United States Sixth Circuit

Petition for review of a denial of asylum and related relief is denied where there was little in the record to suggest that petitioner's comments about a soured business deal with a prince amounted to political speech, for purposes of a claim that he was entitled to asylum in light of the circumstances of the monarchical government in the United Arab Emirates, where any expression against the integrity of a royal family member is said to constitute political expression.

Appellate Information

• Decided 05/06/2008
• Published 05/06/2008

Judges

• Before:  GILMAN, ROGERS, and McKEAGUE, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Cassandra J. Wiemken, Stites & Harbison, Louisville, Kentucky, for Petitioner.  Shahrzad Baghai, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Respondent.   ON BRIEF:  Cassandra J. Wiemken, Clark C. Johnson, Stites & Harbison, Louisville, Kentucky, for Petitioner.  Greg D. Mack, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Respondent.