Gender: Female

Perpetrator: China

Religion or Belief: Falun Gong

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 4 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: August//2018

Current Status: Unknown

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Distributing Religious Materials Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Hu Yating

Extra Bio Info:

Hu Yating was imprisoned for her religious activity.

In August 2018, authorities arrested Hu reportedly for passing out Falun Gong-related materials to a student.

In 2019, Hu was reportedly sentenced to four years in prison.

Hu's sentence should have ended in August 2022.

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): Jang Moon Seok

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: North Korea

Ethnic Group: Korean

Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 15 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: November//2014

Date of Release: November/5/2025

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Humanitarian Work & Charitable Activities Proselytizing Activities

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

Zhang Wen Shi

Extra Bio Info:

Jang Moon Seok was imprisoned for his religious activity.

In November 2014, Seok, a deacon, was abducted and transferred from China to a prison in North Korea for his evangelism, ministry activities, and humanitarian work benefiting North Korean defectors to China. North Korean authorities sentenced Seok to 15 years' imprisonment for "defaming the regime, attempt to incite subversion of state power, providing aid and gospel to North Koreans."

On November 5, 2025, Zhang Wen Shi was released from prison.

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Nigeria

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sufi

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Accepted: Death Overturned

Sentence: Originally Death

Date of Detainment: March//2020

Date of Sentencing: August/10/2020

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Religious Expression Singing, Playing, & Producing Religious Songs & Music

Nature of Charges: Blasphemy

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu

Extra Bio Info:

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is imprisoned for his religious expression. 

In March 2020, authorities arrested Sharif-Aminu, a musician and follower of the Sufi Tijaniyyah Order, for allegedly praising an imam from the Tijaniya Muslim brotherhood "to the extent it elevated him above the Prophet Muhammad." Soon after the recording, Sharif-Aminu was arrested and charged with blasphemy under Sec. 382(b) of the Kano State Sharia Penal Code Law 2000, and a mob burned down his family's home. 

On August 10, 2020, the Hausawa Filin Hockey Upper-Sharia Court convicted and sentenced Sharif-Aminu to death. He did not have legal counsel during the trial.

In January 2021, a High Court overturned Sharif-Aminu’s conviction, but ordered him to a retrial. The retrial order was upheld on appeal in August 2022.

In November 2022, Sharif-Aminu filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court held a preliminary hearing allowing the appeal to proceed in September 2025.

Publicly Available Information:
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