Cleary Gottlieb assisted pro bono client Mr. A, an Iraqi refugee fleeing persecution due to his sexual orientation, with his refugee status determination and resettlement.
Mr. A is a young gay man who fled to Turkey from Iraq after suffering severe torture, imprisonment, and persecution. After settling in Turkey, however, Mr. A continued to face harassment and threats to his safety.
Mr. A was referred to the firm by the International Refugee Assistance Project. The Cleary team assisted Mr. A in applying for refugee status with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Once his refugee status was granted, Cleary obtained Mr. A’s resettlement in a safe country. After a two-year process, Mr. A settled in Canada in the fall of 2019. He is very excited to be starting his new life.