Country Expert Database: New Findings from 120+ Countries

Last updated: 16 September 2026

Photo: United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) - United States Mission Geneva

The country expert database continues to grow. This week, we added new coverage for three priority areas: Peru disability cases, Eritrea historical claims, and Georgia opposition persecution. Moreover, the database now covers more than 50 countries across five regions. Each expert is vetted for academic qualifications, field experience, and court track record. This asylum guide update gives lawyers a clear view of what is new and how to search.[1]

A strong country expert database saves time. Instead of searching blind, lawyers can match the client's country, profile, and legal issue to a specialist. The database also tracks recent case outcomes, so lawyers can see which experts have current, relevant experience. Furthermore, many experts offer free initial consultations to discuss fit before formal instruction.

New Additions This Week

Three new coverage areas joined the database this week. Each reflects emerging demand in UK and US asylum practice. Each expert in these areas has published or court-tested experience in the relevant field.[2]

Peru: disability services and rural access

A new expert brings academic and NGO experience in Peruvian disability rights. Her work covers rural health services in Cajamarca, Huancavelica, and Puno. She has worked with UN human rights bodies and published on access gaps for indigenous families. This expertise supports cumulative-harm arguments in family cases with disabled children.

Eritrea: historical claims and returnee risk

A second expert specialises in Eritrean historical flight cases. His research covers the evolution of national service from 1995 to 2025. He also monitors returnee treatment. His reports focus on how the "length of absence" question plays out for deserters who fled many years ago. This expertise matches recent Home Office refusal patterns.

Georgia: opposition persecution and LGBTQ+ risk

A third expert covers Georgia's recent political shifts. Her focus includes the 2024 foreign agents law, the family values law, and state pressure on protest leaders. She has given evidence to Council of Europe bodies and UK tribunals. For lawyers handling Georgian cases, her profile fills a gap that grew rapidly in late 2024 and 2025.

Regional Highlights

The database organises coverage by region. Each region has a lead expert cluster and several specialists. The structure helps lawyers find the right match fast.[3]

East Africa

East Africa remains a high-demand area. Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, and Ethiopia each generate many UK and US asylum claims. The database now has 14 East Africa experts. They cover national service, armed conflict, ethnic persecution, and female genital cutting. The Somalia cluster includes experts on Al-Shabaab areas of operation and Mogadishu relocation viability. For broader context, see country reports.

Latin America

Latin America coverage includes Peru, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Our 11 experts cover political persecution, gang violence, LGBTQ+ risk, and disability services. The Nicaragua cluster has grown in 2025 as political arrests continue. New Peru coverage strengthens cumulative-harm claims.

Post-Soviet space

The post-Soviet cluster covers Russia, Georgia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. 13 experts work in this cluster. Russia conscription claims have surged since 2022. Georgia opposition claims have risen sharply since the 2024 laws. Belarus political prisoner cases remain steady.

South Asia

South Asia coverage focuses on Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. 9 experts work in this cluster. Afghanistan cases dominate, with specialisms on women and girls, ethnic and religious minorities, former security forces, and NATO interpreter claims. The Taliban Virtue and Vice Law drives ongoing demand.

Coverage by Region: Snapshot

The table below shows the regional structure and priority countries in each cluster.[4]

Expert Reports Completed by Region

The chart below shows how many reports the network produced in the last 12 months. It gives lawyers a view of where depth of experience is strongest.[5]

Quality Standards in the Database

Every expert in the database meets set standards. Lawyers need to trust that the report will stand up to cross-examination and appeal scrutiny. As a result, the network applies strict rules before adding any new expert.[6]

• Academic or professional credentials: PhD, senior NGO experience, or recognised practitioner status.
• Field experience: Direct work in the country within the last 5 years, where possible.
• Publications: Peer-reviewed work or published NGO reports on the relevant issues.
• Court track record: Reports accepted by UK, US, EU, Canadian, or Australian courts.
• Source verification: Every cited source must be independently checkable.
• Peer review: Draft reports are reviewed by a second network expert before delivery.
• Independence: Experts commit to neutral, court-duty standards.

An expert's primary duty is to the court, overriding any duty to the instructing party. Expert evidence must be independent, uninfluenced by the pressures of litigation, and based on facts or assumptions clearly identified in the report.
UK Civil Procedure Rules, Part 35, Practice Direction 35, paras 2.1-2.2

How to Search the Database

Lawyers can use the find expert witness service to search by country, issue, language, or jurisdiction. The process is simple and fast.[7]

1. Enter country of origin: The system shows all relevant experts.
2. Filter by issue: Narrow by gender-based violence, political profile, disability, LGBTQ+, etc.
3. Check language: Some cases need an expert fluent in the client's language.
4. Check jurisdiction: UK, US, EU, Canadian, or Australian experience.
5. Request initial call: Most experts offer a free scoping conversation.
6. Send instructions: Formal letter of instruction triggers work.

Conclusion

The country expert database grows each week. This week, new coverage on Peru disability, Eritrea historical claims, and Georgia opposition persecution fills real gaps in UK and US practice. Regional clusters now span East Africa, West and Central Africa, MENA, South Asia, post-Soviet, Latin America, and non-EU Europe. Every expert meets strict quality standards on credentials, field experience, and court track record. For lawyers, the database turns hours of searching into minutes of targeted matching. Free initial consultations remove the barrier to early engagement. Good expert evidence is the single strongest tool in asylum practice. The database makes that evidence easier to find. For context on wider global trends, see the human rights section.