Shakila Rahman v. Eric Holder, Jr.

MEMORANDUM

Ruben Ayvazyan, a native and citizen of Armenia, petitions pro se for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s (“IJ”) decision denying his application for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (“CAT”). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence the agency’s factual findings, Chebchoub v. INS, 257 F.3d 1038, 1042 (9th Cir.2001), and we deny the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the agency’s adverse credibility determination based on the inconsistencies between Ay-vazyan’s testimony and medical document, which cast doubt on his claim that he was severely beaten by police, hospitalized, and attacked in the hospital. See id. at 1043 ; Wang v. INS, 352 F.3d 1250, 1258-59 (9th Cir.2003) (“Speculation and conjecture may not substitute for substantial evidence, but an IJ need not ignore palpable inconsistencies in a petitioner’s testimonial and documentary evidence that directly undermine his allegations of persecution.”) (internal quotation marks omitted). The agency reasonably rejected Ayvazyan’s explanations for the…