Ghana World Cup fans seek asylum in Brazil

Hundreds of Ghanaian Muslims who entered Brazil as tourists for the World Cup have asked for asylum on religious grounds, police have said.

Noerci da Silva Melo, a federal police officer in the southern city of Caxias do Sul, said on Friday that 200 Ghanaians had asked for asylum after entering Brazil legally to watch their team play in Natal, Fortaleza and Brasilia.

Melo said the Ghanaians were Muslims who were “fleeing the violent conflicts between different Muslim groups”.

The justice ministry would decide whether to grant their requests, he added.

Vanessa Perini Moojen, of the Roman Catholic Church’s Migrant Support Centre, said the Ghanaians “faced life-threatening situations back home” and “feel they can find work and better living conditions in Brazil”.

The centre provided temporary shelter for the Ghanaians at the city’s seminary and helped them prepare their asylum requests.

Ghana finished last in its group, losing to the US and Portugal, and drawing with Germany.