On August 30, 2016, the Federal Court of Canada issued its
judicial review decision in Mahmood Sajid v. The Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration, 2016 FC 981. The Federal Court
dismissed a judicial review application filed by Mr. Sajid to
review a decision by Canada’s Refugee Protection Division
(RPD) to vacate Mr. Sajid’s refugee protection. The RPD
vacated Mr. Sajid’s refugee protection due to omissions or
withholdings of information. In particular, Mr. Sajid was alleged
to have committed serious non-political crimes relating to the
illegal export of firearms from the United States.
Mr. Sajid, a citizen of Pakistan, said he left Pakistan in 2000
due to persecution based on his sexual orientation. He had
moved to the United States and lived there without status until he
crossed the border into Canada on May 15, 2014. On June 13,
2014, he claimed refugee protection in Canada, which was granted on
September 12, 2014.