Hi everyone,
I'm a 19-year-old Egyptian national who holds a Canadian student visa and I've lived in Egypt my entire life. I became an atheist around the age of 14-15 and have kept my beliefs private since then.
Living as an atheist in Egypt has been mentally and socially very difficult. I cannot openly express my beliefs, opinions, or worldview without serious consequences. While I have not been personally arrested or physically harmed, there is a well-documented pattern of atheists and religious minorities being arrested, investigated, or harassed when they speak openly. Because of this, I have had to suppress my identity and remain silent to stay safe.
This affects nearly every aspect of my life. I cannot freely discuss my beliefs, form genuine relationships, or live authentically. I may not be able to marry someone compatible with me due to religious and social expectations. I often feel forced to pretend to practice religion and conform to behaviors I do not believe in, simply to avoid risk. The constant need to hide who I am has been psychologically exhausting and isolating.
My fear is not based on past persecution, but on the reasonable likelihood of harm if I were to live openly as an atheist. The choice I face is either continued suppression of my identity or exposure to potential arrest, harassment, or worse if I speak freely.
I am planning to study in Canada, but I am trying to understand whether my situation could reasonably form the basis of a refugee or asylum claim, or whether other legal pathways would be more appropriate. I am not looking to misuse the refugee system. I am genuinely trying to understand where my situation fits under international and Canadian law.
I would appreciate informed opinions, experiences, or guidance from people familiar with refugee claims, especially in cases involving freedom of belief, expression, and non-belief in countries like Egypt.
I know most here aren't lawyers, im just looking for advice, whether that'd be professional or not.
Thank you for reading.
I'm a 19-year-old Egyptian national who holds a Canadian student visa and I've lived in Egypt my entire life. I became an atheist around the age of 14-15 and have kept my beliefs private since then.
Living as an atheist in Egypt has been mentally and socially very difficult. I cannot openly express my beliefs, opinions, or worldview without serious consequences. While I have not been personally arrested or physically harmed, there is a well-documented pattern of atheists and religious minorities being arrested, investigated, or harassed when they speak openly. Because of this, I have had to suppress my identity and remain silent to stay safe.
This affects nearly every aspect of my life. I cannot freely discuss my beliefs, form genuine relationships, or live authentically. I may not be able to marry someone compatible with me due to religious and social expectations. I often feel forced to pretend to practice religion and conform to behaviors I do not believe in, simply to avoid risk. The constant need to hide who I am has been psychologically exhausting and isolating.
My fear is not based on past persecution, but on the reasonable likelihood of harm if I were to live openly as an atheist. The choice I face is either continued suppression of my identity or exposure to potential arrest, harassment, or worse if I speak freely.
I am planning to study in Canada, but I am trying to understand whether my situation could reasonably form the basis of a refugee or asylum claim, or whether other legal pathways would be more appropriate. I am not looking to misuse the refugee system. I am genuinely trying to understand where my situation fits under international and Canadian law.
I would appreciate informed opinions, experiences, or guidance from people familiar with refugee claims, especially in cases involving freedom of belief, expression, and non-belief in countries like Egypt.
I know most here aren't lawyers, im just looking for advice, whether that'd be professional or not.
Thank you for reading.
