Kudryashov

MEMORANDUM

Petitioner Davit Kudryashov (“Ku-dryashov”), a native and citizen of Armenia, seeks review of the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) denying his application for asylum and withholding of removal. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We grant the petition and remand.

■ Kudryashov is a Molokan Christian who lived in Armenia before arriving in the United States. He testified that both he and his family members became targets for persecution at the hands of Armenian government officials. The Immigration Judge (“U”) found Kudryashov’s testimony not credible and, on that basis, denied his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture. Kudryashov appealed to the BIA. The BIA dismissed Ku-dryashov’s appeal and accepted the IJ’s adverse credibility finding.

Because the BIA adopted the IJ’s adverse credibility finding, we treat the IJ’s reasons as the BIA’s reasons. See He v. Ashcroft, 328 F.3d 593, 595-96 (9th Cir.2003). We review for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings, applying the REAL ID Act standards governing adverse credibility determinations. Shrestha v. Holder, 590 F.3d 1034, 1039…