Opinion ID: 2612
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Contradictory Background Documents

Text: The IJ also concluded that Li was not credible because her testimony as to the position she held within Falun Gong was contradicted by information downloaded from a website. [6] This conclusion is not reasonably supported by the record. See Lin Zhong v. United States Dep't of Justice, 480 F.3d at 129 (remanding where IJ's characterization of evidence was unsupported by the record). The IJ cited the website for the proposition that there are no leaders within Falun Gong. Tr. of Hr'g at 8. The actual website quotes a Falun Gong spokesperson's statement that [t]here is no leader of Falun Gong, an assertion made within the context of explaining that Falun Gong is not a cult, religion, or sect. CAR at 97. Nothing on the website indicates that no persons within Falun Gong ever assume organizational or leadership responsibilities; to the contrary, the site notes that four top organizers  were imprisoned in 1999, affirmatively suggesting that the movement does in fact have some type of leadership structure. Id. at 98 (emphasis added). Thus, the website statement cannot fairly be construed to contradict Li's testimony that she held an unpaid local leadership position. Indeed, to the extent the website states that all work within Falun Gong is done by volunteers, id. at 97, it is consistent with Li's testimony that she served without remuneration.