Sep 9, 2022

Since 2020, USCIRF has recommended that Nicaragua be included on the State Department’s Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom. In 2022, the Nicaraguan government has greatly intensified its oppression of the Catholic Church. Last month, USCIRF released a Country Update on Nicaragua, which highlighted the persecution of the clergy and the elimination of Church-affiliated organizations.

USCIRF Researcher Zack Udin, the author of the new report, joins us today to discuss the deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua.

Read USCIRF's 2022 Country Update on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua

Additional Name(s): Bobirjon Baratovich Tukhtamurodov, Тухтамуродов Бобиржон Баратович

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Uzbekistan

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 5 Years, 1 Month's Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April/11/2022

Date of Sentencing: June/23/2022

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials

Bobirjon Tukhtamurodov

Extra Bio Info:

Bobirjon Tukhtamurodov was imprisoned for his religious activity.

On April 11, 2022, Uzbek authorities arrested Tukhtamurodov at Tashkent airport after he arrived from Russia. Tukhtamurodov was said to have participated in a group between 2006 and 2010 that studied the works of Said Nursi. In January 2010, Tukhtamurodov fled Uzbekistan to Russia after Uzbek authorities arrested his brother for reading Said Nursi's writings. Uzbek authorities claimed Tukhtamurodov was responsible for “attracting talented youth to the ranks of Nurchilar [an alleged organization banned as extremist]” and “distributing materials and literature abounding in extremist ideas.”

On June 23, 2022, the District Criminal Court in Vobkent, Bukhara, sentenced Tukhtamurodov to five years and one month in prison for “preparation or distribution of materials containing a threat to public security or public order” (Art. 244-1 UCC) and "creation, management, and participation in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist, or other banned organizations" (Art. 244-2 UCC).

On March 27, 2024, Tukhtamurodov was released from prison.

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): الهام چوبدار

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Sentence: Death

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: LGBTI+ Rights

Nature of Charges: Miscellaneous Religious Crimes

Elham Choubdar

Extra Bio Info:

Elham Choubdar is imprisoned for her LGBTI+ identity through religious motivated grounds.

On an unspecified date around late 2021, authorities arrested Choubdar in relation to her real or perceived LGBTI+ identity and social media activities in support of LGBTI+ rights.

In September 2022, it was reported that the Urmia Revolutionary Court sentenced Choubdar to death for "committing corruption on Earth" (Art. 286 IPC) by "trafficking women to the Kurdistan region of Iraq."

In March 2023, it was reported that Choubdar had been released on bail.

In February 2024, it was reported that Choubdar had been arrested to serve out the rest of her sentence.

Related Cases: Zahra Sedighi-Hamadani

Publicly Available Information:
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