Extra Bio Info:

Erkinjon Oripov was imprisoned in relation to his religious activity. 

On August 8, 2000, the Tashkent’s Shaykhontakhur District Court sentenced Oripov to nine years in prison for “attempts to overthrow the constitutional order” (Art. 159 UCC), “illegal formation of public associations or religious organizations” (Art. 216 UCC), and an unspecified subsection of Article 244 UCC. Human rights defenders report that Oripov was arbitrarily detained by police because of his reputation in the community as a pious Muslim.  They also assert that he was never involved in any criminal or extremist activity.

On September 17, 2008, Oripov was resentenced to 18 years in prison by the Navoi Region Court in a closed trial in prison. The court found him guilty of "organizing a criminal group" (Art. 242 UCC), “attempts to overthrow the constitutional order” (Art. 159 UCC), and an unspecified subsection of Article 244 UCC. 

In September 2022, it was reported that Oripov had been released. 

Extra Bio Info:

Waleed abu al-Khair is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

In April 2014, authorities arrested al-Khair for legally defending religious prisoners of conscience, including Raif Badawi, and for criticizing the government's persecution of peaceful dissidents.

In July 2014, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced al-Khair to 15 years' imprisonment, imposed a 15-year travel ban following his release, and fined him 200,000 riyals. The Court found him guilty on six charges: “Seeking to discredit State legitimacy;” “Abusing public order with respect to the State and its officials;” “Inflaming public opinion and disparaging and insulting judicial authority;” “distorting the kingdom’s reputation, making international organizations hostile to the kingdom, and issuing unverified statements that harm [its] reputation” “founding an unlicensed organization;” and violating Saudi Arabia's anti-cybercrime law.

Saudi authorities held al-Khair incommunicado for three months from April to July 2016, physically assaulted him, deprived him of sleep, and denied him legal counsel and access to essential medication. Al-Khair went on a hunger strike to protest his mistreatment and medical neglect by prison authorities.

Related Case: Raif Badawi

Extra Bio Info:

Salman al-Ouda is detained for his religious activity and leadership role.

In September 2017, police arrested al-Ouda, a sheikh and Islamic scholar, from his home amid a state-wide wave of arrests of intellectuals and activists. Detention authorities held al-Ouda incommunicado, placed him in solitary confinement, and denied him legal counsel for the first five months of his detention. Authorities held him in pre-trial detention for a year without charge.

In September 2018, prosecutors at the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh charged al-Ouda with 37 crimes, including “affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood” and “corrupting the country by [bringing] about civil strife," and "inflaming society against the rulers and stirring up unrest.” Prosecutors sought the death penalty for al-Ouda.

In April 2025, it was reported that Saudi authorities had repeatedly suspended or delayed al-Ouda's case and kept him in solitary confinement.