Aug 4, 2022

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale and unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine, falsely claiming that it aimed to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the country. While many people are broadly aware of the terrible toll that Russia’s war has wrought on civilians, there is less awareness about the religious ramifications of the Russian invasion.

Ruslan Khalikov and Liliia Pidgorna, two scholars with the Workshop for the Academic Study of Religion in Ukraine, join us today to discuss the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had on religious freedom.

Read USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report Chapter on Russia

Read USCIRF’s Backgrounder: Russia

Additional Name(s): Lorang Konchok, བློ་བཟང་དཀོན་མཆོག་, 洛桑贡觉(音), 罗让贡求

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: China

Ethnic Group: Tibetan

Religion or Belief: Buddhist – Tibetan

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: Life Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: August//2012

Date of Sentencing: January/31/2013

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Reporting on Religious Freedom Conditions or Documenting Religious Freedom Violations

Nature of Charges: Murder & Attempted Murder

Lobsang Konchog

Extra Bio Info:

Lobsang Konchog is imprisoned for sending information about self-immolations.

In August 2012, Chinese authorities arrested Kirti Monastery monk Konchog and his nephew Lobsang Tsering after they were suspected of “passing on information to exiles in India” about Tibetans who had self-immolated. Police accused the two of “instigating” eight Tibetans to set themselves on fire that later reportedly resulted in three deaths.

On January 31, 2013, the Aba Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Konchog to death suspended for two years for “intentional homicide” in relation to the self-immolations.  According the the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), the sentence should have been commuted to life imprisonment. 

Related Cases: Lobsang Tsering

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): ندا شبانی

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 1 Year's Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: August/2/2022

Date of Sentencing: August//2020

Date of Release: February//2023

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: House Arrest

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

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

Neda Shabani

Extra Bio Info:

Neda Shabani was under house arrest for her religious belief and activity.

In November 2018, authorities arrested Shabani in relation to her being Baha'i. 

In January 2019, Shabani was released on bail.

In August 2020, Branch 2 of the Shahriar Revolutionary Court sentenced Shabani to one year in prison for "propaganda against the state" (Art. 500 IPC).

On an unspecified date, Shabani's sentence was upheld.

On August 2, 2022, Shabani began serving his sentence under house arrest.

In February 2023, Shabani was released from house arrest after receiving amnesty.

Related Cases: Houman Khoshnam, Elham Salmanzadeh, Payam Shabani, Kianoush Salmanzadeh, Soroush Agahi, Parvan Manavi, Jamileh Pakrou, Peyman Manavi

Publicly Available Information:
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