Additional Name(s): Jila Shahriari, ژیلا شهریاری

Gender: Female

Current Location: Evin Prison, Tehran

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Reduced to 2 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 5 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: September/11/2022

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Zhila Shahriari

Extra Bio Info:

Zhila Shahriari is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In August/September 2016, authorities arrested Shahriari reportedly in relation to her being Baha'i.

In September 2016, Shahriari was released on bail.

On an unspecified date, Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court reportedly sentenced Shahriari to five years in prison on unspecified charges. 

On an unspecified date, an appeals court reportedly reduced Shahriari's sentence to two years and six months in prison.

On September 11, 2022, Shahriari was taken into custody to begin serving her sentence in Evin Prison.

Publicly Available Information:

Sep 9, 2022

Since 2020, USCIRF has recommended that Nicaragua be included on the State Department’s Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom. In 2022, the Nicaraguan government has greatly intensified its oppression of the Catholic Church. Last month, USCIRF released a Country Update on Nicaragua, which highlighted the persecution of the clergy and the elimination of Church-affiliated organizations.

USCIRF Researcher Zack Udin, the author of the new report, joins us today to discuss the deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua.

Read USCIRF's 2022 Country Update on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua

Additional Name(s): Bobirjon Baratovich Tukhtamurodov, Тухтамуродов Бобиржон Баратович

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Uzbekistan

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 5 Years, 1 Month's Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April/11/2022

Date of Sentencing: June/23/2022

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials

Bobirjon Tukhtamurodov

Extra Bio Info:

Bobirjon Tukhtamurodov was imprisoned for his religious activity.

On April 11, 2022, Uzbek authorities arrested Tukhtamurodov at Tashkent airport after he arrived from Russia. Tukhtamurodov was said to have participated in a group between 2006 and 2010 that studied the works of Said Nursi. In January 2010, Tukhtamurodov fled Uzbekistan to Russia after Uzbek authorities arrested his brother for reading Said Nursi's writings. Uzbek authorities claimed Tukhtamurodov was responsible for “attracting talented youth to the ranks of Nurchilar [an alleged organization banned as extremist]” and “distributing materials and literature abounding in extremist ideas.”

On June 23, 2022, the District Criminal Court in Vobkent, Bukhara, sentenced Tukhtamurodov to five years and one month in prison for “preparation or distribution of materials containing a threat to public security or public order” (Art. 244-1 UCC) and "creation, management, and participation in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist, or other banned organizations" (Art. 244-2 UCC).

On March 27, 2024, Tukhtamurodov was released from prison.

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