Displaying results 1 - 100 of 181

Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee is imprisoned for her activism and criticism of state-endorsed religious interpretations. 

On September 26, 2022, authorities arrested Iraee from her home in…

Abune Antonios was placed under house arrest and died in state custody for resisting state-interference in church affairs.

On January 20, 2006, authorities notified Antonios, patriarch of…

Sevada Aghasar was imprisoned for his religious activity and being associated with religious converts. 

In August 2013, authorities arrested Aghasar at the workplace of a friend in…

Mohammad bin Hassan al-Habib is imprisoned for his religious expression, leadership role, and religious freedom advocacy.

In July 2016, authorities detained al-Habib, a Shi'a cleric, as he…

Ibrahim El Zakzaky was detained for his religious belief, religious activity, and religious leadership role. 

On December 12, 2015, authorities arrested El Zakzaky, a Shi'a Muslim…

Zeenah Ibraheem was detained for her religious belief and activity.

On December 12, 2015, authorities arrested Ibraheem and her husband, El Zakzaky, a Shi'a Muslim cleric and leader of the…

Taimoor Raza is imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

In April 2016, authorities arrested Raza after he was accused of insulting various Islamic figures on Facebook. …

Nadeem Samson was detained for blasphemy.

On November 24, 2017, authorities arrested Samson after he was accused of committing blasphemy on Facebook following a property dispute. …

Ho Duc Hoa was imprisoned in relation to his religious activity. 

In late July/early August 2011, authorities arrested Hoa, a Catholic social activist, journalist, and community…

Amri Che Mat was forcibly disappeared for his religious activity.

On November 24, 2016, Mat, a Shi'a Muslim convert, was abducted while driving to visit a friend. According to…

Huma Younus was subjected to forced renunciation of faith.

In October 2019, a man abducted 14-year-old Younus and forced her to convert to Islam and marry him. Her family subsequently filed…

Maira Shahbaz was subjected to forced renunciation of faith.

In April 2020, three men abducted at gunpoint 14-year-old Maira Shahbaz, forced her to renounce her Christian faith,…

Nadeem James is imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy. 

In July 2016, authorities arrested James after he was accused of forwarding allegedly blasphemous content to a friend.…

Shehzad Masih is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.

In July 2017, authorities arrested 16-year-old Masih after a coworker and another individual accused him of…

Stan Swamy was detained and died in state custody for his civil society work helping religious communities.

On October 8, 2020, the National Investigation Agency arrested Swamy, a Jesuit…

Jimmy Lai's imprisonment inhibits religious freedom advocacy.

On August 10, 2020, Lai, a media mogul, democracy activist, and advocate of religious freedom, was arrested from his home in…

A Tach is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In 2012, authorities arrested Tach in relation to his activities with the unregistered Ha Mon Catholic Church. …

Runh was imprisoned for his religious activity.

In 2012, authorities arrested Runh, a house-church leader, in relation to his activities with the unregistered Ha Mon Catholic Church. …

A Kuin was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In 2013, authorities arrested Kuin, a member of the unregistered Ha Mon Catholic Church, after he attended a prayer…

A Jen is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In October 2015, authorities arrested Jen for participating in a religious group not approved by the government. …

A Tik was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In October 2015, authorities arrested Tik for participating in a religious group not approved by the government. …

Ali al-Nimr was imprisoned for his religious identity and for protesting religious discrimination.

In July 2012, authorities detained Al-Nimr, the nephew of prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-…

Dawood al-Marhoun was imprisoned for his religious identity and for protesting religious discrimination.

On May 21, 2012, authorities arrested al-Marhoun, who was 17 years old at the time…

Abdullah al-Zaher was imprisoned for his religious identity and for protesting religious discrimination.

In March 2012, authorities detained al-Zaher, 15 years old at the time, for…

Mariyum Lal was detained for blasphemy.

On April 9, 2021, authorities arrested Lal, who is a nurse, and her coworker, Newsh Arooj, after an incident at their workplace. According to…

Newsh Arooj was detained for blasphemy.

On April 9, 2021, authorities arrested Arooj, who is a nurse, and her coworker, Mariyum Lal, after an incident at their workplace. According to…

Patrick George Zaki was imprisoned for his expression about his religious identity.

On February 7, 2020, authorities arrested Zaki, a graduate student and human rights researcher, at…

Ramy Kamel was detained for his civil rights work and religious freedom advocacy.

On November 23, 2019, security forces arrested Kamel, a human rights activist and founder of the…

Joseph Zhang Weizhu is detained for his religious activity. 

On May 21, 2021, authorities detained Zhang, the Vatican-approved bishop of the Xinxiang Diocese in Henan, the day after…

Luka Binniyat was detained for his reporting on religious groups and religious freedom conditions. 

On November 4, 2021, authorities arrested Binniyat, a journalist for the Epoch…

Movsum Samadov was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions and for his political activity.

On January 7, 2011, authorities arrested Samadov, head of the Islamic Party…

Abqul Suleymanov was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions.

On August 12, 2011, authorities arrested Suleymanov, a religious figure, for allegedly creating an extremist…

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…

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…

Israa al-Ghomgham is imprisoned for her religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In December 2015, Saudi authorities arrested al-Ghomgham, a well-known Shi'a activist, along with…

Mousa al-Hashim is imprisoned for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In December 2015, Saudi authorities arrested al-Hashim along with his wife, a well-known Shi'a…

Elvin Muradov was imprisoned for his religious activity and association.

On March 13, 2020, Azerbaijani police detained Muradov, a member of the unregistered Muslim Unity Movement (MUM)…

Ahsan Nuruzade is imprisoned for his religious association.

On October 6, 2017, two plainclothes officers abducted Nuruzade, a member of the unregistered Muslim Unity Movement (MUM)…

Run was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

In 2013, authorities arrested Run after authorities accused him of using his affiliation with the Ha Mon Catholic Church, a…

Dinh Kuh was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

In October 2015, authorities arrested Kuh for participating in a religious group not approved by the government. …

Lup is detained for his religious belief and activity. 

In March 2020, authorities arrested Lup. Authorities accused him of spreading Ha Mon Catholicism, a religious movement not…

Kunh is detained for his religious belief and activity. 

In March 2020, authorities arrested Kunh. Authorities accused him of spreading Ha Mon Catholicism, a religious movement…

Ju is detained for his religious belief and activity. 

In March 2020, authorities arrested Ju. Authorities accused him of spreading Ha Mon Catholicism, a religious movement not…

James Su Zhimin was forcibly disappeared for his religious leadership role and activity. 

In March 1996, Su, an unregistered bishop in Baoding, Hebei Province, was arrested…

Marco Girgis is imprisoned for blasphemy.

On June 14, 2021, authorities arrested Girgis for having pictures on his phone deemed to be offensive to Islam. During interrogation, he was…

Mounir Samir Mounir was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested Mounir and several other Copts a week after they had peacefully…

Raymond Mamdouh William was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested William and several other Copts a week after they had peacefully…

Jayid Saad Zekry was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested Zekry and several other Copts a week after they had peacefully…

Milad Mahrous Tawfik was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested Tawfik and several other Copts a week after they had…

Abanoub Magdy Semaan was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested Semaan and several other Copts a week after they had…

Girgis Samir Girgis was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested Girgis and several other Copts a week after they had peacefully…

Shenouda Salib Hosni was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested Hosni and several other Copts a week after they had…

Mina Salib Hosni was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested Hosni and several other Copts a week after they had peacefully…

Milad Reda Tawfik Ayyad was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On January 30, 2022, authorities arrested Ayyad and several other Copts a week after they…

Waseem Abbas is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.

In June 2020, authorities arrested Abbas after he was accused of sending written letters insulting Islam. 

Mohammed Issam al-Faraj is imprisoned for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

On June 29, 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting the state's…

Ali Hassan al-Faraj is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting against the state's treatment…

Ahmed Abdul Wahid is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting against the state's treatment of…

Ali Mohammed Al Bati is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested Al Bati for protesting against the state's treatment…

Mohammed Hussein Al Nimr is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested Al Bati for protesting against the state's…

Jalal Labbad was imprisoned and executed for his religious identity and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On February 23, 2017, authorities arrested Labbad from his family’s home…

Apollinaris Darmawan was imprisoned for his religious expression.

In August 2020, Bandung police arrested Darmawan after he was accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad and Islam on social…

Monireh Arabshahi was imprisoned for her women’s rights activism against compulsory religious veiling.

In April 2019, authorities arrested Arabshahi for protesting compulsory hijab by…

Razi Humbatov is imprisoned for his religious association.

In July 2021, plainclothes officers arrested Humbatov, a member of the unregistered Muslim Unity Movement (MUM) organization, for…

Liu Honggeng is imprisoned for his religious leadership role and for practicing his religion without state-approval.

On May 7, 2015, authorities in Baoding city, Hebei province,…

Ahmed al-Matrood is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On an unspecified date, Saudi authorities arrested al-Matrood for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's…

Khaled al-Ghanim is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On an unspecified date, Saudi authorities arrested al-Ghanim for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's…

Ali al-Ouwaisher is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On an unspecified date, Saudi authorities arrested al-Ouwaisher for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's…

Mujtaba al-Muzain is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On an unspecified date, Saudi authorities arrested al-Muzain for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's…

Rolando Álvarez was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions.

On August 4, 2022, police prevented Álvarez, bishop of the Matagalpa diocese, from leaving his home to perform…

Salma al-Shehab was imprisoned for her women's rights activism opposing state-imposed religious systems as well as her religious identity.

On January 15, 2021, authorities arrested al-…

Ramiro Tijerino was imprisoned in relation to criticism of religious freedom conditions.

On August 4, 2022, police prevented several people, including Tijerino, a priest, from leaving the…

Sadiel Eugarrios was imprisoned in relation to criticism of religious freedom conditions.

On August 4, 2022, police prevented several people, including Eugarrios, a priest, from leaving…

Raúl Antonio Vega was imprisoned in relation to criticism of religious freedom conditions.

On August 4, 2022, police prevented several people, including Antonio Vega, a deacon, from…

José Luis Díaz was imprisoned in relation to criticism of religious freedom conditions.

On August 4, 2022, police prevented several people, including Luis Díaz, a priest, from leaving the…

Darvin Leiva was imprisoned in relation to criticism of religious freedom conditions.

On August 4, 2022, police prevented several people, including Leiva, a seminarian, from leaving…

Melkin Sequeira was imprisoned in relation to criticism of religious freedom conditions.

On August 4, 2022, police prevented several people, including Sequeira, a seminarian, from leaving…

Sergio Cárdenas was imprisoned in relation to criticism of religious freedom conditions.

On August 4, 2022, police prevented several people, including Cárdenas, a cameraman, from…

Youssef al-Manasif is imprisoned and sentenced to death for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In April 2017, authorities arrested al-Manasif for participating in…

Abdullah al-Derazi was imprisoned and executed for his religious identity and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On August 27, 2014, Tarut Island Police arrested al-Derazi in…

Muzaffar Davlatmirov was imprisoned for his religious activity.

On July 26, 2022, authorities in Gorno-Badakhshan Region (GBAO) detained Davlatmirov, a prominent cleric, reportedly for…

Elshan Abbasov was imprisoned for his religious activity.

On March 3, 2022, plainclothes officers in Barda arrested Abbasov, a member of the Muslim Unity Movement (MUM).  Activists…

Shamkhal Eyvazov was detained for his religious activity.

In April 2018, customs officials arrested Eyvazov, a member of the Muslim Unity Movement (MUM), and his brother, Migdad Eyvazov,…

Ioann Kurmoyarov was imprisoned for his religious beliefs.

On June 7, 2022, authorities arrested Kurmoyarov, a hieromonk, after he posted several videos on his YouTube channel outlining…

Cui Tai is detained for his religious leadership role.

On June 19, 2020, police in Zhangjiakou municipality, Hebei province, detained Cui Tai, a Catholic bishop, reportedly in…

Fikremariam Hagos Tsalim was detained in relation to his religious leadership role and religious expression.

On October 15, 2022, authorities arrested Tsalim, the Catholic bishop of…

Mihretab Stefanos was detained in relation to his religious leadership role and religious expression.

On October 11, 2022, authorities arrested, Stefanos, the priest of St.…

Abraham Habtom Gebremariam was detained in relation to his religious leadership role and religious expression.

In October 2022, authorities arrested Gebremariam, a Capuchin abbot. …

Ivan Levitsky was detained for his religious leadership role.

In November 2022, Russian forces in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Ukraine, reportedly abducted hieromonk …

Bohdan Geleta was detained for his religious leadership role.

In November 2022, Russian forces in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Ukraine, reportedly abducted Geleta, a priest…

Enrique Martínez was detained for his religious leadership role.

On October 13, 2022, authorities reportedly violently arrested Martínez, the parish priest of St. Martha’s Church in…

Shahin Gadirov is imprisoned for his religious association.

On November 23, 2022, Azerbaijani authorities arrested Gadirov, a member of the unregistered Muslim Unity Movement (MUM), on his…

Abdolhamid Masoumi Tehrani was detained in relation to criticizing religious freedom conditions.

On October 16, 2022, authorities in Tehran reportedly arrested Tehrani, an ayatollah…

Hani Gibran was detained for criticizing religious freedom conditions.

On June 4, 2022, police arrested Gibran after he posted about the targeting of the Coptic Christian community on…

Oscar Benavidez was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions.

On August 14, 2022, authorities reportedly arrested Benavidez, a priest, after he performed mass. …

Gratia Pello was imprisoned for his religious expression.

In December 2022, authorities in Surabaya, East Java, reportedly arrested Pello, a professor at a Christian theological school…

Anwar Kenneth was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

In 2001, authorities reportedly arrested Kenneth after he was accused of writing letters perceived as blasphemous towards…

Mikhail Simonov is imprisoned for criticizing Russia's war in Ukraine with religious language.

On November 9, 2022, authorities in Moscow arrested Simonov over two social media posts he…

Jaime Iván Montesinos Sauceda was detained in relation to criticism of religious freedom conditions.

On May 23, 2023, police arrested Montesinos Sauceda, the parish priest of San Juan…

Eugenio Rodríguez Benavides is detained in relation to his religious beliefs and activities. 

On May 20, 2023, police arrested Rodríguez Benavides, parish priest of Divina…