FoRB of minors in asylum cases

In 2017 a 10 years old Afghan minor, accompanied by both parents, lodged an asylum claim of her own with the Dutch government, claiming she had converted to the Christian faith. According to the Immigration Authority, a child of her age is not likely to be able to make a personal informed decision concerning a conversion but can only be expected to follow the parents in their decisions. Also, it was said that the minor can be expected to follow their parents in the Islamic faith once returned to Afghanistan. This paper discusses the validity of the arguments in the light of the intrinsic right of minors to choose their own religion or belief.

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