Iranian Christian Convert Granted Asylum in Canada After U.S. Deportation
Based on 2 sources Updated 3 weeks ago
Artemis Ghasemzadeh, an Iranian Christian convert who was deported from the United States, has been granted asylum in Canada. Ghasemzadeh, 27, arrived on Denman Island near Vancouver in July 2026 after being sponsored by a Canadian couple. She had previously fled Iran, where conversion to Christianity is punishable by imprisonment or death, and entered the U.S. in December 2024.
Following her arrival in the U.S., Ghasemzadeh was detained and subsequently deported to Panama alongside 11 other Iranian Christians as part of U.S. immigration policies. Advocacy groups, including International Christian Concern, criticized the removal, alleging she was denied access to legal counsel and a "credible fear" interview. While in Panama, she sought Canadian asylum after legal counsel indicated a return to the U.S. was unlikely.
The case prompted U.S. Representative Yassamin Ansari to introduce the Artemis Act, which seeks to prevent the expedited removal of asylum seekers from countries designated by the State Department as having severe religious freedom violations. The bill remains pending in the U.S. House of Representatives.