Impact Stories

Impact Stories features works and accomplishments of the American University Washington College of Law community of faculty, students, and alumni.

Human Rights Clinic Students Win Asylum for their Persecuted LGBT Client

 

Feb. 21, 2019

Zoe Stamatelos, Mohammed Rathur, and Raphaelle Maillet
From left to right: Zoe Stamatelos, Mohammed Rathur, and Raphaelle Maillet

After a six-hour merits hearing, International Human Rights Law Clinic students Zoe Stamatelos, Mohammed Rathur, and Raphaelle Maillet won asylum for their client, an LGBT man from North Africa. Their client suffered tremendously because of his sexual orientation since his childhood. Despite achieving great professional success, he had no choice but to flee for refuge in the United States amidst persistent and escalating persecution. The client was detained in an immigration detention facility for almost four months. Because of the students’ zealous legal representation during the hearing, the Arlington, Virginia Immigration Court granted their client asylum to safely live in the United States.

The International Human Rights Law Clinic offers AUWCL student attorneys the opportunity to represent non-U.S. citizens and organizations working to defend the human rights of non-U.S. citizens in a broad range of settings, including regional and international bodies, U.S. federal and state courts, and immigration court.