Recent Cases

HIRC students take the lead in representing clients from all over the world who are seeking protection from being returned to human rights abuses in their country of origin, protection from exile after years of living in the United States, or reunification with their families.  Students at HIRC receive intensive instruction and close supervision. As a general rule, clinical supervisors extend major responsibility for cases to students, providing close guidance and feedback.

Cases in the past have included:

• A Tibetan monk who fled persecution by the Chinese government for his spiritual beliefs
• A Ugandan journalist who was targeted because he wrote articles critical of the government
• A Cameroonian woman who fought for the rights of Anglophone Cameroonians
• A Rwandan man fleeing persecution because of his father's political activities
• An Iraqi scholar targeted for his political beliefs in democracy

Recent Victories

Immigration Court

Peter, a gay man from the Congo, fled persecution because of his sexual orientation.  Having survived brutality and lack of state protection, he was granted asylum in the Boston immigration court for fear of future persecution.

Asylum Office

Margaret, a Kenyan woman, fled Kenya with her four-year-old daughter, Sarah, because her husband had beaten, threatened, and almost killed her. She was a strong, successful, educated woman who left everything behind to save herself and her daughter.

Patricia, a Ugandan journalist, who wrote stories that exposed corruption in the government, was targeted, threatened, and raped.  She fled to the United States for safety.