Additional Name(s): Aierken Tuerxun, ئەركىن تۇرسۇن

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: China

Ethnic Group: Uyghur

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 19 Years, 10 Months' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: March//2018

Date of Sentencing: May/5/2018

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Ethnoreligious Identity

Nature of Charges: Harboring a Fugitive Incitement to Commit Crime & Violence

Erkin Tursun

Extra Bio Info:

Erkin Tursun is imprisoned in relation to his ethnoreligious identity.

In March 2018, authorities in Ghulja County, Ili  Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Tursun, a Uyghur television journalist and producer at state broadcaster Ili Television, reportedly in relation to a program he produced about the financial struggles of three Uyghur students.

On May 5, 2018, Tursun was sentenced to 19 years and ten months in prison "for harboring criminal[s] and inciting national enmity or discrimination."

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): Дадаш Мәженовтің

Gender: Male

Current Location: ZK-169/1 Prison, Kyzylorda

Perpetrator: Kazakhstan

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 7 Years, 8 Months' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April/23/2018

Date of Sentencing: October/13/2020

Date of Release: March/14/2025

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Giving, Sharing, & Listening to a Religious Speech Online Activity

Nature of Charges: Incitement to Commit Crime & Violence Terrorism

Dadash Mazhenov

Extra Bio Info:

Dadash Mazhenov was imprisoned for posting online religious content.

On April 23, 2018, authorities arrested Mazhenov in relation to posts he made online containing religious sermons in 2015, despite deleting the content in 2017.

On November 16, 2018, the Burabai District Court sentenced Mazhenov to seven years and eight months in prison for “promotion of terrorism or public calls for making of the act of terrorism…with use of mass media or networks of telecommunications” (Art. 256-2 KCC).  It also fined him 60,790 tenges.

On January 30, 2019, the Akmola Regional Court upheld Mazhenov's sentence but reduced his fine to 1,255 tenges.

On February 25, 2019, Mazhenov's bank accounts were frozen after he was placed on the Finance Ministry's watch list.

On January 21, 2020, the Supreme Court annulled Mazhenov's conviction and ordered that he be given a new trial.

On October 13, 2020, the Akmola Regional Court upheld Mazhenov's original verdict and fined him 134,599 tenges.

Mazhenov was reportedly tortured while imprisoned, specifically in relation to practicing his religion in prison.

On March 14, 2025, Mazhenov was freed from a labor camp after completing his jail term.

Mazhenov is married.

Publicly Available Information:

Additional Name(s): سعیده خضوعی

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Health Concerns: Migraines

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: April//2022

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Saeedeh Khozui

Extra Bio Info:

Saeedeh Khozui was detained in relation to her religious belief and activity.

On April 11, 2022, Khozui was reportedly arrested after appearing at a courthouse.

On May 24, 2022, Khozui was reportedly released on bail.

Publicly Available Information:
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