“Persecution” is a legal concept in asylum law. Not every frightening, unfair, discriminatory, or criminal act necessarily reaches the legal level of persecution, and the answer can depend on the nature, severity, frequency, and cumulative effect of the harm.
Describe facts before labels
Instead of writing only “I was persecuted,” document what actually happened: dates, places, injuries, threats, detention, property damage, restrictions, who caused the harm, what the person said, whether the harm repeated, and what happened when protection was sought.
A series of events may need to be considered together rather than one incident at a time.
The reason for the harm also matters
Even serious harm does not by itself establish asylum. The applicant generally must establish the required connection between persecution and race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
Evidence can take many forms
Evidence may include detailed testimony, witness statements, photographs, medical records, police or court documents, messages, organizational records, and reliable country-conditions material. Some evidence may be unavailable; document reasonable efforts to obtain important missing records.
Official sources
Whether particular facts legally amount to persecution is case-specific and may require legal analysis.