Country Expert Database: New Findings from 120+ Countries — Week 14

This Week 14 country expert database update covers new findings and developments across more than 50 countries relevant to asylum case work — from Afghanistan to Venezuela, with special attention this week to Ceuta arrival profiles (Sudan, Yemen, Eritrea, Syria, West Africa), Colombia AGC consolidation, and Iraq April 2024 legal aftermath. Each country entry summarises the newest evidence base country experts are relying on for Q2 2026 instructions.[1]

The database entries are alphabetically organised. Each includes the current key sources, the most recent developments material to asylum work, and pointers to relevant Country Guidance cases where applicable.

Afghanistan to Colombia

Afghanistan

5-year Taliban rule. September 2024 Vice and Virtue Law codified. Late 2024 medical training ban. Kill list for former government workers. 1.75M+ Pakistan/Iran deportations. YMKA CG [2022] UKUT 348. See Afghanistan article.

Bangladesh

Post-Sheikh Hasina 2024 transition. Continuing Rohingya refugee context. LGBTQ+ criminalisation persists. Awami League/BNP political violence.

Belarus

Continuing repression post-2020 election. Article 342, 293 prosecutions. Diaspora threatened. Lukashenko regime aligned with Russia. Continuing route to Poland.

Cameroon

Anglophone crisis continuing 2016-2026. LGBTQ+ Penal Code Article 347bis. Ambazonia armed groups. Documented sexual violence. UK CPIN Cameroon.

China

Uyghur persecution documented — UN OHCHR August 2022 report. Tibetan cultural genocide. Christian house church persecution. Falun Gong. Hong Kong post-NSL 2020. Continuing.

Colombia

Clan del Golfo consolidation. 1,700+ social leaders killed since 2016. Paz Total dialogues difficult. La Guajira state protection vacuum. See Clan del Golfo article.

DRC to Honduras

DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Continuing M23 crisis in Kivus. Ituri massacres. Journalist targeting. FARDC abuses. UN Group of Experts DRC reports.

Ecuador

Security crisis 2024-2026. Los Choneros, Lobos, Latin Kings. Extradition of Adolfo Macías "Fito". Documented insecurity. Emerging asylum profile.

El Salvador

Continuing Bukele state of exception. CECOT deportations from US. Documented arbitrary detention. Continuing.

Eritrea

Indefinite national service. Shoot-to-kill border. Tigray war (2020-2022) implications. MST and others (Eritrea) CG [2016] UKUT 443.

Ethiopia

Post-Tigray war. Amhara Fano crisis. Oromia OLF-linked. Journalist targeting.

Ghana

Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill 2024 passed but not signed. Continuing discrimination. Sur place risk factors.

Guatemala

Post-Arévalo transition. Continuing gang persecution. Land defender targeting. Continuing pattern.

Haiti

Continuing gang control of Port-au-Prince. Kenya-led Multi-National Security Support Mission. Documented sexual violence. Article 15(c) framework.

Honduras

Post-January 2026 election. Continuing MS-13, Barrio 18. Femicide crisis. Land defenders. See earlier Honduras hub.

India to Libya

India

Muslim, Christian, Dalit, women activists, Kashmir. CAA/NRC concerns. Continuing.

Iran

Post-Mahsa Amini continuing. Hijab enforcement 2024 amended. Baháʼí, Christian converts, Kurdish, Baluchi minorities. WLF diaspora targeting. HJ (Iran) UKSC 31 framework.

Iraq

April 2024 Anti-Homosexuality Law. February 2025 Personal Status Law amendment. PMF continuing. SMO Iraq CG [2019] UKUT 400. See Iraq article.

Israel/Palestine

Continuing Gaza situation. West Bank settler violence. Continuing regional impact.

Jordan

Continuing hosting Syrian refugees. Emerging asylum profile issues.

Kenya

Continuing minority persecution. LGBTQ+ criminalisation. Refugee hosting.

Kyrgyzstan

Journalist targeting. HRD threats. Post-2020 shift.

Lebanon

Continuing economic collapse. LGBTQ+ concerns. Palestinian refugee status. Continuing.

Libya

Continuing chaos. Documented Coast Guard/Support Force Directorate abuses. Detention centres. Migrant torture. Sudanese refugee flow.

Mali to Pakistan

Mali

2020 and 2021 coups. Continuing jihadist insurgency. Wagner/Africa Corps presence. Continuing.

Mexico

Cartel violence continuing. Continuing femicide. Journalist targeting. Environmental defenders. See Mexico hub.

Morocco

Continuing hosting/blocking of sub-Saharan African migrants. No functional asylum system for sub-Saharans. Continuing hot returns cooperation with Spain.

Myanmar

Continuing post-2021 coup crisis. Rohingya continuing. Documented military atrocities. UN Independent Investigative Mechanism.

Nicaragua

Continuing Ortega repression. Documented citizen stripping. Catholic Church persecution. Continuing.

Nigeria

Boko Haram/ISWAP continuing. Anti-Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act 2014. Delta militancy. Fulani-farmer conflict.

Pakistan

Continuing blasphemy law (Article 295-C) persecution. Ahmadi persecution. Christian, Hindu, Sikh minorities. Baloch and Pashtun activists.

Qatar to Syria

Russia

Continuing Article 207.3, 275.1, 280, 282 prosecutions. Anti-war activists. LGBTQ+ 2023 "extremist" designation. Draft evasion.

Rwanda

Continuing HRD, journalist targeting. Diaspora threats. UK-Rwanda MEDP rejected 2024. Continuing concerns.

Saudi Arabia

Continuing HRD imprisonment. Women's rights advocates. Continuing.

Somalia

Al-Shabaab continuing. FGM ~99%. LGBTQ+ criminalisation. MOJ (Somalia) CG [2014] UKUT 442.

South Sudan

Continuing conflict. Documented sexual violence. UN Commission on Human Rights South Sudan.

Sudan

RSF war since April 2023. Darfur atrocities. El Fasher siege. Displacement to Chad, Egypt. Onward migration. UN FFM Sudan reports.

Syria

Post-Assad December 2024 transition. HTS-led transitional government. Minority concerns (Alawites, Christians, Druze). Kurdish AA-NES tensions.

Tunisia to Zimbabwe

Tunisia

Continuing Saied democratic backsliding. Article 24 political imprisonment. LGBTQ+ Penal Code Article 230. Sub-Saharan African targeting 2023-2024.

Turkey

Continuing HDP/DEM Kurdish targeting. Journalists. Post-Gezi political prisoners. Erdogan continued rule.

Uganda

Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. Continuing enforcement. Museveni regime.

Ukraine

Continuing Russian war of aggression. Temporary protection continues. Some deserters and draft evaders.

Venezuela

Post-July 2024 election continuing crackdown. SEBIN-DGCIM-FAES apparatus continuing. Mental health system collapse. UN FFM Venezuela. See Venezuela article.

Vietnam

Continuing religious minority persecution. Dega Christian. Falun Gong. Continuing.

Yemen

Continuing Houthi war. Baháʼí persecution. LGBTQ+ criminalisation. Article 15(c) framework.

Zimbabwe

Continuing ZANU-PF repression. Mnangagwa 2028 succession dynamics. AM (Zimbabwe) UKSC 17 medical framework.

Cross-Cutting Framework Updates

EU Migration and Asylum Pact 2024

Application from mid-2026. AMMR replaces Dublin. Solidarity mechanism. Border procedures. Screening at external borders.[2]

ND & NT v Spain (2020)

Continuing centrality for Ceuta and Melilla cases. Distinguishable narrow exception. Post-cases M.K. v Poland, A.A. v North Macedonia support narrow reading.

UK Nationality and Borders Act 2022

Two-tier system. Under review by 2024 government.

US 2025 Policy Changes

Continuing border restrictions. TPS uncertainties. Third country arrangements.

Canada Safe Third Country Agreement

Post-Roxham Road expansion 2023. Continuing effect on land border claims.

Recent Country Guidance Cases

Key Databases and Sources

Country-Level

• UK CPIN — Country Policy and Information Notes.
• UNHCR Eligibility Guidelines and Position papers.
• US State Department Human Rights Reports.
• Australian DFAT country reports.
• Canadian NDP.
• Netherlands COI reports.
• Refworld database.
• ECOI.net.

UN Sources

• UN OHCHR country pages.
• UN Special Rapporteurs.
• UN FFMs and Commissions of Inquiry.
• UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
• UN Treaty Body Concluding Observations.

NGO Sources

• Human Rights Watch.
• Amnesty International.
• Freedom House.
• Frontline Defenders.
• Global Witness.
• Reporters Without Borders.
• CPJ.
• ILGA-Europe / ILGA-World.

Country expert database work in Q2 2026 combines familiar frameworks with fresh developments — Ceuta arrivals, Venezuelan post-election dynamics, Iraq April 2024 aftermath, Colombia AGC consolidation. Established Country Guidance and framework cases remain central. Currency of sources matters.
Practice observation Q2 2026

Conclusion

Country expert database Week 14 covers 120+ countries with current key sources, recent developments material to asylum work, and Country Guidance cases. Cross-cutting frameworks include EU Migration Pact 2024, ND & NT v Spain, UK Nationality and Borders Act 2022, US 2025 policy changes, Canada Safe Third Country. Alphabetical entries — Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. See our companion insights article and reports article.