EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE FRAUDULENT ASYLUM CLAIM -

UNCLAS E F T O YEREVAN 000874 SENSITIVE NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR CA/VO/F/P (MEEARL) AND CA/FPP (RSBILLINGS) USCIS FOR HQ ASYLUM BRANCH (KTURO AND KMACK) MOSCOW FOR USCIS (SSINCLAIR-SMITH) FRANKFURT FOR RCO (KBROUGHAM) AND ICE (GSPINDEL) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AM CVIS KFRD PHUM PREF SUBJECT: EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE FRAUDULENT ASYLUM CLAIM - LUSINE TERTERYAN - DOB 11AUG1972 THIS CABLE CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU/NF) Summary: Evidence has come to light during a Visa 92 following-to-join interview that suggests Lusine TERTERYAN DOB 11AUG1972, submitted a fraudulent claim for asylum. As per 9 FAM Appendix O, 1207.2-5(A),Post is reporting these details to CA/VO/F/P, CA/FPP and USCIS. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU/NF) Armenian citizen Ms. Lusine Terteryan entered the U.S. in B2 status on 28MAR2008 and claimed asylum on 01SEPT2008. The basis for her claim to asylum was persecution, threats, beatings and detention she had received as a result of her political activities in 2004 and during the 2008 presidential election. Specifically, Ms. Lusine Terteryan stated that she was beaten and detained overnight by the police on April 13th, 2004 for her participation in a political rally. Ms. Lusine Terteryan stated that after this incident she was not active in politics again until 2007. Ms. Terteryan stated that she was arrested on 38FEB2008 while delivering food to protesters. During this arrest, she stated that she was interrogated and beaten once. She was detained overnight in connection with this second arrest. Ms. Terteryan stated that on 06MAR2008 four police officers appeared at her house with a supposed warrant for her arrest. During her arrest, she stated that her husband was severely beaten. She claimed that during this third arrest she was also interrogated and beaten once. Ms. Terteryan stated that she was released from police detention after her husband paid a bribe to the police. Ms. Terteryan also claimed that after her departure for the United States the police visited her home several times in her absence and threatened her husband. USCIS approved Ms. Terteryan's application for asylum on 10OCT2008. ¶3. (SBU/NF) On 10OCT2009 the follow-to-join sons of Ms. Terteryan, Hrair Hayrapetyan and Haik Hayrapetyan, appeared at U.S. Embassy Yerevan for an interview. Haik and Hrair were accompanied by their father, Ms. Terteryan,s husband, Mr. Matevos Hayrapetyan (DOB 28APR1963). The interviewing officer elected to interview only Mr. Hayrapetyan due to ages of the follow-to-join children at the time the events included in the asylum claim took place. Mr. Hayrapetyan stated under oath that his wife, Ms. Lusine Terteryan, had never received any injuries, had never been beaten, and had never been the subject of police violence. He stated that Ms. Terteryan had never been arrested. Mr. Hayrapetyan also stated that his wife, Ms. Lusine Terteryan, had never been detained overnight for any reason. He also stated that Ms. Terteryan had never had any problems whatsoever with the police in Armenia. When asked if he had ever paid a bribe, he stated that once he paid a 300,000 dram bribe (approximately $800) to the police. He could, however, recall no details of the events surrounding the payment of the bribe other than the fact that HKHK (People's Party of Armenia) assisted him in some way in paying the bribe. Mr. Hayrapetyan was not able to recall what type of assistance was provided. Mr. Hayrapetyan could also recall no instance where he was the subject of police beating or violence, nor could he recall ever being visited or threatened by the police after his wife's March 2008 departure to the United States. ¶4. (SBU/NF) Given the significant conflicting information provided by Matevos Hayrapetyan, and the fact that he was unable to substantiate a single fact included in his wife's asylum claim, Post suspects that Lusine Terteryan,s original claim for asylum was fraudulent. Mr. Hayrapetyan denied every single detail of his wife's asylum claim including his own supposed beating and police harassment. As a result of these inconsistencies Post concludes that Ms. Terteryan's I-589 includes misrepresentation of the circumstances upon which the asylum claim rests. Post believes this new information necessarily casts doubt on the fact of record in this case. ¶5. (SBU/NF) To preserve the principal applicant's confidentiality, the questions put to Mr. Hayrapetyan were all factual questions to confirm information for the record. The consular officer's questioning was such that she never stated that Ms. Lusine Terteryan had received asylum or intimated that one reason for her departure from Armenia was that Ms. Terteryan had difficulties in Armenia. Mr. Hayrapetyan was interviewed in a private room where no one could overhear the conversation. ¶6. (SBU/NF) Post issued Hrair Hayrapetyan and Haik Hayrapetyan YY transportation foils as they qualify for Visa 92 following-to-join status in all other respects. Their information is as follows: Hrair Hayrapetyan; DOB 25DEC1996; A#089-297-855 and Haik Hayrapetyan; DOB 05JUN2001; A#89297862. Hrair and Haik Hayrapetyan's intended address in the United States is c/o of the petitioner Ms. Lusine Terteryan, 5917 Jamieson Avenue, Encino, CA 91316. ¶7. (U) Post point of contact is Vice Consul Laura S. Conaway, ConawayLS@state.gov. YOVANOVITCH