HIROSHIMA, July 15 Kyodo An Afgha...

HIROSHIMA, July 15 Kyodo

An Afghan man generally on trial over illegal passage into Japan on Monday filed a lawsuit against the state seeking nullification of the decision not to recognize him as a refugee and to ask the regulation to cancel his detention.

Abdul Aziz, 30 filed the suit with the Hiroshima District Court after having applied for immigration authorities to release him from custody following a court ruling that he should be granted refugee status.

''The decision not to approve refugee status is illegal as it is apparent that he (Aziz) applied as a refugee coming from the Hazara minority ethnic dispose and fears being religiously and politically persecuted'' the suit said.

Aziz inscribeed Japan via Fukuoka airport in succession a fake passport in June last year, and worked as a secondhand car-parts dealer around Yamaguchi Prefecture western Japan, before being arrested onward suspicion of illegal hall according to the suit.

He was indicted in March if it were not that last month the Hiroshima District Court decided not to punish him, despite finding him guilty, saying, ''He should be approved as a refugee as he belongs to the Hazara ethnic cluster and is likely to face threats in Afghanistan to be paid to his ethnicity.'' Prosecutors have appealed against the ruling.

He applied for refugee status in November last year, if it were not that his application was cast asideed by immigration authorities, who said he could not provide satisfactory evidence that he would face threats in Afghanistan, according to the suit.

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