Loeb Achieves Pro Bono Asylum Victory for Turkish Refugee After Eight-Year Journey

Loeb & Loeb is pleased to announce that the firm has successfully secured asylum for a refugee from Turkey following an eight-year wait. 

The Loeb pro bono team, in partnership with the international human rights organization Human Rights First, represented a former Turkish police officer who was placed on a government “blacklist” and wrongly accused of being associated with a movement that the Turkish government labeled as a terrorist organization. Following the 2016 coup attempt, the Turkish issued a decree, firing thousands of police officers—including our client—over alleged connections to the purported terrorist group. The government issued a separate decree firing our client’s wife from her job for similar reasons. Since then, the Turkish government imprisoned our client’s sister and brother-in-law, and several friends for similar reasons.  

Our client originally came to the United States to pursue studies at multiple universities, ultimately earning a doctorate in Applied Anthropology. Following the events in Turkey, our client filed an asylum application in 2016. The U.S. government conducted an interview of our client in late 2021. Thereafter, the U.S. government expressed intent to re-interview our client but delayed scheduling the interview for more than 18 months. After Human Rights First filed a petition for a writ of mandamus in federal court on our client’s behalf, the U.S. government scheduled and conducted the long-awaited re-interview, ultimately approving the application in late 2024. 

Loeb’s pro bono team was led by associate Noah Weingarten, with assistance from other Loeb lawyers and staff.

To learn more about the firm's pro bono program, please click here.