Additional Name(s): 刘君

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: China

Religion or Belief: Falun Gong

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 8 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: July/13/2017

Date of Release: May/11/2018

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Cult

Wang Qihua

Extra Bio Info:

Wang Qihua is imprisoned for her religious activity.

On July 13, 2017, Xinzhou public security officials took into custody Wang and forced her to undergo reeducation. These actions were done in relation to Wang's practice of Falun Gong.

On September 6, 2017, authorities formally detained Wang.

On May 11, 2018, the Xinzhou People's Court sentenced Wang to eight years in prison for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL) and fined her 10,000 yuan.

Publicly Available Information:

  • "Wang Qihua" Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)

Additional Name(s): 张明朗

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: China

Religion or Belief: Falun Gong

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 5 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: December/22/2017

Date of Sentencing: January/7/2019

Current Status: Unknown

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Cult

Zhang Minglang

Extra Bio Info:

Zhang Minglang was imprisoned for his religious activity. 

On December 22, 2017, authorities in Bazhou district, Bazhong municipality, Sichuan province, detained at least 16 Falun Gong practitioners, including Zhang, in relation to their practice of Falun Gong.

On January 7, 2019, the Bazhou District People’s Court sentenced Zhang to five years in prison for "organizing or using a cult to undermine implementation of the law" (Art. 300 CCL).

Zhang's sentence should have ended in December 2022.

Publicly Available Information:

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: India

Religion or Belief: Sikh

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: November/4/2017

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Religious Belief Reporting on Religious Freedom Conditions or Documenting Religious Freedom Violations

Nature of Charges: Arms Trafficking & Illicit Use of Weapons Criminal Premeditation & Conspiracy Murder & Attempted Murder Terrorism

Jagtar Singh Johal

Extra Bio Info:

Jagtar Singh Johal is detained for his religious belief and religious freedom advocacy.

In November 2017, over a dozen plainclothes officers arrested Jagtar Johal, a Sikh activist and reporter, after his wedding in Jalandhar. Prior to his arrest, Johal was a contributor to a website that documented persecution of Sikhs in India. Authorities accused him of killing several Hindu leaders and politicians and, after obtaining confessions through torture, charged him with conspiracy, murder, terrorist acts, and using arms (Secs. 120B, 302 IPC; Sec. 16 UAPA; Sec. 27 Arms Act). Authorities confined him in Tihar Jail.

During detention, police tortured Johal into confession by using electric shocks, forcing his limbs into painful positions, and depriving him of sleep. Authorities also mistreated him by holding him incommunicado and denying him adequate legal counsel.

Publicly Available Information:
Subscribe to