. H e sta ted th a t th e m ili tar ya sk e d h im and otherm er chant s t o open the s t or es , butthathe and the other s r efus ed. A s a r es ul t , t he m i l i t arybegan s hoot i ng, and peopl e w er e ki l l ed. B arr i e s t at ed thatthe mi l i t aryarr es t ed3

m anyFul ani peopl e, i ncl udi ng hi m s el f, and ac cus ed them of destr oy i ng the countr yand b elon g ing to a p o li ti ca l party . B arrie t esti fied that, w h il e h e w as in cu stod y , the m il it ary beathi m up and i nt err ogat ed hi m aboutw ho had enc our aged hi m t o s uppor tthe s t r i ke and t o i ns ul tt he pr es i dent . B arr i e s t at ed thatper s ons i n t he mi l i t arypl ace d hi s hands on a t abl e and hi thi s fi nger s , and thatt heybeathi m on t he l egs and fe et . B arr i e s t at ed thathe w as beat en “a boutt hr ee da y s oraboutone w eek, ” A . R . at108, and thathe w as det ai ned forone mont h. B arr i e al s o s t at ed thathe w as r el eas ed w hen a f r i end of hi s father , named B o g o ta B a rrie , b rib e d a p o lice o f f ice r. B a rrie th e n sta y e d a t th e h o m e o f B o g o ta B a rrie fors i x m ont hs , dur i ng w hi ch t i m e he s t ay ed i ns i de forfea rthathe w oul d be arr es t ed or ki l l ed. B arrie fu rth er testi fied that in Ja n u ary2 0 0 7 , h e w en t t o li v e w ith B o g o ta B arrie’s s i bl i ng, and he di d notw or k. I n Sept ember2007, B ogot a B arr i e gotB arr i e tr avel document s and s poke w i t h t he pol i ce a tthe ai rpor t , enabl i ng B arr i e t o l eave G ui nea f or t he U ni t ed St at es . B arr i e t es t i fi ed that , s i nce hi s arr i val , hi s w i fe ha s t ol d hi m thatthe p o lice h a v e c o m e to th e ir h o u se o f ten a n d h a v e a sk e d a b o u t h is w h e re a b o u ts. B a rrie bel i eves t hati f he r etur ns t o G ui nea he w i l l have pr obl ems bec aus e he s uppor t ed the s t r i ke and a pol i t i cal par t y , and bec aus e he gotoutof cus t odyw i t houtbei ng s ent ence d or havi ng a hea r i ng. B arr i e furt hers t at ed thathe bega n s uppor t i ng the U PR , a part ym ade u p o f p e o p le o f

F u la o rig in , in 1 9 9 8 , at w h ich tim e h e g o t a p a rtyc a rd . B a rrie to ld p e o p le w h e n i tw a s t i m e t o v o t e a n d p r o v i d e d f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r tf

o rth e p a r t y.4

O n c r os s - e xa mi na t i on , Barr i e t e s t i fi e d tha tthe r e i s a di ff e r e nc e be t w e e n a U PR s uppor t erand a U PR m ember , t he l att erof w hom ar e more act i ve i n t he part y . B arr i e at fi r s ts t at ed thathe w as a U PR s uppor t er , butl at ers t at ed, contr aryt o hi s as y l um app l i cat i on and st at em ents athis credi ble feari nterview , that he becam e a m em ber as a r es ul tof hi s fi nanci al s uppor tof the part y . B arr i e al s o admi t t ed on cr os s - exami nat i on t hat he l i ed athi s ai rpor ti nt ervi ew abouthi s i dent i t y . H e furt hers t at ed thatthe i nj ur i es he su sta in e d w h ile in d e ten tio n h a d h e a led , ex c e p t f o r a n a re a o f

d isc o m f o rt o n h is f

o o t. T he I J found B arr i e’ s t es t i m onyr egar di ng hi s pol i t i cal aff i l i at i on notcr edi bl e, not i ng t hathe t es t i fi ed thathe w as a U PR m ember , butthathe s t at ed i n hi s w r i t t en as y l um appl i cat i on and athi s cr edi bl e fe ari nt ervi ew thathe w as a U PR s uppor t er . T he I J s t at ed that B arrie ac k n o w ledg ed that there w as a d iffe ren ce b etw ee n a su p p o rt er a n d a m em b er, an d that B arrie t esti fied that h e w o u ld b e h arm ed b ase d o n h is pa rtym em b ersh ip. T h e IJ found thatB arr i e cha nged hi s t es t i m onyt o comportw i t h document s he had s ubm i t t ed af ter he fil ed h is asy lum ap p li ca ti o n w h ich re co g n ized h im as a U P R m em b er. T he I J al s o found thatB arr i e di d nots uffe rpas tper s ecut i on. T he I J s t at ed that there w as n o ev iden ce that h e w as p erse cu ted o n ac co u n t of h is po li ti ca l party . T h e IJ n o ted th a t B a rrie tes tifie d th a t h e w a s in ter ro g a ted a b o u t h is p a rtya f f ili a tio n w h ile in cus t ody , butt hathe s t at ed i n hi s as y l um appl i cat i on onl ythathe w as ques t i oned aboutt he id e n tityo f

th e strik e lea d e rs. T h e IJ s tate d th a t ita p p e a re d th a t B a rrie w a s ta k e n in to cu stod y , alon g w ith m an yo thers, du e to c ivil u n rest i n G u inea . T h e IJ f o u n d B arrie’sT h e IJ a lso f o u n d it i n c o n c e iv a b le th a t B o g o ta B a rrie d id n o t m e n tio n in h is 2 s t at ementt hathe had br i bed author i t i es t o r enew B arr i e’ s pas s por ti n M ay2007, and f o u n d it i m p ro b a b le th a t B a rrie , w h o f e a re d th e g o v e rn m e n t, w o u ld b rin g a tten tio n to h im se lf b yre n e w in g h is p a ss p o rt. 5 cl ai m t hathe w as per s ecut ed on ac countof hi s U PR m ember s hi p notcr edi bl e. T h e I J a l s o r e

j e c t e d B a r r i e ’ s c l a i m o f p e r s e c u t i o n o n a c c o u n to f h i s F u l a e t h n i c i ty, expl ai ni ng t hatt her e w as no evi dence thatB arr i e w as i ncar cer at ed on thi s bas i s , and that t he bac kgr ound m at er i al s di d nots uppor ta fi ndi ng of a pa t t ern orpr act i ce of per s ecut i on of the Ful as . T he I J furt herfound thatB arr i e’ s det ent i on di d notr i s e t o t he l evel of per s ecut i on beca us e the phy s i cal vi ol ence he s uffe r ed w as i s ol at ed and the r es ul t i ng in ju ryw a s m in im a l. T h e IJ a lso f o u n d th a t, alth o u g h B a rrie w a s in h id in g in G u in e a u n til S e p tem b e r 2 0 0 7 , itd id n o t ap p e a r th a t an y o n e so u g h t to h a rm h im . T h e IJ b e liev e d th a t, i f t h e g o v e r n me n twa s i n t e r e s t e d i n Ba r r i e , i tc o u l d h a v e f o u n d h i m. 2 I n addi t i on t o deny i ng B arr i e’ s appl i cat i ons foras y l um and w i t hhol di ng of re m o v a l, th e IJ d e n ie d B a rr ie ’s c la im f o r r e lie f u n d e r t h e C o n v e n tio n A g a in s t T o rt u re . T h e IJ e x p lai n ed that B arrie ha d n o t sub m itted e v iden ce sh o w ing that h e su stai n ed sev ere m i s t r eatm entr i s i ng t o t he l evel of t or tur e, orthathe w oul d be per s onal l yatr i s k of bei ng t or tur ed i f r emoved t o G ui nea. T h e B IA af

firm ed the IJ’s d ec isi o n . T h e B IA fo u n d n o clea r error in the IJ’s adver s e cr edi bi l i t yfi ndi ng, s t at i ng t hatB arr i e’ s t es t i m onyabouthi s m ember s hi p i n t he U P R p a rtyw a s in ter n a llyin c o n sis ten t an d in c o n sis ten t w ith h is s tate m e n ts a t h is c re d ib le6

fea ri nt ervi ew . T he B I A al s o s t at ed thatB arr i e pr ovi ded no s ubs t ant i al evi dence s ugges t i ng t hathe w as t or tur ed i n t he pas torthatanygovernm entoffi ci al i n G ui nea w o u ld e ith e r to rtu re h im u p o n h is re tu rn o r a c q u ies c e in h is to rtu re b yo th e rs. T h is pet i t i on forr evi ew fol l ow ed. T h e re c o rd re f

lec ts th a t an a sy lu m o f

f ice r c o n d u c ted a c re d ib le f e a r in ter v iew in O ct ober2007, a l i t t l e overone mont h aft erB arr i e arr i ved i n t he U ni t ed St at es . T he a s yl u m o f

f i c e rr e p o r t e d t h a t , a tt h e i n t e r v i e w , B a r r i e “ s a i d h e s u p p o r t e d th e U P R p a r ty, wh i c h h e s a i d r e p r e s e n t s t h e F u l a n i o rF u l b e tr i b e i n t e r e s t s , b u twa s n o ta me mb e r . ” A. R. at22 1. In hi s asy l um app l i cat i on , si gn ed in N ov em ber 200 7, B arr i e st at ed, “I w as a s uppor t erof the oppos i t i on U PR part yi n G ui nea” i n r es pons e t o a ques t i on as ki ng w h ethe r he ev er b elon g ed to an yo rga n izati o n s, su ch as a p o li ti ca l party . A . R . at 21 1 . In D e c e mber20 07 , Barr i e s ub mi t t e d d oc umen t s i n s up po r tof hi s c a s e , i nc l ud i ng a U PR m e m b e rsh ip c a rd a n d a n a f f id a v it b yth e p re sid e n t o f th e U P R sta tin g th a t h e is a p a rty m e m b e r. A thi s hear i ng i n February2008, B arr i e t es t i fi ed on di r ectexami nat i on thathe st art ed sup po rt i ng t he U P R partyi n 1 99 8, and that he had the p arty ’s card. O n crossexami nat i on, B arr i e agr eed w i t h t he G overnm entthatther e i s a di ffe r ence betw een a su p p o rte r a n d a p a rtym e m b e r, th a t h e h a d b e e n a su p p o rte r sin c e 1 9 9 8 , an d th a t a supp ort er i s som eon e w ho beli eves i n the partybu tm ayno tbe a f ull m em ber. B arr i e al so agr eed thata mem beri s s om eone w ho i s m or e ac t i ve i n a pol i t i cal part y , and thathe w as7

notas act i ve as s om e part ym ember s . B arr i e t es t i fi ed thathe r emai ned a s uppor t erof the p a rt y . W he n the G ov e r nmen ts ou gh tt o c on fi r m t ha tBarr i e ne ve rbe c a me a U PR m ember , how ever , B arr i e t es t i fi ed thathe had be come a m emberbeca us e he f i nance d the par t y . T he G overnm entt hen as ked: Q : B uty ou had t ol d m e y ou w er e a s uppor t er , nota mem ber , tw o m i nut es ago. A : Y e a h , tha t, th e n I f

o rg o t. Q : O k a y . S o y o u ’re a su p p o rte r, is th a t co rre c t? A : A t fi rstI w as su p p o rt er [ sic], b u t l astl yI w as p u t i n to itas a m em b er. A . R . at129. T he G overnm enti ndi cat ed thatB arr i e had s t at ed i n hi s as y l um appl i cat i on t hathe w as a part ys uppor t er , and B arr i e r epl i ed, “Y es , that ’ s w hatI w r ot e, y es . ” A . R . at 129. B arr i e then s t at ed thathe bec ame a m emberi n 2004, and the G overnm entas ked: Q : W hydo y ou onl ys ayt haty ou’ r e a s uppor t eri n y ourw r i t t en as y l um appl i cat i on? A : I t houghti tw as al l t he s ame. Q : B uty ou j us tt ol d m e thaty ou knew thatther e w as a di ffe r ence betw een a su p p o rte r a n d a m e m b e r tw o m in u tes a g o . T h e re ’s a d if f e re n c e , co rre c t? A : Y es, t here i s a l i t t l e differ ence, y es. Q : T h e re ’s a b ig d if

f e re n c e . C o rre c t? A : Y es. * * * Q : W hydi d y ou onl ym ent i on thaty ou w er e a s uppor t eri n y ourw r i t t en as y l um ap p li ca ti o n rathe r th an stat ing that y o u w ere a m em b er? A : T her e i ti s i n m yappl i cat i on thatI thi nk I have made a mi s t ake. A . R . at130. T he G overnm ental s o ques t i oned B arr i e aboutw hyhe di d nott el l the off i cer a t h is c re d ib le f

e a r in ter v iew th a t h e w a s a U P R m e m b e r ra th e r th a n a su p p o rte r. B a rrie fi r s tr es ponded thathe di d notknow w hathe w as s uppos ed t o s ay , and l at ers ai d t hatheI n hi s br i ef, B arr i e s t at es fort he fi r s tt i m e thathe di d nots t at e athi s cr edi bl e fe ar 3 i nterview t hat he w as a partym em ber becau se he “d i d n ot w ant t o saythat [he] w as a m emberw i t houtpr oof. ” Pet . B r . at9. 8 w a s s c a re d . T h e G o v e rn m e n t als o c o n f irm e d th a t B a rrie re c e iv e d h is p a rtym e m b e rsh ip car d and the l et t erfr om t he U PR par t yaft erhi s cr edi bl e fe ari nt ervi ew and af t erhe s ubm i t t ed hi s w r i t t en as y l um appl i cat i on. 3 I n l i ghtof thes e i ncons i s t enci es , w e ca nnotconcl ude thata r eas onabl e adj udi cat or w oul d have be en compel l ed t o fi nd B arr i e cr edi bl e. See 

### Che n v. As hc r oft , 376 F. 3d 215, 2 2 3 (3 dC ir. 2 0 0 4 ) (statin g th at, un d e r t h e s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e s ta n d a rd o f re v ie w , a cr edi bi l i t ydet erm i nat i on w i l l be uphel d unl es s a r eas onabl e fa ct fi nderw oul d be compel l ed t o concl ude t o t he contr ary ) . A l t hough B arr i e ar gues thatthe i ncons i s t enci es w e re n o t sig n if

ica n t, th e IJ b e liev e d th a t B a rrie w a s try in g to c o n f o rm h is te stim o n yto h is document aryevi dence . E ven i f B arr i e’ s s t atus as a part ym emberors uppor t eri s not c e n tra l to h is c laim th a t h e w a s p e rse c u ted b a se d o n h is p a rticip a tio n in a n a n tig o v e rn m e n t strik e , u n d e r th e R e a l ID A c t, 

### an a dve r s e c r e dibi l i ty de t e rmi nat i on c an be base d o n incon si stenci es and o ther fact ors witho ut re gard to wh ether they go to the heart of an applic ant’ s c laim . 8 U.S.C. § 1 15 8(b)(1)(B)( ii i) . This provisi onapplie s her e be c aus e Barri e ’ s a s ylum

a ppl i c at i on wa s fi l e d a ft e r May 11, 2005, the e ffe c t i ve dat e of th e R eal ID A ct. B arr i e al s o ar gues t hathe w as t or tur ed i n G ui nea, and thati ti s m or e l i kel ythan not t hathe w i l l be t or tur ed i f he r etur ns t o G ui nea. B arr i e t es t i fi ed thatw hi l e i n cus t odyt heB a rr ie te s tif ie d a t o n e p o in t th a t h e w a s tr e a te d a t th e h o s p ita l. A .R . a t 1 0 8 . 4 H ow ever , he l at ers t at ed thathe s aw “s om eone w ho tr eat s , ” buthe di d notgo t o t he h o s p ita l. A .R . a t 1 4 0 . 9 m il it aryb ea t him u p a lot, an d that the m il it aryb ea t him o n h is fing ers, l eg s, an d fe et. In h is w ritten sta tem e n t, B a rrie sta ted th a t a g u a rd ste p p e d o n h is le g s a n d k ick e d h im w ith hi s boot s , and thathe s t i l l has m arks on hi s l egs . B arr i e s t at ed i n hi s br i ef thathe di d not s eek tr eatm entbya doct oraft erhi s r el eas e. T o t he ext entB arr i e cha l l enges the deni al of 4 r el i ef unde rt he C onvent i on A gai ns tT or tur e, s ubs t ant i al evi dence s uppor t s the conc l us i on t hatB arr i e di d notes t abl i s h t hathi s m i s t r eatm entr os e t o t he l evel of t or tur e. See Fr ancoi s v. G onzal es , 448 F. 3d 645, 649 ( 3d C i r . 2006) ( s ett i ng for t h r egul at i on defi ni ng to rt u re a s a n e x tr e m e f

o rm o f c ru e l a n d in h u m a n tr e a tm e n t) . T h e re c o rd a lso d o e s n o t co m p e l th e c o n c lu sio n th a t th e p o lice w o u ld m o re lik e ly t han nott or tur e B arr i e upon hi s r etur n t o G ui nea. A l t hough B arr i e t es t i fi ed thathi s w i fe t ol d hi m t hatt he pol i ce w er e l ooki ng forhi m , and hi s w i fe s ubm i t t ed an a ffi davi tat t es t i ng t o t h i s f a c t , t h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e t h a tth e p o l i c e h a v e th r e a t e n e d t o h a r m h i m . We r ecogni ze thatt he 2006 C ount r yR epor ton H um an R i ght s Pr act i ces di s cus s es hum an ri g h ts ab u ses b yG u inea n sec u ri tyfo rce s an d their t o rtu re o f d etaine es. T h e C o u n try R epor t , how ever , al s o not es t hatpol i t i cal det ai nees r ece i ved more pr ot ect i ons than other det ai nees beca us e of the att ent i on t o thei rcas es bynon- governm ent al or gani zat i ons , and t hatnone of the per s ons arr es t ed i n t he J une 2006 s t r i ke r emai n i n det ent i on. I n addi t i on, B arrie do es n o t po int t o an yev iden ce ad d ressing the trea tm en t of ind ividu als w h o w ereC hernoh T aha is t he fa l se nam e on his travel do cum ents . 5 10 unoffi ci al l yr el eas ed fr om pr i s on. Subst ant i al evi dence s uppor t s the B I A ’ s concl us i on t hatB arr i e di d notes t abl i s h t hatanygovernm entoffi ci al w oul d t or tur e hi m , oracqui es ce in h is to rt u re , if

h e re tu rn e d to G u in e a . Ac c o r d i n g l y , we wi l l d e n yt h e p e t i t i o n f o rr e v i e w.

C hernoh T aha Bar r i e v. A t t orneyG ener al of the U ni t ed St at es N o. 08- 2988

A M B R O , C i r cui tJ udge, D i s s ent i ng

M amadu B i l l o B arr i e t ook parti n a s t r i ke i n G ui nea, w as det ai ned fora mont h, 5 b r i b e d h i s wa yt o f

r e e d o m ( i . e. , w a s n e v e r o f f icia llyg ra n ted re lea se ), an d e sc a p e d to th is countr y . H e appl i ed foras y l um , w i t hhol di ng of r emoval , and r el i ef unde rthe C onvent i on A g a in st T o rtu re . T h e Im m ig ra tio n Ju d g e f o u n d h im n o t cr e d ib le f o r p u rp o se s o f

h is as y l um cl ai m and r ej ect ed the C A T cl ai m on t he gr ound t hatther e w as no evi dence that B arr i e w oul d be per s onal l yatr i s k of t or tur e upon r eturn hom e. T he B I A aff i r m ed and ou r C ou rtno w den i es B arr i e’s peti t i on for r eview . B ecause I w ou l d v acat e t he ad verse11

c re d ib ili tyd e ter m in a tio n a n d th e d e n ial o f B a rrie ’s C A T c laim , I re sp e c tf u llyd iss e n t. W e ca n i nval i dat e an a dver s e cr edi bi l i t yfi ndi ng i f anyr eas onabl e adj udi cat or w o u ld b e c o m p e lle d to d o s o . Kai ta v. A t t ’ y G en. , 5 2 2 F .3 d 2 8 8 , 2 9 6 (3 d C ir . 2 0 0 8 ). I b e liev e th a t is th e c a se h e re . T h e IJ f o u n d B a rrie n o t cr e d ib le b e c a u se h e sta ted in h is cr edi bl e fe ari nt ervi ew t hathe w as a “s uppor t er ” of a pol i t i cal part y , U PR , butbefor e the IJ h e su b m itt e d d o c u m e n tatio n sh o w in g th a t h e w a s a m e m b e r. T h e IJ c h a ra c ter ize d th is a s c o n f lictin g tes tim o n yb u t ito b v io u slyis n o t. M o st f o rm a l m e m b e rs o f

a p o lit ica l p a rty ar e al s o s uppor t er s , s o i ni t i al l ycal l i ng ones el f a s uppor t erand l at era mem beri s not in c o n sis ten t. B e c a u se th e re is n o in d ica tio n th a t B a rrie is n o t in f a c t a m e m b e r, th e o n ly r eas onabl e conc l us i on w hyB arr i e ca l l ed hi m s el f a s uppor t erathi s cr edi bl e fe ari nt ervi ew is th a t h e d id n o t k n o w th e d istin c tio n w a s re lev a n t. O n c e th e G o v e rn m e n t m a d e it rel evan tbyargui ng i n eff ectt hat s up po rt ers are l ess deserving of asy l um than m em bers, B a rrie d isc lo se d h is m e m b e rsh ip . T h e re is n o e v id e n c e th a t B a rrie tried to c o n c e a l h is m ember s hi p and no r eas on w hyhe s houl d w antt o do s o. N o r eas onabl e I J coul d m ake a n a d v e rs e c re d ib ility f

in d in g o n th e s e f

a c ts . I not e thatB arr i e i s r epr es ent i ng hi m s el f ( al t hough he had he l p on hi s br i ef) , has no form al educa t i on, and r equi r ed an i nt erpr et erathi s hear i ng. I n t hi s cont ext , the a ttem p t b yth e G o v e rn m e n t to p lay w o rd g a m e s w ith h im d u rin g c ro ss -e x a m in a tio n is t r oubl i ng; t he I J and B I A ’ s w i l l i ngnes s t o cr edi ts uch beha vi ori s m or e s o. B eca us e the B I A aff i r m ed exc l us i vel yon t he thr es hol d i s s ue of c r edi bi l i t y , I w oul d vaca t e theA lth o u g h th e B IA a f f ir m e d th e IJ w ith o u t s a y in g th a t it a d o p te d th e IJ ’s re a s o n in g , I 6 c a n o n lyc o n c lu d e th a t, ba se d o n th e B IA ’s f a ilu re to p ro v id e a n yC A T a n a ly sis , it e f f e c t i v e l yd i d s o . I ti s t h e r e f o r e a p p r o p r i a t e f

o rth i s Co u r tt o c o n s i d e rth e I J ’ s CA T a n a lysis . See Fi adj oe v. A t t or ney G ener al , 4 1 1 F . 3 d 1 3 5 , 1 5 2

– 5 3 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 5 ) W hi l e di s cus s i ng B arr i e’ s as y l um cl ai m , the I J m ent i oned that“R es pondent 7 m ai nt ai ned thathi s w i fe ha s s i nce t ol d hi m thatthe author i t i es ar e af t erhi m , ” buts eemed u n a w a re th a t B a rr ie ’s w if e h a d s u b m itte d a n a f

f id a v it c o rr o b o ra tin g h is s to ry. A .R . a t 3 6 . I n di s cus s i ng t he C A T cl ai m , t he I J di d notcons i derthe har as s m entof B arr i e’ s w i fe by th e p o lice a t all. 12 cr edi bi l i t ydet erm i nat i on and r emand t o t he B I A t o r evi ew the I J ’ s det erm i nat i ons r egar di ng t he under l y i ng i s s ues of pas tand futur e per s ecut i on. I w o u ld also v ac ate the ag en cy ’s disp o sit ion o f B arrie’s C A T claim b ec au se th e IJ and B I A fai l ed t o cons i deran af fi davi tof B arr i e’ s w i fe. W e mayr emand i f the I J and 6 B I A di d notfai r l ycons i derm at er i al evi dence . M yat Thu v. A t t ’

y G en. , 510 F. 3d 405, 412 (3 d C ir. 2 0 0 7 ). T h e IJ r e jec ted B a rrie ’s C A T c laim b e c a u se “ [ a ]lth o u g h th e S tate D e p a rtm e n t re p o rt c lea rlye sta b lish e s th a t G u in e a is k n o w n f o r its h u m a n rig h ts vi ol at i ons , [B arr i e] has notevi dence d t hathe w i l l be per s onal l yatr i s k of bei ng t or tur ed. ” A . R . at 38 . B u t B arrie su b m itted e v iden ce that h e w o u ld b e p erso n all yat ri sk . T h e IJ fai l ed t o cons i dert he af fi davi tof B arr i e’ s w i fe thats he w as har as s ed and mol es t ed i n her h o m e o n se v e ra l o c c a sio n s b yp o lice try in g to f in d h im . A .R . at 1 7 6 . T h a t af f id a v it 7 s uppor t s B arr i e’ s cl ai m t hat , beca us e he w as neveroffi ci al l yr el eas ed fr om det ent i on aft er th e s tr ik e , h e is s u b

je c t to a rr e s t a n d lik e ly to rt u re a f te r h e re tu rn s . T he 2006 C ount r yR epor tdes cr i bes a s er i ous t or tur e pr obl em i n G ui nea’ s j us t i ce sy ste m . It state s th a t H u m a n R ig h ts W a tch h a s f o u n d th a t “s e c u rityf

o rc e s ro u tin e lyvi ol at ed the i nher entr i ghtt o l i fe [ and] fr eedom fr om t or tur e. ” A . R . at151. G i ven that

tortu re is rou ti n e, I be li ev e a sh o w ing that the p o li ce are ac ti v elyloo k ing fo r pe ti ti o n er, a n d h a v e h a ra ss e d a n d m o les ted h is w if e in th e p ro c e ss , co u ld b e e n o u g h to sh o w th a t itis m o re lik e ly th a n n o t th a t h e w ill b e to rt u re d if h e re tu rn s h o m e . T h e IJ a n d B IA e rr e d , I bel i eve, i n notcons i der i ng B arr i e’ s w i fe’ s aff i davi tand I w oul d r emand forcons i der at i on o f it.

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