Opinion ID: 2998825
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Gjerazi, his wife, and their two children are natives of Albania. Gjerazi testified that he had been an active member of the Democratic Party, the largest opposition party to the Socialist Party in Albania, since 1992. In November of 1993, Gjerazi was elected to the position of 2 On March 1, 2003, the INS ceased to exist as an independent agency within the Department of Justice, and its functions were transferred to the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. 3 Petitioners do not challenge the denial of their request for protection under the Convention Against Torture. Thus, they have abandoned that claim in this review petition. See Balogun v. Ashcroft, 374 F.3d 492, 498 n.7 (7th Cir. 2004) (noting that claims not addressed in opening briefs are abandoned). No. 04-2344 3 “secretary” for the Democratic Party in the Albanian city of Fier, a position he held until July of 1997. He testified that his duties included contacting Albanians to promote the ideology of the Democratic Party as well as maintaining quotas and collecting membership dues for the Fier region. He also assisted in preparations for the 1997 elections, including sponsoring and organizing Democratic Party meetings, and was selected to represent the party at a polling station in Fier. Not only was Gjerazi an active member of the Democratic Party, but previous generations of his family had similarly taken active roles in opposing the Socialist Party. In his application for asylum, he stated that his political activism as well as that of past generations of his family resulted in frequent persecution by Albanian authorities. For example, during his asylum hearing, he testified that his uncle and his mother’s uncle had been imprisoned by the Communist Party for twenty-four and eighteen years, respectively. As a result of his family’s history of political activism, when he was a child, the Socialist government confiscated land and a store that had been in his family for years. In 1990, the property was returned to Gjerazi’s mother, and, upon her death in 1992, Gjerazi became the owner. Despite these past problems, Gjerazi testified that once the property was returned to his family, he made a “good living” as a store owner. He drew approximately $3,000 in profit each month and was considered “quite wealthy” by Albanian standards. Despite his status in Albania as a successful business owner, like past generations of his family, Gjerazi’s political activism precipitated several unfortunate events. On June 5, 1997, while en route to a party meeting in Tirana, Albania’s capital city, the taxi transporting Gjerazi was stopped by two masked men who forced him out of the vehicle and assaulted him, beating him with the butt of a gun and kicking him until he lost consciousness. Gjerazi testified that as they beat him, the men stated that he 4 No. 04-2344 would not be going “to meet the celebration in Tirana.” He did not continue on to Tirana or seek medical attention. Upon returning to his home that evening, he received an anonymous telephone call during which the caller threatened him with “very bad consequences” if he did not adjust the election returns in order to ensure the success of the Socialist Party. Gjerazi testified that because he was the person responsible for the polling station in Fier, he “figured that [the callers] wanted [him] to manipulate the results and the scores” in order that the Socialist Party would prevail. Although he reported the incident to Democratic Party officials as well as to the police, no action was taken to locate the assailants or to determine who made the call and the ensuing threat. Three days after he was attacked on the way to Tirana, a second major incident befell the Gjerazi family. On June 8, 1997, Gjerazi’s two-year-old son, Justin, was kidnaped while playing in his own backyard. Gjerazi claimed that two officials from the Socialist Party, Argon Mecallin and Agim Idrizi, were responsible for the kidnaping. He testified that, approximately one half hour after the child’s abduction, the kidnapers contacted his father-in-law and conditioned the child’s release on the Socialist Party winning the vote in Fier. According to Gjerazi, his father-in-law told the kidnapers that Gjerazi was not the “main decision-maker” at the polling station and that he could not guarantee the results they wanted. Gjerazi immediately contacted the police, controlled at that time by the Democratic Party. While the police were sympathetic, they were unable to secure his son’s release, so Gjerazi enlisted the aid of his wife’s uncle.4 The uncle located the child and was able to negotiate the boy’s release in exchange for a ransom of 4 Gjerazi described his wife’s uncle as “a very popular person” in Fier. No. 04-2344 5 $5,000. A few weeks after Justin’s kidnaping, the Socialist Party won the election, including the local election in Fier. On July 2, 1997, approximately one month after his son’s abduction and a few days after the Socialist Party regained control of Albania, Gjerazi’s wife, Klarita, was accosted and beaten by two masked men. Klarita testified that when she arrived home, the men struck her from behind, entered the home, and began calling out for Gjerazi. When they discovered he was not in the apartment, they beat her into a state of unconsciousness. After the attack, Klarita spent ten days confined in a hospital. Shortly after her release from the hospital, Gjerazi resigned from his position as a secretary of the Democratic Party and moved his family to Vos Kopoje, a town located in a remote mountainous area in Southern Albania. Although Gjerazi continued to live in Fier, he traveled to Vos Kopeje regularly, keeping a “low profile” while deciding what to do with his family’s store, land, and personal belongings. Gjerazi’s problems flared up again in April of 1998, when he attended a monthly Democratic Party meeting. After returning from the meeting, Gjerazi’s apartment was set on fire while he was in the building. Although he escaped, his unit was completely destroyed. After the fire, Gjerazi moved to Vos Kopoje with his family. In September of 1998, he returned to Fier to attend a peaceful demonstration in protest of the assassination of Azem Hajdari, a Democratic Party official. Shortly after the demonstration, a warrant was issued for Gjerazi’s arrest, alleging that he had attacked the main offices of the police station. Although he received notice of the arrest summons, instead of reporting to the police, he began making arrangements to leave Albania. Upon payment of $15,000, Gjerazi arranged for Slovenian passports and transportation, and, on March 23, 1999, he 6 No. 04-2344 and his family fled Albania. After a stop in Italy,5 they flew to the United States. Gjerazi testified that when he and his family arrived in the United States, he destroyed their Slovenian passports as directed by the individuals who provided the passports. In November, the Gjerazis filed for asylum. According to Gjerazi, when he left Albania, he did not know that he would eventually land in the United States and apply for asylum. During the hearing, he explained that he feared returning to Albania with his family because the Socialist Party was still in power. He testified that his family’s persecution in Albania was motivated by his membership in the Democratic Party and that he believed current conditions in Albania to be the same as they were in 1997. He stated that if he and his family were forced to return, he was concerned that there could be “very severe consequences” for them, and he speculated that he would be arrested or even killed. During the asylum hearing, Gjerazi’s wife and daughter also testified about their tumultuous lives in Albania and Gjerazi’s involvement with the Democratic Party. Gjerazi’s wife testified about the beatings she and her husband endured as well as her son’s abduction. She corroborated her husband’s testimony about his active participation in the Democratic Party and stated that she feared for their lives should they be forced to return to Albania. The IJ also requested that Gjerazi’s ten-year-old daughter, Alba, testify. Although she recalled her brother’s kidnaping, not surprisingly, she was unable to add much to the record, including anything about her father’s political 5 Gjerazi testified that he did not want to remain in Italy because “there are so many Albanians and there are many incidents that happen there and people get killed . . . . ” No. 04-2344 7 activities.6 In addition to the testimony presented by the Gjerazi family, Dhimo Jano, a citizen of Albania who left the country in October of 1997, testified on their behalf. Jano knew and socialized with the Gjerazi family in Albania. Jano confirmed Gjerazi’s membership in the Democratic Party and his position as a secretary within the party. He also described an incident that occurred in Albania in 1997 when he and Gjerazi were having coffee. He stated that he observed a member of the Socialist Party approach Gjerazi, point at him, and proclaim, “[T]his is the end of the Democratic Party.” Jano also testified that, during the same year, he heard on the local news that Gjerazi’s son had been abducted.
Gjerazi recounted that when he left Albania in haste, he did not take the time to gather documents to support an asylum application because he had not yet determined what his destination would be or much less that he would eventually apply for asylum in the United States. When he did decide to apply for asylum, he asked his father-in-law, who was still in Albania, to obtain the necessary documentation to assist him in establishing his past membership in the Democratic Party and to prove his family’s persecution in Albania. Gjerazi submitted numerous documents to the IJ in support of his family’s asylum applications. The IJ admitted in evidence documents marked as (1) group exhibit 1 6 We find it surprising that the IJ asked Alba to testify. To expect a ten-year-old child to testify about political activities which her father was involved in when she was only seven or eight years of age seems rather remarkable. 8 No. 04-2344 (notices to all members of the Gjerazi family to appear), (2) group exhibit 2 (Gjerazi’s asylum application and additional documents received from the INS pertaining to his application), (3) group exhibit 4 (documents which corroborated background information and country conditions in Albania), and (4) exhibit 5 (the 1999 Country Report on Human Right’s Practices for Albania, issued by the United States Department of State on February 25, 2000).7 The IJ excluded from evidence a collection of documents labeled as group exhibit 3, A through K.8 Exhibit 3-A is a copy of an arrest warrant for Gjerazi executed on September 15, 1998, following the demonstration protesting the assassination of Azem Hajdari. Exhibit 3-B is the notarized declaration of Luljeta Gjini, a neighbor of Gjerazi’s in Albania, who attested to the beating of Gjerazi’s wife. The declaration was executed on July 29, 1998. Exhibit 3-C is a medical certificate confirming Klarita’s hospitalization after the attack in her home. The certificate states that Klarita was examined on July 2, 1997. Exhibits 3-D through F are certificates from the Commissariat of Police. Exhibit 3-D, dated June 8, 1997, confirms the kidnaping of Justin Gjerazi; exhibit 3-E, dated September 1, 1998, states that the Gjerazi home in Fier was destroyed by fire; and 3-F, dated August 3, 1998, states that Gjerazi was attacked on his way to Tirana in April of 1997.9 Exhibit 3-G, dated 7 The 1999 Country Report confirmed that the Democratic Party was the largest opposition party in Albania during the relevant time period. The report also states that while the government of Albania did not confirm any extrajudicial killings in 1999, the Democratic Party claimed that its members were harrassed and beaten by members of the ruling party. 8 The documents were marked as group exhibit 3 for identification purposes only. 9 Gjerazi testified that he did not think the attack in April of 1997 (continued...) No. 04-2344 9 July 26, 1999, states that the Gjerazi family was persecuted by the communist regime in Albania. Exhibits 3-H and 3-I were purportedly issued by the Democratic Party.10 These documents corroborate Gjerazi’s testimony about his membership in the party, his election as a secretary in 1993, and the incidents of persecution suffered by his family. The final two documents, exhibits 3-J and 3-K, are copies of Gjerazi’s Albanian passport and his Democratic Party membership card, respectively. During Gjerazi’s cross-examination, the government brought up discrepancies between the dates reflected on the documents and the dates of the incidents of persecution alleged by Gjerazi. A number of the documents were dated several months after the incidents occurred. When asked about the discrepancies in the dates, Gjerazi speculated that employees of the Commissariat of Police or notaries may have made a mistake while preparing the documents. However, he repeatedly explained to the IJ that he was unable to shed any light on the discrepancies in the dates, making clear that he was not the one who procured the documents from the police in Albania; consequently, he was not physically present to inspect the documents at the time they were either drafted or obtained. Furthermore, because questions about the documents did not arise until the time of the hearing, Gjerazi was unable to present an affidavit 9 (...continued) was politically motivated and that he did not intend to submit this document. The attack on June 5, 1997, also on the way to Tirana, was a separate incident for which he did not submit corroborating documentary evidence. 10 The IJ’s opinion highlights the fact that these letters were not written on official Democratic Party letterhead, a detail that the government focused on during cross-examination. Gjerazi testified that he had no explanation for why these documents were not composed on official letterhead. 10 No. 04-2344 from his father-in-law to explain the manner in which the documents were obtained and possibly to answer questions concerning the alleged discrepancies in the dates. C. The Decision of the Immigration Judge On June 13, 2000, the IJ denied Gjerazi’s application for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. In his oral decision, the IJ concluded that “certain aspects of [Gjerazi’s] claim appear to be supported by the Country Reports . . . .” and “certain aspects of [Gjerazi’s] claim to persecution based on country conditions as they relate to political conflict between Socialists and Democrats are not . . . implausible.” The IJ also found that “[Gjerazi] and his family have testified consistently with their written applications for Asylum.” Despite these findings, the IJ concluded that the documents submitted in support of their asylum application, specifically group exhibit 3, “raised serious credibility issues.” Focusing on the credibility issues raised by the documents, the IJ determined that Gjerazi “failed to meet his burden of proof.” The IJ stated that the manner in which the documents were obtained and submitted led him to the “inescapable conclusion that this claim must be denied” and that the use of false passports to enter the U.S. “triggered a series of questions about the other documents.” He also questioned Gjerazi’s decision to dispose of the Slovenian passports upon entry into the U.S., wondering why Gjerazi did not hand them over to the man who met them at the airport. The IJ found that this act “raised other questions about the respondent’s credibility because the record shows that he had submitted copies of an Albanian passport for reasons No. 04-2344 11 unknown.”11 The IJ also took issue with Gjerazi’s testimony that the documents in group exhibit 3 were prepared on the dates of the incidents or shortly thereafter. The IJ reasoned, “If the documents were actually prepared on the dates which appear on their face this would raise significant questions about why [Gjerazi] would have his father-in-law obtain those documents when he himself was in Albania.” Furthermore, the IJ questioned Gjerazi’s testimony that the documents were photocopies of the original documents and concluded that the documents were not photocopies but were originals. After excluding much of Gjerazi’s corroborating documentary evidence, the IJ concluded that the record failed to establish the motivation of the persecutors. He described the Gjerazi family as “fortunate,” “middle class” landowners who earned $3,000 per month running the family store, and stated that “[w]hat this Court is willing to accept given all of the questions raised by [Gjerazi’s] testimony is that [Gjerazi] and his family had money which was targeted by criminals in Albania.” In spite of the overwhelming evidence of political motive surrounding the attacks on the Gjerazi family, including several threatening statements made to the Gjerazis and recounted herein, the IJ speculated that the kidnaping of Gjerazi’s son and the beating of his wife were motivated by financial gain and were not instigated by the Socialist Party. 11 Gjerazi’s counsel points out that Gjerazi submitted a copy of his Albanian passport to the immigration court for identification purposes. 12 No. 04-2344 D. The BIA’s Opinion On July 13, 2000, Gjerazi filed an appeal with the BIA. On March 31, 2004, the BIA issued its decision adopting and affirming the IJ’s decision. In addition to adopting the IJ’s decision, the BIA also supplemented the decision and addressed Gjerazi’s contention that he was denied a full and fair hearing because of an incompetent translator.12 The BIA found that Gjerazi caused the trans- lator’s difficulties when he failed to alter the rapidity of his speech in order to give the translator time to interpret his testimony. The BIA summarily concluded that Gjerazi failed to demonstrate “that a better translation would have made a difference in the outcome of the hearing.” On May 25, 2004, Gjerazi filed a timely petition for appellate review. Gjerazi alleges that he and his family have suffered past persecution as a direct result of his political activities. Gjerazi makes three arguments in support of his petition. Initially, he argues that the IJ incorrectly concluded that the physical and mental torture endured by the Gjerazis was criminally rather than politi- 12 Throughout the asylum hearing, the immigration court’s translator had difficulty interpreting Gjerazi’s testimony. On one occasion, the IJ asked the translator, “You’re having a hard time, Ms. Interpreter, aren’t you? Well, here we go. Let’s try it again.” On another occasion, the IJ thought the translator had failed to properly translate the questions he was asking Gjerazi. The IJ asked her, “Did you interpret that . . . . Did you ask?” The IJ then stated, “Did you—did you interpret? I didn’t hear the interpretation . . . .” The transcript also reveals several instances where the translator requested that certain questions and answers be repeated. After Gjerazi completed his testimony, this translator was replaced by a second translator who was able to translate the testimony of Gjerazi’s wife and daughter without incident. No. 04-2344 13 cally motivated. Gjerazi contends that his family was persecuted, at least in part, because of his political activities and membership in the Democratic Party. Next, Gjerazi argues that the IJ should have granted his family’s request for asylum because they provided credible, convincing testimony about each incident of political retribution they suffered. Finally, Gjerazi argues that the IJ was on notice of the incompetence of the translator yet he still put undue weight on insignificant details in Gjerazi’s testimony that might have been mistranslated. Based upon the record before us, we agree that Gjerazi’s first two arguments alone are sufficient to compel a remand and we need not reach his third argument regarding the alleged incompetence of the translator.