Additional Name(s): Deoria Jail
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: India
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: June/11/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Javed Mohammed
Extra Bio Info:
Javed Mohammed is detained for his religious expression and religious freedom advocacy.
In June 2022, police in Uttar Pradesh arrested Mohammed, a well-known Muslim activist, after accusing him of organizing violent protests against a Bharatiya Janata Party official who made comments perceived to be insulting to Islam. Mohammed had also been critical of the religiously discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act. Authorities briefly detained Mohammed's wife and kids before demolishing their home the next day.
Publicly Available Information:
- "Prayagraj violence: Activist Javed Mohammed granted bail by Allahabad High Court" Scroll.in
- USCIRF Country Update: Religious Freedom Conditions in India November 2022
- "Jailed For Being The ‘Mastermind’ Of Prayagraj Violence, Muslim Activist Was Known For Keeping The Peace" Article 14
- “Lack Of Evidence In Cases Against Prayagraj Activists For June Violence, All Involved In Anti-Govt Dissent” Article 14
- “Jailed Or Punished, With Or Without Trial: How The State Misuses The Law Against India’s Inconvenient Citizens” Article 14
- “Prayagraj violence: National Security Act invoked against activist Javed Mohammed” Scroll.in
- “Amidst Official Silence, Allahabad Activist Javed Mohammad's Family Discover He Is in Deoria Jail” The Wire
- “Prayagraj Accused Javed Mohammed Has Stood for Peace, Worked Closely With Admin” The Quint
- “‘It Could Happen To Any Muslim Family’: A Student Activist On Her Father’s Arrest & Demolition Of Her Home” Article 14
- “UP Police Arrests Javed Mohammad, Calls Him 'Mastermind' of Prayagraj Violence” The Quint
Nov 03
Nov 3rd 10:00am
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Nov 3rd 11:00am
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
USCIRF Conversation: Iranian Government Propaganda Against Religious Minorities
Thursday, November 3, 2022
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
Virtual Event
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hosted a virtual discussion of USCIRF’s recent report on Iranian government propaganda and abuses against religious minorities, in light of the brutal crackdowns, arrests, and killings of peaceful protestors against the mandatory religious headscarf (hijab) laws.
Iran’s government uses both traditional and social media to incite intolerance against the country’s many religious minority communities, including Jews, Sunni Muslims, Gonabadi Sufis, Christian converts, and Baha’is. This propaganda promotes false narratives that Iranian religious minorities are disloyal and serves to justify the Iranian government’s ongoing and systematic crackdown on these groups.
The report, which draws on primary source Persian-language material, finds that Iran’s government commonly accuses religious minorities of having ties to foreign states and wishing to sow discord within the country. Iranian propaganda accuses Jews of being responsible for Iran’s economic problems and of being spies for Israel. Sunnis are framed as a demographic threat to the country’s Shi’a majority and therefore a national security threat. Iran’s propaganda falsely accuses Gonabadi Sufis of being a violent sect tied to foreign entities. It calls Christian converts members of a “Zionist evangelist cult” engaged in widespread security efforts against Iran. Baha’is are discussed as a deviant sect of Islam and a treasonous group with deviant moral practices. These messages serve to justify the Iranian government’s ongoing religious freedom violations.
USCIRF Commissioner Eric Ueland led the discussion with Shahin Milani, Executive Director of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center and author of the report.
- Eric Ueland, Commissioner, USCIRF
- Shahin Milani, Executive Director, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
- Scott Weiner, 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].
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Azerbaijan
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: July/25/2022
Date of Release: November/1/2022
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Conscientious Objection Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Not Applicable
Royal Karimov
Extra Bio Info:
Royal Karimov was detained for refusing to serve in the military on religious grounds.
On July 25, 2022, officers from the Gadabay District State Service for Mobilization and Conscription detained Karimov and brought him to the police station after summoning him for military service. Upon arriving to the office, Karimov conscientiously objected to military service and instead asked for a alternative civilian service. The following day, Karimov was taken to a military unit in Ganca.
On November 1, 2022, Karimov was released from the military unit in Ganca.