Switzerland rejects asylum application from Iranian refugee pursuing Judaism

Mikheil Grishashvili, a Jewish community leader and representative of the Peace Synagogue in Georgia, told the Post that Vali has been an active member of the community since 2023.

The Federal Administrative Court of Switzerland has rejected the asylum application of Iranian refugee and Jewish conversion candidate Behnam Vali Heydarian, also known as Ben Vali, putting him at risk of deportation to Georgia and potentially Iran, Vali told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

Vali previously spoke with the Post in August, describing the violent transnational aggression he said Iran had directed against him while he was in Georgia. A convert to Christianity at the time and a prominent figure in the refugee community, Vali drew the regime’s attention after initially being targeted for distributing Bibles in Iran and later for his pro-Israel advocacy following the October 7 attacks.

After being assaulted multiple times, Vali said he was threatened over his continued pro-Israel advocacy, had his bank accounts repeatedly frozen without warning, and was threatened with deportation by a person he believed was a member of Georgia’s security services.

'He was an active, hardworking, kind, and responsible person'

Mikheil Grishashvili, a Jewish community leader and representative of the Peace Synagogue in Georgia, told the Post that Vali has been an active member of the community since 2023.

“He was an active, hardworking, kind, and responsible person, and he very quickly became part of our community,” Grishashvili said, adding that Vali became increasingly involved in Judaism.

Returning to Iran would likely lead to Vali's execution

Aware that returning to Iran would likely lead to his execution due to his open support for Israel, his conversion and his proselytizing, Vali fled to Switzerland, where he had been granted a business visa.

Though Vali entered Switzerland legally, the country rejected his asylum application, stating that he had entered the country illegally and fled from a “safe” country, despite evidence he provided demonstrating what he described as a clear and present threat in Georgia. Offers from Swiss nationals to provide Vali with employment and housing, so he would not burden the system, also went unanswered.

“We appealed the reapplication, arguing that based on my individual risks and the problems I faced, they had to assess, analyze, and examine my individual case and circumstances. But they didn’t,” Vali said. “The final answer was that the State Secretariat for Migration had already done its job and that Georgia is a safe country. You can go back to the safe country and stay there. That’s it. That was the final hope that we had.”

Vali said that the entry ban now in place, preventing him from returning to Switzerland, would stop him from seeking refuge throughout the European Union. He said he has also been attempting to contact Israeli authorities, hoping his pro-Israel advocacy and position as a student of Judaism would encourage some protection, but did not receive a response.