Credibility Assessments in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Asylum Cases

Evidence from a Quantitative Study of Case Law in Switzerland

Abstract

In asylum cases pertaining to sexual orientation/gender identity (SOGI), credibility is of amplified relevance. I analyse the decisions of the Federal Administrative Court and can confirm that credibility is addressed extensively in SOGI cases, which in turn has a negative impact on the likelihood of a positive verdict. In a field dominated by qualitative approaches, the analysis contributes to the understanding of how credibility acts as a central filtering device in the asylum proceedings and how this is increasingly evident in SOGI cases.