2005 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 12-12-2005 

# V el jovic 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 . 04-2852

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w . vi ll anova . e du/thir dc ir c uit_2005/127NOT 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. 04- 2852 NAI M VEL J OVI C, P eti ti o n er, v. A TTO RN EY G EN ER A L O F TH E U N I TED STA TES,

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O n Pet i t i on forR evi ew of an O r der o f th e B o a rd o f

Im m ig ra tio n A p p e a ls ( B I A N o. A 77- 637- 210)

A r gued N ovember15, 2005 B efore: R O T H , F U E N T E S , and B E C K E R , C i rcui tJudg es.

( Fi l ed: D ece m ber12, 2005)

S ab ri G jon i ( A rgu ed ) L aw O ffi ce of

Sam G j oni 401 B r oadw ay , Sui t e 1111 N ew Y or k, N Y 10013 A t t orneyforPet i t i oner2

J ohn D . W i l l i ams ( A r gued) U . S. D epart m entof J us t i ce O ffi ce of I m m i gr at i on L i t i gat i on P. O . B ox 878 B en Fr ankl i n St at i on W as hi ngt on, D C 20044 A t t orneyforR es pondent

_______________________ OPI NI ON O F THE COURT

_______________________ FU E N T E S, C i r cui tJ udge. N ai m V el

j ovi c pet i t i ons forr evi ew of a de ci s i on bythe B oar d of I m m i gr at i on A ppeal s ( “B I A ”) r ever s i ng an I m m i gr at i on J udge’ s ( “I J ”) gr antof hi s appl i cat i on for as y l um and af

fi r m i ng the I J ’ s r ej ect i on of hi s appl i cat i on forw i thhol di ng of r emoval and p ro tec tio n u n d e r th e C o n v e n tio n A g a in st T o rtu re (“ C A T ” ). B e c a u se w e f in d th a t th e re is su b sta n tial e v id e n c e to su p p o rt th e B IA ’s d e c isio n a n d th a t V e ljo v ic’ s d u e p ro c e ss rig h ts have notbeen vi ol at ed, w e denythe pet i t i on. I . F act s and P roce dural H i s t ory V el j ovi c, w ho w as bor n on Sept ember11, 1980, i s a nat i ve of the form er Y ugos l avi a and c i t i zen of Serbi a and M ont enegr o. V el j ovi c att empt ed t o ent erthe U ni t ed S tate s o n A p ril 2 6 , 2 0 0 0 , b u t h e w a s d e n ied a d m iss io n b e c a u se h e d id n o t p o ss e ss v a lid travel do cum ents . H e even tuall yw as parol ed int o the cou ntrypu rs uan tt o the V i sa W ai ver Pil ot Program and referred t o an IJ for a heari ng . A this app earance bef ore the IJ,3

V el j ovi c appl i ed foras y l um , w i thhol di ng of r emoval , and pr ot ect i on underthe C onvent i on A gai ns tT or tur e. A thi s m er i t s hear i ng, V el j ovi c t es t i fi ed thathe l eftY ugos l avi a on A pr i l 22, 2000, b ec au se h e d id n o t w an t t o co m p lyw ith the c o u n try ’s po li cyo f m an d atorym il it ary se rv ice . V e ljo v ic e x p lain e d th a t h e d id n o t w ish to se rv e in th e a rm yb e c a u se , as a n e th n ic A l bani an and a M us l i m , he w as afr ai d of bei ng or der ed t o part i ci pat e i n m as s acr es of A lb a n ia n s th a t w e re ta k in g p la c e a s p a rt o f th e w a r i n K o s o v o . V e ljo v ic s ta te d th a t h e w a s f ir s t s e n t a m ilita ry d ra f

t n o tic e in S e p te m b e r 1 9 9 8 . T he mai l m an att empt ed t o del i verthe dr aftnot i ce t o hi m athi s par ent s ’ hous e, buthe r efus ed t o acc epti t . B eca us e the not i ce w entundel i ver ed, V el j ovi c bel i eved thatthe m ili tar yp o lice w o u ld c o m e lo o k in g f o r h im a n d th a t h e w o u ld b e jaile d if h e re f u se d to s erve i n the mi l i t ary . A s a r es ul t , V el j ovi c w enti nt o hi di ng athi s uncl e’ s hous e, w hi ch w a s in th e sa m e v ill a g e a s h is p a re n ts’ h o u se , ab o u t h a lf a k ilo m e ter a w a y . V e ljo v ic tes tifie d th a t h e re m a in e d a t h is u n c le’ s h o u se f o r a lm o st tw o y e a rs, d u rin g w h ich tim e h is p a re n ts b ro u g h t h im f

o o d a n d w a ter a n d in f

o rm e d h im th a t th e m a ilm a n h a d a ttem p ted to d e liv e r t w o a d d itio n a l d ra f t n o tic e s to h im a t h is p a re n ts ’ h o u s e . V el j ovi c t es t i fi ed thathe i s afr ai d t o r eturn t o Serbi a and M ont enegr o beca us e he b e l i e v e s h e wi l l b e j a i l e d f o rr e f u s i n g t o r e f

u s i n g t o s e r v e i n th e mi l i t a ry . He acknow l edged thatthe w ari n K os ovo has ended, thatSl obodan M i l os evi c has been re p lac e d b ya n e w p re sid e n t, an d th a t th e g o v e rn m e n t h a s o f f e re d a g e n e ra l am n e styto4

i ndi vi dual s w ho, l i ke V el j ovi c, evade d the dr aft . N onethel es s , V el j ovi c s t at ed thathe d o e s n o t tru st th e g o v e rn m e n t to c o m p lyw ith th e a m n e stylaw b e c a u se th e c o u n tryis contr ol l ed bythe s ame peopl e w ho rul ed w i th M i l os evi c. V el j ovi c pr edi ct ed that , i f he r eturns t o Serbi a and M ont enegr o, he w i l l be fa ced w i th the s ame si tuat i on as w hen he l eft ; i n otherw or ds , he w i l l be for ced e i thert o s erve i n the mi l i t aryand comm i tatr oci t i es a g a in st A lb a n ian s o r to g o to jail. O n Sept ember12, 2002, the I J i s s ued a de ci s i on fi ndi ng thatV el j ovi c w as r emovabl e as char ged, butgr ant i ng hi m as y l um on the bas i s of hi s w el l - founded f earof p e r s e c u t i o n . Th e I J n o t e d th a tVe l j o v i c ’ s r e a s o n f

o rs e e k i n g a s y l u m wa s mo r e e x tr e me than mer el yw ant i ng t o avoi d m i l i t arys ervi ce; i ns t ead, i t“i nvol ved the ques t i on of Y ugos l avi an mi l i t aryfor ces ki l l i ng and harm i ng and mai m i ng i nnocentci vi l i ans i n the are a w h o d id n o t nec essa ri lyp u t up an yk ind o f re sist en ce . ” (JA 2 2 . ) T h e IJ acknow l edged the governm ent ’ s ar gum entthatcondi t i ons i n the form erY ugos l avi a had change d and the amnes tyl aw had bee n pas s ed, buts t at ed: T h e h o sti li ti es in K o so v o h av e o n lyen d ed a f ew y ea rs ag o . T h is i s a v ery s hor ts pace of t i m e. T hi s ar ea of the w or l d i s veryvol at i l e i n pol i t i cal natur e. O ne ca nnotexpec tthatA m er i can f or ces orthe for ces of thes e other n a tio n s w ill r e m a in in d e f in ite ly in K o s o v o to p re s e rv e th e p e a c e th e re . . . . [ T ]h e o p in io n o f

th e C o u rt lo o k in g a t th e C o u n tryR e p o rts o n H u m a n R ig h ts P ra c tice s, re p o rts f

ro m A m n e styIn ter n a tio n a l an d o th e r in f o rm a tio n th a t is o f c o m m o n k n o w ledg e to e v ery o n e, see s n o w that the o n lyrea so n that there i s peac e i n K os ovo i s beca us e ther e i s a mul t i - nat i onal for ce ther e. (JA 2 3 -2 4 .) T h e IJ th e n o b se rv e d th a t u p o n re tu rn in g to S e rb ia a n d M o n ten e g ro , V e ljo v ic w oul d pr obabl ybe for ced t o s erve i n the mi l i t ary“and i t ’ s notunr eas onabl e t o bel i eve5

thatdur i ng thi s per i od of t i m e the mul t i - nat i onal for ce mi ghtl eave K os ovo and [V elj o v ic’s] si tuation w o u ld the ref o re the n d rasti ca ll ych an g e.” (JA 2 4 . ) T h u s, the IJ found that , al though V el j ovi c w as notper s ecut ed pr i ort o comi ng t o the U ni t ed St at es , “he w oul d have a w el l - founded f earof per s ecut i on w er e he r eturned t o hi s countryatthe p re s e n t tim e .” (J A 2 5 .) T he D epart m entof J us t i ce appeal ed the I J ’ s gr antof as y l um t o the B oar d of Im m igrati o n A p p ea ls. O n Ju n e 2 , 2 0 0 4 , the B IA su stai n ed the a p p ea l and v ac ated the IJ’s deci s i on gr ant i ng V el

j ovi c as y l um . C oncerned w i th the I J ’ s s pecul at i on aboutw hatm i ght happen t o V el

j ovi c i f pea ceke epi ng for ces l eave the r egi on, the B I A expl ai ned: W hi l e w e agr ee w i th t he I m m i gr at i on J udge thati n s om e ca s es for ced r ecrui t m enti nt o t he mi l i t arydur i ng the s er i ous pr obl ems i n the form er Y u g o s l a v i a ’ s r e c e n tp a s tm a y w e l l b e g r o u n d s f o ra s yl u m i n th i s c o u n try, w e mustal s o cons i derthe dr amat i c cha nges thathave t aken pl ace s i nce [V el j ovi c’ s ] or i gi nal dr aftnot i ce i n 1998. I m por t ant l y , the governm enthas change d, w i th form erpr es i dentM i l os evi c bei ng puton tr i al , a r el at i ve peac e has been e s t abl i s hed and a gener al amnestyhas i s s ued forthos e w ho had pr evi ous l yavoi ded the dr aft . W e agr ee w i th the I m m i gr at i on J udge that the a rea is no t parti cu larl ystab le an d n ew co n fli cts m igh t erup t. H o w ev er, sp e c u latio n o f

th is typ e is n o t an a p p ro p ria te b a sis f o r a sy lu m in th is co u n try . A n d , in an yev en t, itis w ell estab li sh ed that an asy lum ap p li ca n t’ s expr es s i on of fe arof harm r es ul t i ng fr om gener al condi t i ons of vi ol ence and ci vi l unr es ti n a home count ry , how evercompel l i ng, does notcons t i tut e the demonstr at i on of a w el l - founded f earof per s ecut i on w i thi n the meani ng of th e A c t. ( J A 3- 4 ( i nt ernal ci t at i ons om i t t ed) . ) T hus , the B I A found thatV el j ovi c had e s t abl i s hed n e ith e r p a st p e rse c u tio n n o r a w e ll-fo u n d e d f e a r o f f u tu re p e rse c u tio n , an d it d e n ied h is ap p li ca ti o n fo r asy lum an d w ith h o lding o f re m o v al. T h e B IA also d en ied V elj o v ic’sIn V el j ov i c’s bri ef i n sup po rtof h i s pet i t i on , he ident i fi es fou r s eparat e i ssues, 1 thr ee of w hi ch conc ern w hetherthe B I A “abus ed i t s di s cr et i on” byvaca t i ng the I J ’ s rul i ng w ith o u t p ro v id in g a n o p p o rtu n ityto su p p lem e n t th e a d m in istra tiv e re c o rd . B e c a u se it i s w e ll se ttl e d th a t d e ter m in a tio n s th a t an a lien e x p e rie n c e d “ p e rse c u tio n ” o r h a s a “ w e llfounded f

earof per s ecut i on” ar e fi ndi ngs of fa ctand ar e thus r evi ew ed underthe su b stan ti al ev iden ce stan d ard , see A b d il le v. A sh cro ft, 2 4 2 F . 3 d 4 7 7 , 4 8 3 -84 (3d C ir . 2001) , w e w i l l cons true V el j ovi c’ s ar gum ent s thatthe B I A abus ed i t s di s cr et i on as an ar gum entthatthe B I A ’ s deci s i on i s nots uppor t ed bys ubs t ant i al evi dence . 6 r e q u e s tf o rr e l i e f p u r s u a n tt o th e CA T.

I I . D i s cus s i on V e ljo v ic a s s e rt s e s s e n tia lly tw o a rg u m e n ts in s u p p o rt o f h is p e titio n f

o r r e v ie w . Fi r s t , he ar gues thatthe B I A ’ s concl us i on thathe has no w el l - founded f earof per s ecut i on is n o t su p p o rte d b ysu b sta n tial e v id e n c e . S e c o n d , h e a rg u e s th a t th e B IA d e n ied h im h is 1 r i ghtt o due pr oces s w hen i tr ever s ed the I J ’ s gr antof as y l um w i thoutgi vi ng hi m an oppor tuni tyt o pr es entaddi t i onal i nform at i on i n the form of t es t i m onyi n or dert o r ebut th e B IA ’s c o n c lu s io n . W e r evi ew the B I A ’ s fi ndi ngs of fa ctundera s ubs t ant i al evi dence s t andar d. See A b d il le v. A sh cro ft, 2 4 2 F . 3 d 4 7 7 , 4 8 3 -84 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 1 ). T h e issu e o f w h ethe r th e B IA vi ol at ed V el

j ovi c’ s due pr oces s r i ght s i s a l egal ques t i on thatw e r evi ew de novo. See E ze ag w u n a v . A sh cro ft, 3 2 5 F . 3 d 3 9 6 , 4 0 5 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 3 ). W e c o n clud e tha t th e B IA ’s d e c isio n is s u p p o rte d b yth e re c o rd a n d th a t V e ljo v ic h a s n o t su f f e re d a v io latio n o f

h is du e process r i gh t s.I n hi s pet i t i on, V el j ovi c does notdi s cus s the B I A ’ s fi ndi ng thathe has not 2 s u f f e re d p a s t p e rs e c u tio n , w h ic h , in a n ye v e n t, is s u p p o rt e d b ys u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e . V el j ovi c w as notbeat en orarr es t ed as a r es ul tof hi s fai l ur e t o r es pond t o the dr aft not i ces , nordi d any one come l ooki ng forhi m aft erhe s oughtt o evade the dr aftbyhi di ng i n a di ffe r enthous e i n hi s vi l l age. V el j ovi c makes a numberof fa ctual al l egat i ons and ar gum ent s thatar e not 3 s uppor t ed byci t at i ons t o t he admi ni s tr at i ve r ecor d. I n B er i s haj v. A s hcr oft , w e hel d t hat “court s r evi ew i ng the det erm i nat i on of an a dm i ni s tr at i ve age ncym us tappr ove orr ej ect the age ncy ’ s act i on pur el yon the bas i s of the r eas ons offe r ed by , and the r ecor d compi l ed b ef o re, th e a g en cyit self.” 3 7 8 F . 3 d 3 1 4 , 3 3 0 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 4 ) (cit ing S E C v . C h en ery C orp. , 318 U . S. 80 ( 1943) ) . V el j ovi c coul d have f

i l ed a mot i on t o r eopen pr ocee di ngs w ith th e B IA b a se d o n c h a n g e d c o u n tryc o n d iti o n s, se e 8 U .S .C . § 1 2 2 9 a (c )(7 )(C )(ii); 8 C . F. R . § 1003. 2( c) ( 3) ( i i ) , buthe di d not . A ccor di ngl y , ourr evi ew of the B I A ’ s deci s i on i s l i m i t ed t o t he admi ni s tr at i ve r ecor d. 7 A . D eni al of A s y l um , W i thhol di ng of R emoval , and C A T R el i ef V el j ovi c ar gues thathe s at i s fi ed the s t atut oryr equi r ement s foras y l um t o the ext ent th a t h e e sta b lish e d a w e ll-fo u n d e d f e a r o f p e rse c u tio n . V e ljo v ic c o n ten d s th a t h is f e a r is 2 w el l - founded be caus e, even though M i l os evi c i s j ai l ed and on tr i al , the governm entand m ili tar yin stitu tio n s in S e rb ia a n d M o n ten e g ro re m a in c o n tro lled b yin d iv id u a ls lo y a l to M ilo se v ic a n d h is p o licie s. W ith o u t an yc itatio n s to th e a d m in istra tiv e re c o rd , V e ljo v ic 3 f u rth e r a rg u e s th a t ev e n th o u g h th e w a r in K o so v o is o v e r, h a tre d to w a rd s e th n ic A l bani ans has i ncr eas ed bec aus e theyar e bl amed forthe N A T O bom bi ngs thatt ook pl ace i n the l at e 1990s . A ccor di ng t o V el j ovi c, Serbi an nat i onal i s m i s on the r i s e and onl yt he p re s e n c e o f

N A T O tr o o p s k e e p s S e rb ia n s f ro m a c tin g o n th e irh a tr e d o f A lb a n ia n s . V el j ovi c al s o not es thateven w i th t he pr es ence of the mul t i - nat i onal m i l i t aryfor ce, cl as hes betw een the Serbi an governm entand A l bani an ci vi l i ans r es ul t ed i n 19 ci vi l i an8

d e a th s in M a rc h 2 0 0 4 . W ith re sp e c t to th e a m n e stylaw d isc u ss e d in th e B IA ’s d e c isio n , V e ljo v ic cont ends that“[t ] he fa ctthatSerbi a and M ont enegr o adopt ed the amnes tyl aw does not m ean a nythi ng. ” ( Pet . B r . at15. ) V el j ovi c expl ai ns that“[a ] m nes tyi s notguar ant eed or r es pect ed. . . . D r aftevade r s have ne verbeen tr eat ed ki ndl yand ca n expec tl i t t l e off i ci al pr ot ect i on. ” ( Pet . B r . at17. ) Forexampl e, w i thoutci t i ng t o the r ecor d, V el j ovi c s t at es thati f he i s r edr aft ed he w oul d notbe perm i t t ed t o carryw eapons , he w oul d be gi ven the m os tm eni al t as ks , and he w oul d oft en be the fi r s ts enti nt o harm ’ s w ay . H e al s o s t at es thati f he s ur vi ves hi s m i l i t arys ervi ce, “r ei nt egr at i on i nt o tr adi t i onal s oci etyw i l l be d if f icu lt. ” (P e t. B r. at 1 7 .) M o re g e n e ra lly , V e ljo v ic p o in ts o u t, ag a in w ith o u t citin g to the r ecor d, thatY ugos l avi a has a hi s t oryof notabi di ng byi t s democr at i c cons t i tut i on, and thati n 1995 t he Serbi an mi l i t aryki l l ed a gr oup of B os ni ans aft erguar ant eei ng them safe pas s age. T urni ng t o t he B I A ’ s deci s i on, i t s r ever s al of the I J ’ s gr antof as y l um i s s uppor t ed bys ub s t a nt i a l e vi de nc e . The a dmi ni s tr a t i ve r e c or d— w hi c h c on t a i ns , i nt e ra l i a , U . S. D epart m entof St at e C ount r yR eport s on H um an R i ght s Pr act i ces i n Y ugos l avi a for1999, 2000, and 2001— i ndi cat es thatthe w ari n K os ovo has ended, a r el at i ve pea ce ha s been es t abl i s hed, form erpr es i dentM i l os evi c w as pl ace d on tr i al , and a ne w pr es i dentw asW i th r es pectt o w hetherthe admi ni s tr at i ve r ecor d acc ur at el yr efl ect s curr ent 4 condi t i ons i n Serbi a and M ont enegr o, the D epart m entof J us t i ce a s s ert ed ator al ar gum ent th a t itf o llo w e d th e sc re e n in g p o licyse t f o rth in th e a p p e n d ix o f

th is C o u rt’s d e c isio n in A m bart s oum i an v. A s hcr oft , 388 F. 3d 85, 94- 96 ( 3d C i r . 2004) , and det erm i ned that condi t i ons have notchange d s i gni fi cant l yenough t o r equi r e a r emand. B as ed on the evi dence and ar gum ent s pr es ent ed byboth part i es , w e agr ee. 9 el ect ed t o l ead the new governm ent . T he r ecor d fur thers t at es thatthe new governm ent 4 h a s o f f e re d a g e n e ra l a m n e s ty to in d iv id u a ls w h o , lik e V e ljo v ic , e v a d e d th e m ilita ry d ra f t. V el j ovi c cont ends thatthe condi t i ons i n Serbi a and M ont enegr o ar e fa rw or s e than the recor d refl ect s, bu t , as noted abo ve, he h as fai l ed to m ake a record t o sup po rthis cl ai m s, des pi t e the opportuni tyt o do s o. W i th r es pectt o hi s fea rof s ervi ng i n the mi l i t aryupon hi s r eturn t o Serbi a and M ont enegr o, w e have expl ai ned thati ti s “gene r al l yacc ept ed ‘ that a s over ei gn nat i on enj oy s the r i ghtt o enfor ce i t s l aw s of cons cr i pt i on, and thatpenal t i es forevas i on ar e notcons i der ed per s ecut i on. ’ ” Lukw ago v. A s hcr oft , 329 F. 3d 157, 168- 69 (3 d C ir . 2 0 0 3 ) ( q u o tin g M .A . v . IN S , 8 9 9 F .2 d 3 0 4 , 3 1 2 (4 th C ir . 1 9 9 0 ) ( e n b a n c )) . A c c o rd in g ly , V e ljo v ic h a s f a iled to in tro d u c e e v id e n c e in to th e a d m in istra tiv e re c o rd to s how that“no r eas onabl e fa ct fi ndercoul d fai l t o fi nd the r equi s i t e fe arof per s ecut i on. ” IN S v. E l i as- Z acari as, 50 2 U . S . 47 8, 48 4 (199 2). In addit i on , for r easons si m i l ar t o those des cr i bed above , V el

j ovi c’ s pet i t i on forr evi ew of hi s appl i cat i on forw i thhol di ng of r emoval and r el i ef unde rthe C A T i s deni ed. B . D ue Pr oces s V i ol at i on V elj o v ic ne x t argu es th at his d u e p roc ess righ ts w ere v iolated b ec au se th e B IA10

r ai s ed the i s s ue of c hanged c ountr ycondi t i ons i n Serbi a and M ont enegr o w i thout aff or di ng hi m an opportuni tyt o expl ai n how thos e cha nged condi t i ons aff ecthi s as y l um c laim . S p e c if

ica lly , V e ljo v ic c o n ten d s th a t th e f a c t th a t th e c h a n g e d c o n d iti o n s in S e rb ia and M ont enegr o have c hanged s i nce he l eftthe r egi on do notnegat e the w i des pr ead a nd d e e p ly ro o te d a n im u s to w a rd s e th n ic A lb a n ia n s . A l i ens fac i ng r emoval ar e ent i t l ed t o due pr oces s . A bdul ai v. A s hcr oft , 239 F. 3d 5 4 2 , 5 4 9 (3d C ir . 2 0 0 1 ) (cit ing S ew ak v . IN S , 9 0 0 F . 2 d 6 6 7 , 6 7 1 (3d C ir . 1 9 9 0 )). In im m igrati o n p roc ee d ing s, an ali en is en ti tl ed to: ( 1 ) fa ctfind ing b ase d o n a re co rd p ro d u c e d b e f

o re th e d e c isio n m a k e r a n d d isc lo se d to h im o r h e r; (2 ) a n o p p o rtu n ityto a rg u e o n h is o r h e r o w n b e h a lf; an d (3 ) th e rig h t to a n in d iv id u a lize d d e ter m in a tio n o f h is o r h e r c la im s . Id . T h e B IA d id n o t violate V elj o v ic’s du e p roc ess righ ts w h en itrev erse d the IJ’s gr antof as y l um w i thoutr emandi ng hi s appl i cat i on t o the I J . W hetherV el j ovi c had a w el l - founded f

earof per s ecut i on w as a ce ntr al el ementof V el j ovi c’ s hear i ng befor e the IJ. V e ljo v ic w a s a b le to d e v e lo p th e re c o rd a n d m a k e a rg u m e n ts s u p p o rtin g h is appl i cat i on forr el i ef. H e t es t i fi ed on di r ectand cr os s - exami nat i on abouthi s know l edge o f c u rr e n t c o n d itio n s in S e rb ia a n d M o n te n e g ro a n d w h yh e w a s a f ra id to re tu rn . F u rth e rm o re , V e ljo v ic h a d th e o p p o rtu n ityto m o v e to re o p e n th e p ro c e e d in g s in o rd e r to s uppl ementthe r ecor d w i th addi t i onal evi dence pert ai ni ng t o condi t i ons i n Serbi a and M ont enegr o butdi d notdo s o. I n r ever s i ng the I J ’ s gr antof as y l um , the B I A r evi ew ed11

th e e v id e n c e in th e re c o rd a n d c o n c lu d e d th a t V e ljo v ic’ s f e a r o f p e rse c u tio n w a s n o t w e llf o u n d e d . A c c o rd in g ly, th e B IA ’s d e c is io n d id n o t v io la te V e ljo v ic ’s d u e p ro c e s s ri g h ts . I I I . C oncl usi on F o rth e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s , we wi l l d e n yVe l j o v i c ’ s p e t i t i o n f

o rr e v i e w.