Additional Name(s): Zeenatudeen
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Nigeria
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: December/12/2015
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Illegal Assembly Murder & Attempted Murder Public Disorder
Zeenah Ibraheem
Extra Bio Info:
Zeenah Ibraheem was detained for her religious belief and activity.
On December 12, 2015, authorities arrested Ibraheem and her husband, El Zakzaky, a Shi'a Muslim cleric and leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), reportedly after the Nigerian army killed more than 300 IMN followers in Zaria, including three of the couple's sons.
Despite the High Court of Nigeria ordering the two's release in December 2016, Ibraheem and El Zakzaky remained in custody.
In August 2019, a judge granted reportedly Ibraheem and El Zakzaky bail to travel to India to receive medical care. When the couple arrived in India, they were reportedly dissatisfied and distrusting of the medical team and conditions at the hospital and refused treatment.
In September 2020, Ibraheem and El Zakzaky pleaded not guilty to "culpable homicide," "unlawful assembly," "disruption of public peace," and other charges.
On July 28, 2021, a court in Kaduna State acquitted Ibraheem and El Zakzaky of all charges and ordered their release.
On an unspecified date, Ibraheem and El Zakzaky were released.
Related Cases: Ibrahim El Zakzaky
Publicly Available Information:
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"Kotu ta wanke Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky" Deutsche Welle (DW)
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"Dambarwar kan belin Ibrahim El-Zakzaky" Deutsche Welle (DW)
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"Alleged culpable homicide: El-Zakzaky pleads not guilty in Kaduna" The Guardian Nigeria
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"Nigeria: End Repression of Shia Group" Human Rights Watch
Additional Name(s): Ibrahim Zakzaky
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nigeria
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a
Health Concerns: Minor strokes, sight loss
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: December/12/2015
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Illegal Assembly Murder & Attempted Murder Public Disorder
Ibrahim El Zakzaky
Extra Bio Info:
Ibrahim El Zakzaky was detained for his religious belief, religious activity, and religious leadership role.
On December 12, 2015, authorities arrested El Zakzaky, a Shi'a Muslim cleric and leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), and his wife, Zeenah Ibraheem, reportedly after the Nigerian army killed more than 300 IMN followers in Zaria, including three of the couple's sons.
In December 2019, the High Court of Nigeria reportedly ordered El Zakzaky and Ibraheem's release, but they remained in custody.
In August 2019, a judge granted El Zakzaky and Ibraheem bail to travel to India to receive medical care. When the couple arrived in India, they were reportedly dissatisfied and distrusting of the medical team and conditions at the hospital and refused treatment.
In September 2020, El Zakzaky and Ibraheem pleaded not guilty to "culpable homicide," "unlawful assembly," "disruption of public peace," and other charges.
On July 28, 2021, a court in Kaduna State acquitted El Zakzaky and Ibraheem of all charges and ordered their release.
On an unspecified date, El Zakzaky and Ibraheem were released.
Related Cases: Zeenah Ibraheem
Publicly Available Information:
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"Kotu ta wanke Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky" Deutsche Welle (DW)
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"Dambarwar kan belin Ibrahim El-Zakzaky" Deutsche Welle (DW)
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"Alleged culpable homicide: El-Zakzaky pleads not guilty in Kaduna" The Guardian Nigeria
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"Nigeria: End Repression of Shia Group" Human Rights Watch
Gender: Male
Current Location: Weibei Prison, Shandong
Perpetrator: China
Ethnic Group: Han
Religion or Belief: Christian – Church of Almighty God
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 10 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: October/24/2017
Date of Sentencing: August/8/2018
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Possession of Religious Materials Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Cult
Yao Shuzhi
Extra Bio Info:
Yao Shuzhi is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On October 24, 2017, officers from the National Security Brigade of the Heze Public Security Bureau Mudan Branch detained Yao and two others reportedly in relation to their religious belief. Yao was writing a script for the church when authorities raided his location. Police reportedly seized religious materials, electronics, and other items.
On August 8, 2018, the Mudan District People’s Court of Heze city sentenced Yao to ten years in prison and fined him 50,000 yuan for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL).
On an unspecified date, the Heze Intermediate People’s Court of Shandong province rejected Yao's appeal.
Yao is believed to be serving his sentence at Weibei Prison, Shandong.
Publicly Available Information:
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"Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Their Belief" Bitter Winter
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China Prisoners Database Details: YAO Shuzhi Human Rights Without Frontiers
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"Cases of Arbitrary Arrest and Detention of CAG Christians by CCP" Association for the Defense of Human Rights and Religious Freedom