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OTTAWA — Mere association or “passive acquiescence” with a government that commits war crimes doesn’t make a person complicit with such crimes and shouldn’t exclude them from refugee status in Canada, the country’s top court ruled on Friday.

In a 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that refugee claimants must have “voluntarily made a significant and knowing contribution” to an organization’s criminal purpose to be denied refugee status in Canada.

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The court ruled in the case of Rachidi Ekanza Ekozola, a former Congolese diplomat who applied for refugee status in Canada after arriving in 2008. The Immigration and Refugee Board denied Ezokola refugee status, saying he had “personal and knowing awareness” of the crimes committed by his government and was thus complicit. The case then worked its way up to Canada’s top court.

Friday’s ruling sets a new test for the degree of participation in alleged war crimes that justifies denying refugee protection. The court rejected a guilt-by-association approach to complicity with such crimes, saying a “contribution-based” test should be applied.