Ruth Sitepu
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Malaysia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: November/30/2016
Current Status: Unknown
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Disappeared
Reason for Persecution: Proselytizing Activities Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Not Applicable
Ruth Sitepu
Extra Bio Info:
Ruth Sitepu was forcibly disappeared for her religious identity.
On November 30, 2016, Sitepu and her husband, Joshua Hilmy, were disappeared at the hands of authorities or with their acquiescence. The U.S. Department of State indicated in its 2020 International Religious Freedom Report that Hilmy was targeted because of his conversion from Islam to Christianity. The couple was known for their ministry activities and outreach to Muslims.
On March 6, 2017, Sitepu and Hilmy's landlord filed a formal missing persons report. In July 2021, a government official testified that there are no government records of Sitepu and Hilmy leaving the country since their disappearance.
In November 2025, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) urged authorities to immediately reopen investigations into the disappearance of Sitepu and her husband.
Related Cases: Joshua Hilmy
Publicly Available Information:
- USCIRF Annual Report 2023: Malaysia
- "No Record Found Showing the Departure of Missing Pastor and Wife" International Christian Concern (ICC)
- "Malaysian Government Withholds Evidence Concerning Missing Pastor" International Christian Concern (ICC)
- 2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Malaysia U.S. Department of State
- USCIRF Enforced Disappearances in Malaysia Factsheet October 2019