Additional Name(s): 周德勇

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: China

Religion or Belief: Falun Gong

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 8 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April/23/2021

Date of Sentencing: April/22/2023

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Cult

Zhou Deyong

Extra Bio Info:

Zhou Deyong is imprisoned for his religious activity.

On April 23, 2021, authorities in Dongying municipality, Shandong province detained Zhou and raided his home, confiscating Falun Gong materials that reportedly belong to his wife.

On May 31, 2021, authorities arrested Zhou on charges of "organizing and using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL) and brought him to the Binhai PSB Detention Center in Dongying District, Dongying.

On April 22, 2023, Dongying District Court authorities sentenced Zhou to eight years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of 100,000 yuans. 

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) advocates for Zhou as part of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project.

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Jun 08

WHEN:

Jun 8th 10:00am - Jun 8th 11:00am

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

USCIRF Conversation: Evaluating Religious Freedom in Uzbekistan

Thursday, June 8, 2023
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
Virtual Event

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hosted a virtual event that evaluated shifting religious freedom conditions in Uzbekistan.

Under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has taken noticeable steps to improve conditions for religious freedom in the country and to engage with international partners, including the U.S. government, on ways to further protect and promote this fundamental freedom. Despite this progress, however, USCIRF has documented the continuation of several problematic practices, such as the regular detention, arrest, and imprisonment of Muslims related to their religious activities. In recent months, authorities have fined or sentenced Muslim bloggers for online comments that express their religious views and raided an unregistered Baptist church in the midst of conducting Easter services. Uzbekistan has also continued to imprison an estimated two thousand religious prisoners of conscience, whom authorities have reportedly ill-treated, prevented from fasting during Ramadan, and subjected to additional pressure even after their release. This conversation examined ongoing and emerging concerns related to freedom of religion or belief in Uzbekistan.

USCIRF Commissioners Nury Turkel and David Curry joined guest panelists Ahmed Shaheed and Mihra Rittmann. USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst Keely Bakken moderated the conversation, which was followed by questions and answers, including questions from the audience. 

Panelists

  • Nury Turkel, Commissioner, USCIRF
  • David Curry, Commissioner, USCIRF
  • Ahmed Shaheed, Professor of International Human Rights Law in the School of Law and Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief
  • Mihra Rittmann, Senior Researcher on Central Asia at Human Rights Watch

Moderator

  • Keely Bakken, Supervisory Policy Analyst, USCIRF

This virtual event is open to the public and media. The video recording will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact [email protected].

Additional Name(s): Хамроев Бахром Мардонович

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: Yes

Appeal: Reduced to 13 Years, 9 Months' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 14 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: February/24/2022

Date of Sentencing: May/23/2023

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Legal Work for Religious Communities Online Activity Religious Association Religious Expression

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Incitement to Commit Crime & Violence Terrorism

Bakhrom Khamroev

Extra Bio Info:

Bakhrom Khamroev is imprisoned for his human rights work for religious communities and his alleged religious expression.

On February 24, 2022, authorities arrested Khamroev, a human rights lawyer and member of the Memorial Human Rights Center, for posts he allegedly made on social media discussing religion and referring to the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization. Khamroev was well-known for providing legal defense to Muslims accused of being in the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization.

On May 23, 2023, the Second Western District Military Court sentenced Khamroev to 14 years in prison for “public calls for terrorist activities, public justification of terrorism or propaganda of terrorism…committed with the use of mass media or electronic or information and telecommunication networks” (Art. 205.2-2 RCC) and “participating in the activities of an organization…recognized as terrorist” (Art. 205.5-2 RCC).

On October 10, 2023, the Military Court of Appeal reduced Khamroev's sentence by three months to 13 years and 9 months in prison.

In January 2024, prison officials reportedly beat Khamroev severely in retribution for his attempts to report officials' medical neglect and other degrading treatment to prison administration.

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