UNHCR's written observations on the reference for a preliminary ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the matter between S. and A. and Netherlands

This preliminary reference from the Dutch Council of State to the Court of Justice of the European Union (“the Court”) concerns the interpretation of political opinion as a reason for a well-founded fear of persecution in Article 10(1)(e) of Directive 2011/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 (“Qualification Directive”) and whether “the State Secretary should investigate and assess, as a condition for granting international protection, whether the political opinion invoked by the foreign national is of a particular strength.”