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Jamaloddin Khanjani was detained for his religious association. 

On August 13, 2023, security forces apprehended Khanjani and his daughter Maria Khanjani and took them to Evin…

Hu Shigen was imprisoned in relation to his religious activity and religious leadership role. 

On July 10, 2015, Hu, a pro-…

Mohammad Roghangir was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.

in October 2012, authorities arrested Roghangir, a member of the Church of Iran, after authorities raided a…

Youcef Nadarkhani was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

On May 13, 2016, intelligence officials in Rasht…

Pezhman Shahriari was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On August 17, 2018, authorities arrested Shahriari in Shiraz under unclear circumstances. He was reportedly denied…

Mahboub Habibi was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On August 17, 2018, authorities arrested Habibi in Shiraz under unclear circumstances. He was reportedly denied access…

Farzad Homayouni was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On March 27, 2017, authorities arrested Homayouni and four others in Isfahan under unclear circumstances. He…

Adel Naimi was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

In July 2012, intelligence agents arrested Naimi following a raid on his home.  Authorities confiscated several…

Azita Rafizadeh was imprisoned for her religious association and for providing religious education.

In the years prior to her arrest, Rafizadeh had been questioned by…

Hassan Sarvestani Momtaz was imprisoned for his religious association and for providing religious education.

In the years prior to his arrest, Momtaz, an educator, had been questioned…

Manouchehr Rahmani was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On January 24, 2017, authorities arrested Rahmani in Isfahan under unclear circumstances. He was reportedly…

Sohrab Naghipour was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On March 27, 2017, authorities arrested Naghipour and four others in Isfahan under unclear circumstances. He…

Negin Ghadamian was imprisoned for her religious association and for providing religious education.

In the years prior to her arrest, Ghadamian, an educator, had been questioned by…

Vahed Kholousi was imprisoned for his religious belief and education rights and human rights activism.

In February 2010, authorities arrested Kholousi reportedly in relation to his…

Kidane Weldou is detained for his religious activity and leadership role.

In March 2005, authorities forcibly disappeared Weldou from the streets of Asmara, leaving his car abandoned. Weldou…

Haile Naizghe is detained for his religious activity and leadership role.

In May 2004, authorities arrested Naizghe, a pastor of the Full Gospel Church, which was part of a network of banned…

Meron Gebreselasie is detained for his religious leadership role. 

In June 2004, authorities arrested Gebreselasie, pastor of Massawa Rhema Evangelical Church, for his leadership…

Kiflu Gebremeskel is detained for his religious activity and leadership role. 

In May 2004, Eritrean authorities arrested Gebremeskel, a pastor of the banned Southwest Full Gospel…

Bakhrom Kholmatov was imprisoned for his religious activity.

On April 10, 2017, authorities Kholmatov, pastor of the Sonmin Sonbogym (Full Gospel) Protestant Church, following a raid…

Naser Navard Goltapeh is imprisoned for his religious activity. 

In February 2025, authorities detained Goltapeh and other Christians without charge and sent him to Evin Prison. …

Farhad Fahandezh was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 17, 2012, intelligence officials arrested Fahandezh and several other Bahá’ís of Gorgan and the…

Payman Koushk-Baghi was imprisoned for his religious association and for providing religious education.

On February 28, 2016, authorities arrested Koushk-Baghi reportedly without…

Ju Dianhong is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In late 2016 (around September), Yunnan authorities detained Ju and several colleagues.  They were…

Liang Qin is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

In late 2016 (around September), Yunnan authorities detained Liang and several colleagues.  They were…

Mohammad Ali Mosayebzadeh was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.

On May 13, 2016, authorities arrested Mosayebzadeh, a member of the Church of Iran, and several…

Mohammad Reza Omidi was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

On May 13, 2016, authorities arrested Omidi, a member of the Church of Iran, and several others…

Zaman Fadaei was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.

On May 13, 2016, authorities arrested Fadaei, a member of the Church of Iran, and several others while performing…

Ebrahim Firouzi was detained for practicing his religion as a convert. 

On February 8, 2021, authorities arrested Firouzi again after he released videos detailing the authorities'…

Afshin Bulbulan was imprisoned for his religious identity and activity.

On September 23, 2018, intelligence agents arrested Bulbulan following a raid on his home. His arrest coincided with…

Ali Sani was imprisoned for his religious identity and activity.

On September 23, 2018, intelligence agents arrested Sani following a raid on his home. His arrest coincided with…

Anoush Rayeneh was imprisoned for his religious identity and activity.

On September 23, 2018, intelligence agents arrested Rayeneh following a raid on his home. His arrest coincided with a…

Bahareh Zayni was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

On September 23, 2018, intelligence agents arrested Zayni following a raid on her home. Her arrest coincided with a…

Foujan Rashidi was imprisoned for her religious identity and activity.

On September 23, 2018, intelligence agents arrested Rashidi following a raid on her home. Her arrest coincided…

Farhang Sahba is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On September 23, 2018, intelligence agents arrested Sahba following a raid on his home.  He was then …

Milad Davardan was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On September 23, 2018, intelligence agents arrested Davardan following a raid on his home. His arrested coincided with…

Saham Armin was imprisoned for his religious identity and activity.

On September 23, 2018, intelligence agents arrested Armin following a raid on his home. His arrest coincided with a…

Yalda Firouzian was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

On April 30, 2019, authorities arrested Firouzian and took her to an undisclosed location after raiding her home.…

Behnam Eskandarian was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On April 30, 2019, authorities arrested Eskandarian and took him to an undisclosed location after police…

Mahrokh Ghanbari was imprisoned for practicing her religion as a convert.

In July 2019, authorities reportedly arrested Ghanbari. She was later released on bail.  She was reportedly…

Fatemeh Bakhtari was imprisoned for practicing her religion as a convert. 

In May 2017, authorities arrested Bakhtari and her husband, Zaman Fadaei, under unclear circumstances.…

Samin Maghsoudi was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

On October 21, 2017, authorities arrested Maghsoudi under unclear circumstances. She was reportedly denied…

Ardeshir Fanaian was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On April 30, 2019, authorities arrested Fanaian and took him to…

Noman Asghar is imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

In June 2019, authorities arrested Asghar and his friend, Sunny Mushtaq, for receiving images deemed blasphemous via WhatsApp…

Ashfaq Masih is imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

In June 2017, authorities arrested Masih, a bicycle mechanic, following a dispute with a customer. Authorities charged Masih…

Ksor Ruk is imprisoned for his religious activity. 

On October 30, 2018, authorities arrested Ruk, a missionary and religious leader.  Authorities accused him of reviving Degar…

Siu Doang is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In 2016, authorities arrested Doang, a house-church leader, for participating in a religious group not approved by the government.…

Ro Mah Pla was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In 2013, authorities arrested Pla after accusing him of taking direction from Montagnards overseas to spread Degar…

Siu Dik is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In 2016, authorities arrested Dik, a deacon, for participating in a religious group not approved by the government.  Authorities…

Ksor Phit is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In 2016, authorities arrested Phit, a deacon, for participating in a religious group not approved by the government. …

Ksor Pup is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In 2016, authorities arrested Pup, a house-church leader, for participating in a religious group not approved by the government. …

Sung A Khua was imprisoned in relation to his religious identity. 

On January 2, 2019, Sung was sentenced to two years and two months in prison. Prior to the ruling, Sung and his…

Kamal Naamanian was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

On February 15, 2019, authorities arrested Naamanian at a house-church.  Other members of the…

Jang Moon Seok was imprisoned for his religious activity.

In November 2014, Seok, a deacon, was abducted and transferred from China to a prison in North Korea for his evangelism,…

Zhao Huaiguo is detained for his religious activity.

On March 14, 2020, state security officials detained Zhao, pastor of the unregistered house church Bethel Church, from his…

Tan Defu was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On December 10, 2018, public security officials in Chengdu municipality, Sichuan province, detained Tan, an elder…

Rah Lan Hip is imprisoned for his religious activity. 

In May 2019, state media announced that authorities had arrested Hip for "undermining national unity policy" (Art. 116/2015…

Joo Gwang Ho is detained for his religious activity.

On an unspecified date, authorities in China arrested Joo Gwang Ho for his evangelism to ethnic-Chinese citizens and North Korean…

Chung Yong Cheol is imprisoned for his religious activity.

On an unspecified date, Chinese authorities arrested 77 North Koreans, including Chung Yong Cheol, for studying the Bible.

In…

Chang Man Sik is detained for his religious activity.

In July 2000, authorities in China arrested Chang Man Sik for his religious activities. Chang Man Sik had previously escaped…

Lee Soo Gil was executed for his religious activity.

In December 2001, authorities in China arrested Lee Soo Gil for evangelizing and helping North Korean refugees escape to South Korea. He…

Kpuih Khuong is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In 2014, authorities arrested Khuong, a leader in the Degar Protestant Church, after accusing him of organizing meetings in support…

Ro Ma Daih is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In September 2016, authorities arrested Daih for being affiliated with the Degar Protestant Church, a church not approved by the…

Puih Bop is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In September 2016, authorities arrested Bop for being affiliated with the Degar Protestant Church, a church not approved by the…

Ksor Kam is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In September 2016, authorities arrested Kam for being affiliated with the Degar Protestant Church, a church not approved by the…

Ro Lan Kly is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In September 2016, authorities arrested Kly for being affiliated with the Degar Protestant Church, a church not approved by the…

Dinh Nong is imprisoned for his religious activity.

In September 2016, authorities arrested Nong for being affiliated with the Degar Protestant Church, a church not approved by the…

Hamid Soudad was imprisoned for his expression about religion.

On January 20, 2021, Soudad was arrested for insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad reportedly…

Sajjad Masih Gill was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

On an unspecified date, authorities arrested Gill, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist community, after he was…

Behnam Akhlaghi was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.

On February 23, 2019, Akhlaghi was summoned to the Revolutionary Guard office and detained…

Mehdi Khatibi was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

On February 23, 2019, authorities arrested Khatibi at a house-church.  Other members of the Church of Iran…

Babak Hosseinzadeh was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.

On February 23, 2019, authorities arrested Hosseinzadeh while he was at a house-church.  Other members of…

Shahrooz Eslamdoust was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.

On February 15, 2019, authorities arrested Eslamdoust at a house-church. Other members of the Church of Iran in…

Khalil Dehghanpur was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

On January 29, 2019, authorities arrested Dehghanpur at a house-church. Other members of the Church of Iran…

Mohammed Vafadar was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

On February 15, 2019, authorities arrested Vafadar at a house-church.  Other members of the Church…

Hossein Kadivar was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.

On January 29, 2019, authorities arrested Kadivar at a house-church.  Other members of the Church of Iran in…

Abdolreza Ali Haghnejad is detained for practicing his religion as a convert.

On January 15, 2022, authorities reportedly arrested Haghnejad, a church leader, in Bandar Anzali for a…

Zhang Chunlei is detained for his religious activity.

On March 16, 2021, authorities detained Zhang, an elder of the Love (Ren’ai) Reformed Church, for "illegally operating as an…

Milad Goudarzi was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

In November 2020, authorities raided Goudarzi's home and confiscated his personal belongings, including…

Ameen Khaki is imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

In November 2020, authorities raided Khaki's home and confiscated his personal belongings, including…

Alireza Nourmohammadi is imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert.

In November 2020, authorities raided Nourmohammadi's home and confiscated his personal belongings,…

Hadi Rahimi was imprisoned for practicing his faith as a convert.

On May 14, 2020, Rahimi, a member of the Church of Iran, was taken into state custody after being unable to pay bail.…

Alimujiang Yimiti was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On January 12, 2008, authorities detained Yimiti, a house church minister, in Kashgar, Xinjiang,…

Sakineh Behjati is imprisoned for practicing her faith as a convert.

On May 14, 2020, authorities took Behjati, a member of the Church of Iran, into custody after being unable to pay…

Zhang Shaojie was imprisoned for his religious activity and leadership role.

On November 16, 2013, public security officers in Nanle county, Puyang municipality, Henan province,…

Siu Hlom was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In August 2010, authorities arrested Hlom after a series of protests in Gia Lai rubber plantations. Authorities accused him…

Rmah Bloanh was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

In 2014, authorities arrested Bloanh after accusing him of organizing meetings to establish support for Degar…

Rmah Khil was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

In 2014, authorities arrested Khil after accusing him of organizing meetings to establish support for Degar…

Y Hriam Kpa was imprisoned for his religious activity and for resisting state pressure to dissolve his church.

On July 30, 2015, authorities arrested Kpa, a house-church leader in Ea H’leo…

Rah Lan Rah is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In December 2020, authorities arrested Rah following a crackdown on the First Christian Church, an independent house church…

Siu Chon is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In December 2020, authorities arrested Chon following a crackdown on the First Christian Church, an independent house church.…

Ro Mah Them is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In December 2020, authorities arrested Them following a crackdown on the First Christian Church, an independent house…

Y Tup Knul is detained for his religious belief and activity.

On October 6, 2020, authorities arrested Knul for his affiliation with the Degar Protestant Church, a religious movement not…

Wang Yi is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On December 9, 2018, authorities detained Wang, pastor of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu and a former human…

Jam Singh was detained in relation to his religious belief and activity.

On December 26/27, 2021, authorities arrested Singh, who is a pastor, and two others after they were accused of…

Ansingh Ninama was detained in relation to their religious belief and activity.

On December 26/27, 2021, authorities arrested Ninama, who is a pastor, and two others after they were…

Mangu Mehtab Bhuriya was detained in relation to their religious activity. 

On December 26/27, 2021, authorities arrested Bhuriya and two others after they were accused of trying to…

Y Wo Nie is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On September 13, 2021, authorities arrested Nie, a member of an independent house church Dak Lak, for taking online…

Mahnaz Jan Nesar was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, authorities arrested Nesar and several other Baha’is in Bandar Abbas reportedly for attending Baha’i…

Maral Rasti was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, authorities arrested Rasti and several other Baha’is in Bandar Abbas reportedly for attending Baha’i…

Arash Rasekhi was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, authorities arrested Rasekhi and several other Baha’is in Bandar Abbas reportedly for attending Baha’i…