NRJA v The Secretary of State for The Home Department

Facts

The appellant, N.R.J.A., is a Sri Lankan national who entered the United Kingdom on 8 May 2013 as a student with leave until 21 May 2016, and claimed asylum on 12 January 2017. He said he had joined the Sri Lankan army in 2007 as a humanitarian officer, was present at Mullaitivu when the war ended in May 2009, and photographed war crimes he witnessed; after returning to teaching he shared the photographs with colleagues, a complaint was made to the police, and he was arrested on 5 February 2010 and detained until 22 February 2010, during which he says he was tortured and was released only on payment of a bribe. His mother took her own life during that detention. He kept a low profile, noticed a white van following him in 2011, and left Sri Lanka in 2013. The respondent refused the claim on 17 August 2018 and First-tier Tribunal Judge Stedman dismissed his appeal on 12 February 2019, making detailed adverse credibility findings; permission to appeal was refused and he became appeal rights exhausted. He then obtained medical and country expert evidence and made further submissions dated 1 December 2022, refused on 12 April 2024. This appeal followed, brought under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 on protection, Article 3 and Article 8 grounds.