Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Pakistan
Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: May//2023
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures)
Nature of Charges: Blasphemy
Adil Babar is detained for blasphemy.
In May 2023, police arrested Babar and his friend, Simon Nadeem, for allegedly calling a puppy "Muhammad Ali." The police charged Babar with "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC).
Related case: Simon Nadeem
Jun 9, 2023
USCIRF Releases New Report on Ethnonationalism and Religious Freedom in Nigeria
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on ethnonationalism and religious freedom in Nigeria:
Ethnonationalism and Religious Freedom in Nigeria – This report highlights ethnonationalist violence in Nigeria and its implications for religious freedom. Ethnonationalist fighters in Nigeria have politicized religion and attacked civilians based on ethnoreligious identity. These fighters commit some of the most egregious atrocities and human rights violations of any actors in the country. In several regions ethnonationalist militias have targeted ethnoreligious minorities as well as houses of worship and religious ceremonies with violence. This report documents these trends and highlights the Nigerian government’s disparate and ineffective approaches to curtailing violence by these groups, which have led to widespread impunity for violence, including violence against religious communities.
In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. State Department designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. In June 2022, USCIRF conducted a research delegation to Nigeria and published a USCIRF Spotlight episode detailing the visit’s findings titled “Religious Freedom Takeaways on the Ground in Nigeria.”
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].
Gender: Male
Current Location: Managua
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: May/22/2023
Date of Release: October/5/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Leonardo Guevara Gutiérrez was detained in relation to his religious beliefs and activities.
On May 22, 2023, police arrested Guevara Gutiérrez, parish priest of Estelí Cathedral Church in Estelí. The police forcibly transferred Guevara Gutiérrez to a "house of formation" of the Catholic Church in Managua while they investigate him. His arrest came amid a crackdown on the Roman Catholic Church and its leaders for their criticism of the government's policies, human rights record, and religious freedom conditions.
In October 5, 2023, Gutiérrez was released.
Related case: Eugenio Rodríguez Benavides