Avakimyan
Avakimyan v. Gonzales
Opinion
Lead Opinion
MEMORANDUM ***
Manya Avakimyan, a native of the former Soviet Union and citizen of Armenia, petitions pro se for review the Board of Immigration Appeals’ summary affirmance of the Immigration Judge’s (“IJ”) denial of her applications for asylum, withholding of *981 removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence, see Alvarez-Santos v. INS, 332 F.3d 1245, 1254 (9th Cir.2003), and deny the petition for review.
Significant internal inconsistencies in Avakimyan’s testimony, discrepancies between her testimony and her asylum application, and conflicting testimony offered by a relative with whom Avakimyan lives, support the IJ’s adverse credibility determination. See Malhi v. INS, 336 F.3d 989, 993-95 (9th Cir.2003). These inconsistencies went to the heart of Avakimyan’s claim as they related to the circumstances surrounding the alleged assaults, the number of times she and her husband were detained, and the extent of persecution she allegedly suffered on account of her religion. See Li v. Ashcroft, 378 F.3d 959, 962 (9th Cir.2004). Without credible testimony, the record lacks…