Mar 23, 2026
On November 5, 2025, the High Court ruled in favor of the family of missing Pastor Raymond Koh, finding the Malaysian government and police liable for his abduction and enforced disappearance in 2017. While the court’s decision brought comfort to Koh’s family, his whereabouts remain unknown. Similarly, there have been no substantial progress made to the cases of missing Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife Ruth Sitepu, as well as Shia activist Amri Che Mat.
On this episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, Chair Vicky Hartzler interviews the wife of missing Pastor Raymond Koh, Susanna Liew, and human rights lawyer Andrew Khoo to inquire about justice for victims of religiously-motivated enforced disappearance in Malaysia.
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Bahá`í
Date of Detainment: November//2022
Current Status: Not Released
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Parva Behdad
Extra Bio Info:
Parva Behdad is imprisoned for her religious activity.
In November 2022, Iranian security forces arrested Behdad at her home for managing a social media channel associated with the Baha’i faith.
In March 2023, the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan sentenced Parva Behdad to 3 years’ imprisonment and additional supplementary punishments. Authorities summoned her to serve her sentence in March 2026.
The Qatari government systematically represses unregistered religious groups, including Baha’is, Buddhists, and Hindus. It limits and monitors worship practices for select Shi’a and Sunni Muslims and a few Chrisian denominations. It denies Baha’is residency permits, prosecutes members of the community, and refuses to issue marriage certificates or allocate burial grounds to them. Official curriculum promotes and endorses discrimination against Christians, Jews, nonbelievers, and Shi’a Muslims.