Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Bahá`í
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Mahsa Sotoudeh
Extra Bio Info:
Mahsa Sotoudeh is detained for her religious belief.
In spring 2026, agents of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps arrested Sotoudeh along with her sister, brother-in-law, and another Baha'i family amid an ongoing government crackdown against Baha'is. Authorities confined her to the women’s ward of Adelabad Prison.
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Date of Detainment: May//2026
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Ghazal Marzban
Extra Bio Info:
Ghazal Marzban is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.
In January 2026, authorities arrested Ghazal Marzban, a Catholic Christian convert, at her home in Tehran. Authorities confiscated her Bible and other religious literature and accused her of using the materials for evangelism. In May 2026, Judge Iman Afshari of the 26th Revolutionary Court sentenced her to 9 years, 8 months' imprisonment for “propaganda against the state” and “collusion against national security." Previously, in 2024, authorities sentenced Marzban to 2 years' imprisonment in Evin Prison for protesting against her mistreatment as a Catholic convert. Authorities released her early with threats of further imprisonment and 74 lashes if another "offence" was committed within 5 years.
Additional Name(s): 洛桑桑丹; Luosang Sangdan
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: China
Religion or Belief: Buddhist – Tibetan
Date of Detainment: September//2024
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Lobsang Samten
Extra Bio Info:
Lobsang Samten is detained for his religious activity.
In September 2024, authorities detained Lobsang Samten, a monk at Ngaba’s Kirti Monastery, for allegedly contacting someone outside of Tibet to dedicate prayers.