Will death threats I received from one 60ish Chinese asylum seeker turn out to be a curse? Asylum procedure shouldn’t be a role of nursing home in 2024
Trapped in a Balkan nightmare, my phone became a weapon. Not against a persecutor from my homeland, but against a fellow asylum seeker in Serbia. Huang, consumed by paranoia, accused me of being a Chinese government spy because I offered to translate for him.
Beyond Sexual Identity: LGBTQ represents a form of dissenter identity in China
I consistently question the precision of the ‘safe country of origin’ definition within asylum proceedings. I’m curious whether Serbia perceives LGBTQ solely as a matter of sexual orientation. To me, the acronym LGBTQ transcends mere sexual identity; it represents a form of dissenter identity in China.
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution.
The ‘migrant in transit’ mindset pervaded the atmosphere at the Obrenovac Reception Centre, dominating the thoughts and conversations of those within its walls
![Many "asylum seekers" from the Middle East were migrants in transit.](https://truequeer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_20231229_090615_122859-scaled.jpg)
The official designation for RC OBRENOVAC is the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration (Комесаријат за избеглице и миграције), a location shrouded in obscurity on Google Maps. This reception center has been predominantly assigned to irregular migrants from countries like Afghanistan and Syria.
In January 2024, migrants from the Middle East embarked on a clandestine journey into Serbia, sans passports, with intentions of reaching Germany or Belgium. Contrary to the majority, Chinese asylum seekers formed a minor segment of the populace, with scant awareness about Serbia’s asylum law.
The United States has accepted a substantial influx of Chinese asylum seekers, championing the values of individuality and human rights. However, this does not imply that U.S. asylum laws mirror those of Serbia. A significant number of asylum seekers have set their sights on the United States, idolizing it as the pinnacle of nations.
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Chinese asylum seekers formed a minor segment of the populace, with scant awareness about Serbia’s asylum law
Within this group, the concept of ‘asylum and well-founded fears’ remains elusive to many. For instance, in Serbia an individual referred to as Chinese A obliterated his identification documents to elude repatriation to China, citing the confiscation of his passport by a Chinese embassy in Spain for political dissent as his reason for asylum.
Meanwhile, Huang was seeking refuge on the grounds of asset deprivation in China, yet without enduring physical harms, and paradoxically no objection to the Chinese government’s method of expropriation.
These migrants sought refuge in Serbia not due to persecution in their homelands, but in pursuit of more lucrative employment opportunities
![Asylum](https://truequeer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_20240112_181507_122519-scaled.jpg)
In the past, Serbia’s asylum office has dismissed numerous appeals, attributing the rejections to the applicants’ status as economic migrants. These migrants sought refuge in Serbia not due to persecution in their homelands, but in pursuit of more lucrative employment opportunities. It’s not easy to be recognised as a refugee in Serbia, your fears should be well-founded.
According to the laws in the Republic of Serbia, asylum is the right to residence and protection accorded to a foreigner who has been granted refuge or subsidiary protection. Serbia signed the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol and undertook obligation under international law to provide protection to refugees.
Huang’s messages, employing a barrage of general and abstract terms such as “lying,” “distorting facts,” and “demanding compensation from the Chinese government” to articulate his plea for asylum
![](https://truequeer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot_20240316_141229_edit_570465633704096_021430.jpg)
On 19, February Huang’s frustration simmered as he faced the unresponsiveness of three legal representatives he had contacted for assistance. His messages, written in Chinese, brimmed with vitriol against the Chinese government, employing a barrage of general and abstract terms such as “lying,” “distorting facts,” and “demanding compensation from the Chinese government” to articulate his plea for asylum.
Despite being informed by numerous representatives that Serbian asylum laws primarily safeguard victims of physical harm and that mere asset deprivation does not constitute a valid asylum claim, Huang remained stubborn that Serbian policies should align with those of the United States.
Within the insular Chinese community, where language barriers often confine non-English speakers, Huang was emblematic of the narrow-mindedness that prevailed. Such individuals harbored a venomous envy towards those who successfully realized their ambitions. To avoid the toxic rivalry that such an environment fostered—a competition where the inevitable outcome was a pair of losers—I consciously chose to distance myself.
Both the organizations and I reserve the right to remain silent without offering an explanation when pressured by Huang to justify our lack of response to his messages
Numerous offenses and crimes originate from acts of intimidation and threats. Perpetrators often obstruct a victim’s escape route or confine them within an area devoid of surveillance. Such scenarios are commonplace in China, where offenders typically prey upon and seclude an individual. Many victims lack the knowledge to protect themselves, and even silence in the face of an aggressor’s intimidation can be misconstrued as cowardice.
Huang harbored a deep-seated grudge. As a former employee of a Chinese state-owned institution, he was unwittingly shaped by bourgeois ideologies
On February 29, 2024, at approximately 6:47 PM, I experienced bullying and verbal abuse from an individual at my dormitory in the Obrenovac reception center. The aggressor who entered Serbia without a passport, Chinese A, issued a chilling threat, stating, “If I were your stepfather, I would send you to endure electric shocks in a psychiatric hospital.” Chinese A gave an air of hooligan when he was judgemental about the Commissariat staff and us.
The following morning, on March 1, 2024, around 6:54 AM, Huang confronted me with hostility because I declined to assist him with translation. In a fit of anger, he shouted, “You will be beaten by me if I was younger. Don’t provoke me to lose my temper! … Fuck your mother!”
An advice from my lawyer: Should the threats persist, inform me immediately; however, cease all communication with that person
Upon informing a representative ( BC ) from a Serbian organisation about the incident, I received the following response: “Hello, Duan, please report this matter to the commissariat. They will intervene to ensure your separation and issue a warning to Huang. Should he fail to adhere to the rules and alter his behavior, he faces expulsion from the camp.”
My lawyer, PV, attempted to offer comfort, advising, “Please await the commissariat’s decision. Should the threats persist, inform me immediately; however, cease all communication with that person.”
The Commissariat seemed reluctant to engage with someone who lacks understanding of either English or Serbian
Huang and I stayed in the same dormitory, and we were the sole occupants. Given that Huang had no proficiency in English, and the Commissariat seemed reluctant to engage with someone who lacks understanding of either English or Serbian, it’s puzzling how they managed to communicate a warning to him.
The representative ( BC ) from one Serbian organization advised, “Your patience is required while the Commissariat’s investigation is underway. Every story has two sides, and both must be asked before a verdict is reached. Should you persist in your opinion to leave Obrenovac, the Commissariat may consider transferring you to Sjenica asylum center. The Commissariat holds exclusive authority over camp management, and their decisions are not subject to outside influence, be it from lawyers or the UNHCR.”
Huang’s complaints about the Chinese government and Serbian organizations had been rejected by the asylum office, as well as the American and Canadian embassies
At 8:59 AM on March 1st, Huang and Chinese A obstructed my path, insistently questioning, “Why didn’t you cut off your ID with my phone number?” as I sat on a stage outside a bakery. Sensing the hostility in their voices, I immediately fled the scene.
On March 2, 2024, at 07:47 AM, I once again faced threats and verbal abuse from Huang. He shouted, “Fuck your mother… You’re staying silent, right? I’ll beat you to death!” His complaints about the Chinese government and Serbian organizations had been rejected by the asylum office, as well as the American and Canadian embassies, leading him to unfairly blame me.
Huang’s social interactions were confined to his relatives and the Chinese-speaking people he encountered in Obrenovac
Prior to February 28, Huang had never confronted me; in fact, I had assisted him by translating from Chinese to English in the presence of an English language teacher, at the Commissariat office, and before several Serbian organization representatives. I had always been supportive via interpretation if Huang cared about his asylum claim- deprivation of assets, and Huang even referred to me as a friend.
However, starting February 29, Huang grew suspicious and irritable towards his circle of friends. His social interactions were confined to his relatives and the Chinese-speaking people he encountered in Obrenovac, and regrettably, I became one of his scapegoats.
Huang yelled “ I showed grievance to you ” with irony, expressing a meaning opposite to what he said
A creepy moment:
Huang’s paranoia was escalating; he believed his phone number was entwined with my identity, prompting him to remove me from WeChat on February 28. He was convinced that his phone was under surveillance by the Chinese authorities whenever I assisted him with interpretation.
Stubbornly, Huang demanded to see my phone, insisting that I sever any connections to the Chinese government. On March 2, at 07:46 AM, I was jolted awake by Huang’s assault. His aggression was palpable, and in a state of panic, unable to resume my sleep, I resorted to activating the video recorder in self-defense.
One female Commissariat worker’s judgment seemed clouded by her annoyance over my previous complaints regarding indoor smoking by a Russian roommate and an Iranian migrant
![](https://truequeer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_20240316_151426_031431-scaled.jpg)
I reported the threats to the Commissariat, where the staff’s reactions varied, ranging from supportive to indifferent. Despite translating the threatening words from the video in real-time for the Commissariat staff, one incident at 13:35 04, March stood out. A female staff member, without inquiring about the context, prematurely blamed me for the altercation.
Her judgment seemed clouded by her annoyance over my previous complaints regarding indoor smoking by a Russian roommate and an Iranian migrant. She disregarded the video evidence of the threats, aggravating the situation further. When I had activated the video to protect myself upon hearing Huang’s threats, she suggested, rather accusatorily, that “perhaps my manner of holding the phone was provocative.”
As I lay asleep, Huang loomed over me, his phone mere inches from my face, intent on capturing my distress
At 07:24 AM on March 5th, I endured another episode of abuse and harassment. As I lay asleep, Huang loomed over me, his phone mere inches from my face, intent on capturing my distress. He aimed to show my panic and the Commissariat’s lack of intervention to his social circle. Huang’s voice, rigid with command, broke the silence: “Why don’t you cut off your ID with my phone number?”
Overcome with fear and unable to dress properly, I snatched my entrance ID card from a chair near the dormitory door. In my slippers, I dashed through the biting cold to the Commissariat office to report Huang’s lunacy. There, I recounted Huang’s harassment and his unsettling behaviour for filming me. At that moment, I was uncertain of how the Commissariat would address such verbal abuse and threats.
Huang continued to reiterate his previous statements “Why don’t you cut off your ID with my phone number?”
My lawyer advised me to avoid any conflicts with Huang and to cease all communication with him. I have already stopped talking to and meeting with Huang since the first day I received threats from him, which was on February 29th. Despite this, Huang continued to reiterate his previous statements and aggressively confronted me regarding the association between his phone number and the Chinese government.
Interpreters were reluctant to allocate time to cases they perceived as having no chance of success
In Serbia, the demand for Chinese-Serbian language interpreters is soaring. Huang’s asylum interview was indefinitely delayed due to a shortage of Chinese interpreters. This situation suggests that interpreters may be reluctant to allocate time to cases they perceived as having no chance of success.
Compassion should be reserved for those who align with Serbia’s asylum laws
While Serbians are generally eager to lend assistance, their hesitance is palpable when they are disinclined to undertake a task. Among the asylum seekers, some have a history of criminal activity in their homelands, while others are aged migrants seeking a retirement in a new country. It raises the question: Should the Commissariat and Serbia extend the same level of duty to these migrants as they would to residents in a nursing home? My answer is NO! Compassion should be reserved for those who align with Serbia’s asylum laws.
Thank you for sharing your story. Hopefully your dormmate has been dealt with by the authorities. Everyone’s there to advance in life. Why would someone there make it harder for his fellow residents? This asylum process seems brutal and stressful enough. Stay strong!
Thanks for your support. Serbia is an uncommon refuge for LGBTQ asylum seekers. Those who express the intention to seek asylum may find themselves wearied by the protracted process. As low-skilled workers within Serbia, they often spend their days in a monotonous cycle of eating and sleeping. Concurrently, they voice their frustrations over the lack of income or financial support from the Commissariat. Personally, I maintain a distance from these individuals who exude such negative energy.