Additional Name(s): Adiljan Tuniyaz, ئادىل تۇنىياز, 阿地里江·吐尼亚孜

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: China

Ethnic Group: Uyghur

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: December/25/2017

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Ethnoreligious Identity Translating Religious Texts

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Adil Tuniyaz

Extra Bio Info:

Adil Tuniyaz is detained for translating religious texts and for his ethnoreligious identity. 

On or around December 25, 2017, authorities in Urumqi municipality, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), detained Tuniyaz, a writer and poet, and his wife Nezire Muhemmet Salih reportedly in relation to their translation of religious texts.  Authorities had accused them of “promoting terrorism and religious extremism." Tuniyaz's arrest came amid a campaign of arbitrary mass detentions of Uyghurs and other largely Muslim ethnic minority groups.

Tuniyaz is married with four children. His son Imran was also detained.

Related Cases: Nezire Muhemmet Salih, Imran Adil

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Current Location: Central Prison, Sukkur

Perpetrator: Pakistan

Religion or Belief: Hindu

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: Life Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: September/15/2019

Date of Sentencing: February/7/2022

Date of Release: March//2024

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures)

Nature of Charges: Blasphemy

Notan Lal

Extra Bio Info:

Notan Lal was imprisoned for blasphemy.

On September 15, 2019, authorities arrested Lal, the owner and principal of a private school in Ghotki, after a student accused him of insulting the Prophet Muhammad during an Urdu lesson. Lal was charged with "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C). The accusation against Lal prompted protests and riots in Ghotki, where a Hindu temple was vandalized and Lal's school was damaged.

On February 7, 2022, Lal was sentenced to life in prison and fined 50,000 rupees. 

In March 2024, the Sindh High Court set aside Lal's conviction and released him from prison.

Lal is married with four children.

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): Annamurad Atdayev, Атдаев Аннамурад Нурмухаммедович, Atdaýew Annamyrat Nurmuhammedowiç

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Turkmenistan

Ethnic Group: Turkmen

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 15 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: September/27/2016

Date of Sentencing: December/13/2016

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Travel Abroad

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Hate Speech Treason & Sedition

Annamurad Atdaev

Extra Bio Info:

Annamurad Atdaev is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In September 2016, authorities arrested Atdaev when he returned to Turkmenistan from Egypt, where he had been studying Islam at al-Azhar University, and charged him with "hooliganism."

In December 2016, the Ashgabad City Court sentenced Atdaev to 15 years’ imprisonment for “conspiracy to seize power,” “calls to violent change of the constitutional order,” “inciting social, ethnic or religious hatred,” and “creating an organized criminal group” (Arts. 174-1, 175-2, 177-1, 275-1 TCC). Authorities denied him legal counsel during legal proceedings.

During his detention, authorities denied him access to legal counsel and held him incommunicado. In January 2017, authorities took Atdaev to an unknown location and refused to disclose his status or whereabouts. 

Publicly Available Information:
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