Khachatryan

MEMORANDUM

Vladimir Khachatryan, a native and citizen of Armenia, petitions for review of the decision of the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”) dismissing his appeal from the Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) denial of his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). Khacha-tryan claims he suffered past persecution on account of his religious affiliation and also feared future persecution as a member of a particular social group.

Under our case law, unless the IJ makes an explicit adverse credibility finding, an applicant’s testimony must be accepted as true. Kalubi v. Ashcroft, 364 F.3d 1134, 1137 (9th Cir.2004). Here, because the IJ made no express adverse credibility finding and the BIA did not address credibility, Khachatryan’s credible and uncontroverted testimony as to his attacker’s motivation compels the conclusion that he established the requisite nexus to be eligible for asylum on the basis of past persecution. See Antonyan v. Holder, 642 F.3d 1250, 1254 (9th Cir.2011). We remand to allow the BIA to consider in the first instance the issue of future persecution on account of membership in a religious…