What is an Expert Witness Report?
As you know, an expert witness report is an independent analytical document used to confirm facts, justify risks, and assess the situation in the applicant's country of origin. Its purpose is to show that the applicant faces a real threat of persecution in their country and cannot return there.

An expert report is essential at all stages of an asylum case:

• At the application stage: It helps to substantiate the applicant's personal risks and their connection to the overall situation in the country.
• At the appeal stage: If the application has been rejected, the report can be used to analyze the decision of the immigration authorities in detail, identify errors, and provide additional evidence.

An expert report:

• Confirms the context and general situation in the country, including political instability, repression, and conflicts, referring to international and local sources.
• Helps justify the applicant's personal risks, demonstrating the connection between the conditions in the country and individual threats.
• Strengthens the evidentiary basis, confirming that the applicant belongs to a vulnerable group that is being persecuted.
• Supports facts with references to authoritative sources such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the UN, and others, formatted according to the OSCOLA standard.

Expert on Russia and the CIS: Preparing Expert Witness Reports for Asylum Seekers from Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan

About Me
My name is Maxim Kharitonov, and I am an expert on human rights, political repression, and social violations in the CIS countries. My work focuses on providing objective and professional expert witness reports for political asylum seekers in countries such as the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and the European Union. I specialize in analyzing and presenting evidence confirming the risk of persecution in the countries of the former Soviet Union.

My achievements:

• More than 100 successfully prepared expert witness reports for asylum seekers from the CIS countries, including Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan - at the appeal and initial application stages.
• Collaboration with leading legal firms in the USA and UK, including the preparation of reports that became key evidence for successful asylum decisions.
• Recipient of the Expert Witness Awards 2024 in the nomination "Best Expert on Immigration Issues".
• In-depth knowledge of the legal and political situation in the CIS countries, which allows me to objectively assess the risks of political persecution, human rights violations, and other factors affecting the safety of applicants.
• Recognition as an authoritative expert in the field of human rights and political repression, including inclusion in the database of experts for migration and judicial processes (EIN): https://www.ein.org.uk/experts/kharitonov
• I myself have gone through the asylum process and I understand very well how important it is to show the court a complete and accurate picture of what is happening.

If you are looking for a professional expert on political asylum issues from the CIS countries, my services will help you prepare a strong and convincing case for your clients.

How I Create an Expert Report

Reviewing the Applicant's Documents
The creation of an expert report begins with a careful review of all documents provided by the applicant. These may include personal statements, evidence of persecution, interview transcripts, and rejection decisions. The goal of this stage is to identify key facts and evidence that need to be strengthened to substantiate the risk to the applicant.

Researching the Situation in the Country of Origin
The next step is to conduct an analysis of the situation in the applicant's country of origin. I use authoritative international and local sources to gather up-to-date information on the political, social, and legal environment in the country. It is important to show the connection between the general situation in the country and the applicant's personal story.

Preparing Justifications
Based on the data collected, I analyze the risks that threaten the applicant in the event of their return. Each conclusion is supported by references to verified sources, which makes the report objective and reliable.

Compliance with Standards
Special attention is paid to compliance with expert report preparation standards. All my reports comply with the Upper Tribunal's Practice Direction on Expert Evidence. Each document includes a statement of truth, confirming that the data is based on reliable sources and that the opinions expressed are my professional judgments.

Objectivity and Independence
My findings remain independent of the outcome of the case, which guarantees the objectivity of the report. I confirm the accuracy of the facts presented and the correctness of the conclusions drawn. If necessary, I am prepared to appear in court and give testimony about the situation in the applicant's country of origin.

My Specialization
I work not only with applicants from Georgia, but also with countries of the former Soviet Union: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan

How to Order a Report?
If your clients need an expert report, please contact me at info@thehuman-rights.com. Reports can be paid for through Legal Aid, making them free for applicants whose cases are supported by state legal aid. Flexible payment terms are offered for private requests.

Conclusion
An expert report is not just a document, but a crucial tool that can determine the successful outcome of a case My task is to objectively analyze the current situation, show the connection between the general conditions in the country and the applicant's personal history, and provide the court and immigration authorities with all necessary evidence to make a fair decision