Extra Bio Info:

Murtaja Qureiris was imprisoned for his religious identity and for protesting religious discrimination.

On September 20, 2014, authorities arrested Qureiris, who was 13 years old at the time, for participating in 2011 protests against Shi'a discrimination in the Eastern Province. He was 10 years old at the time of the protests. Following his arrest, he was reportedly held in solitary confinement for a month. He was also reportedly subjected to torture and forced to sign a confession.  He was also denied access to a lawyer or his parents as legal guardians. 

In January 2017, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention released an opinion about the detention of an unnamed Saudi minor - later revealed to be Qureiris - and called for his release. 

In September 2018, after being held four years without facing trial, Qureiris appeared before the Specialized Criminal Court. He was charged with allegedly participating in anti-government protests, joining a terrorist organization, throwing Molotov cocktails at a police station, and opening fire on security forces under provisions of Royal Decree No. 44, the Law on Firearms and Ammunitions, and Royal Decree No. 38 on explosive materials. Prosecutors had been reportedly pushing for the death penalty.

On June 16, 2019, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced Qureiris to 12 years in prison. 

On February 12, 2020, the Specialized Criminal Court reduced his sentence to eight years in prison.

On May 11, 2020, seven UN special rapporteurs sent a letter to the Saudi government, highlighting the unjust nature of Qureiris's detention. 

On June 24, 2022, Qureiris was released from prison.

Extra Bio Info:

Elshan Mustafaoglu was imprisoned for his religious expression and activism.

On December 17, 2014, authorities arrested Mustafaoglu, a Muslim scholar and former department head at the Caucasian Muslim Board, and charged with treason (Art. 274 ACC) after accusing him of spying for Iran.  Mustafaoglu was reportedly targeted for encouraging approaches to Islam outside the state's control.  Mustafaoglu was a co-founder of the Initiative Group for the Support of the Human Rights of Religious Citizens and the founder of the Appeal to Moral Purity organization.

Mustafaoglu alleged at trial that he had been tortured during the investigation.

On December 30, 2016, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced Mustafaoglu to 10 years in prison following a closed trial.

On June 23, 2022, Mustafaoglu was released from prison after his sentence was commuted. 

Extra Bio Info:

Abqul Suleymanov was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions.

On August 12, 2011, authorities arrested Suleymanov, a religious figure, for allegedly creating an extremist religious group without state registration, assisting a foreign state, and trying to incite mass demonstrations. Reporting indicates he was targeted for publicly opposing government policies impacting religious freedom conditions and for calling for protests. Suleymanov was charged with "illegally purchasing, transferring, selling, storing, transporting, and carrying firearms, accessories, supplies, and explosives" (Art. 228.1 ACC), "organizing actions meant to disrupt the social order or actively participating in such actions" (Art. 233 ACC), "illegally purchasing or storing without a purpose of selling narcotics or psychotropic substances in a quantity (amount) exceeding necessary for personal consumption" (Art. 234.1 ACC), and "exciting national, racial or religious hostility...with application of violence or with threat of its application" (Art. 283.2.1 ACC).

On August 10, 2012, the Baku Grave Crimes Court sentenced Suleymanov to 11 years in prison.

On January 23, 2013, the Baku Court of Appeal upheld Suleymanov's sentence.

On November 20, 2014, the Supreme Court upheld Suleymanov's sentence.

On September 30, 2022, Suleymanov was released from prison after completing his sentence.