Rushanyan

MEMORANDUM ***

Karapet Rushanyan, a native and citizen of Armenia, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ decision affirming the immigration judge’s denial of his applications for asylum and withholding of removal, and for relief under the Convention Against Torture. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1252 (a). We review the BIA’s factual findings for substantial evidence, INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478, 481 , 112 S.Ct. 812 , 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992), and we deny the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the BIA’s determination that the harassment, detention, and physical abuse suffered by Rushanyan on account of his Pentacostal religious beliefs does not rise to the level of past persecution. See Li v. Ashcroft, 356 F.3d 1153, 1158 (9th Cir.2004) (en banc); see also Halaim v. INS, 358 F.3d 1128 , (9th Cir.2004) (holding Ukranian Pentacostal Christians were not persecuted despite evidence in record showing repeated detention and harassment, interference with religious services, reduced employment opportunities, and denial of access to public education).

Substantial evidence also supports the BIA’s finding that Rushanyan has not…