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Raif Badawi was imprisoned for his religious freedom advoacy, expression about religion, and for criticizing religious authorities.

In June 2012, authorities arrested Badawi, a…

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…

Majid Kashan was imprisoned for practicing his religion as a convert. 

On November 18, 2017, authorities arrested Kashan at a house-church. Kashan is believed to have been originally…

Amanollah Balochi is imprisoned and sentenced to death for his religious belief and activity. 

On November 19, 2015, authorities arrested Balochi, a Sunni cleric, on his way home from…

Abdolrahim Kouhi is imprisoned and sentenced to death for his religious belief and activity. 

On November 20, 2015, authorities arrested Kouhi, a Sunni cleric, from his home. Kouhi…

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…

Ilgar Aliyev was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On April 19/20, 2017, armed forces arrested Aliyev in Izberbash, accusing Aliyev of holding classes…

Komil Odilov was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

In December 2015, authorities arrested Odilov, an imam, alongside several others in cafe in Novosibirsk. …

Renat Suleimanov was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On October 2, 2017, authorities arrested Suleimanov following a raid on his home in Molodezhnoe, Crimea.…

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…

Ruhiddin Fahriddinov was imprisoned for his religious activity.

In November 2005, Kazakh authorities detained and deported Fahriddinov, a scholar and independent imam, to Uzbekistan.…

Ma Guoxia was detained for her religious activity.

On April 17, 2019, authorities arrested Ma reportedly for her practice of Falun Gong. They reportedly searched her home the day before.…

Gong Hua was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In February 2018, authorities arrested Gong and several others for their Falun Gong activities.

In January 2019, the…

Sun Ping was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In February 2018, authorities arrested Sun and several others for their Falun Gong activities.

In January 2019, the…

Wang Mingquan is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In October 2017, authorities arrested Wang from his home. Police reportedly confiscated Falun Gong materials and…

Deng Chuangjiu was imprisoned for his religious activity. 

In October 2017, authorities arrested Deng from his workplace after accusing him of using WeChat to disseminate…

Zhu Ya is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, public security officials from Huangpi district, Wuhan municipality, Hubei province, detained Zhu in…

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. …

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'…

Sadriddin Mulloyev is imprisoned for his religious activity and association.

In September 2019, authorities arrested Mulloyev and accused him of being a member of Tablighi Jamaat, a banned…

Li Xiaochun was imprisoned for distributing religious materials.

In September 2019, authorities arrested Li after catching him handing out Falun-Gong-related materials. 

In…

Zeng Yinlang was imprisoned for distributing religious materials. 

In September 2019, authorities arrested Zeng as she was distributing Falun Gong-related materials in Susong…

Bakhtiar Arefi was imprisoned for his religious association and activity. 

On January 25, 2015, authorities arrested Arefi, a teacher.  A month later, he was released on bail.…

Javad Karimzaei was detained for his religious belief and activity. 

On August 8, 2019, intelligence officers reportedly arrested Karimzaei, a student at the Shorshadi religious…

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.…

Xu Xiujuan is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In June 2017, authorities arrested Xu in relation to her Falun Gong activity. It is reported that she was tortured while in…

Li Yuanyou was imprisoned for her religious activity.

In September 2018, authorities arrested Li for distributing Falun Gong-related materials.

In December 2019, Li was reportedly…

Bolatbek Dyusenbekovich Nurgaliyev was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

On October 27, 2018, authorities arrested Nurgaliyev for participating in a WhatsApp group chat…

Ernar Samatov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

On October 27, 2018, Kazakh authorities arrested Samatov for participating in a WhatsApp group chat about Islam.…

Beket Mynbasov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

On October 27, 2018, Kazakh authorities arrested Mynbasov for participating in a WhatsApp group chat about Islam…

Deng Cuiping was imprisoned for her religious activity.

On July 24, 2016, officers from the Public Security Bureau in Chengjiang County detained Deng and four others for distributing Falun…

Ma Zhenyu was imprisoned for his religious activity. 

On September 19, 2017, authorities arrested Ma after he sent mail to government leaders about Falun Gong persecution.

On…

Zhang Aili was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In November 2018, authorities arrested Zhang reportedly in relation to her practice of Falun Gong. She was held at the…

Yao Guofu was imprisoned for distributing religious materials.

On December 5, 2015, plainclothes police officers detained Yao and his wife, Liang Xin, from their home in Nanyang…

Liang Xin was imprisoned for distributing religious materials.

On December 5, 2015, plainclothes police officers detained Liang and her husband, Yao Guofu, from their home in Nanyang…

Zhao Jiyuan is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

In July 2019, authorities arrested Zhao reportedly in relation to his Falun Gong activities. Police searched his home…

Wang Hongyu was imprisoned for her religious activity.

In April 2019, authorities arrested Wang for talking to people about Falun Gong. Police reportedly searched her home, confiscating…

Zhou Shuxian was imprisoned for distributing religious materials. 

In July 2019, authorities arrested Zhou for distributing Falun Gong materials. It is reported that Zhou was beaten…

Fu Deju was imprisoned for her religious activity.

In July 2019, authorities arrested Fu for distributing Falun Gong-related materials.  Police reportedly confiscated cash from her…

Li Yuehu was imprisoned for his religious activity.

On July 11, 2019, authorities arrested Li after police found Falun Gong-related materials on him.

In December 2019, Li was…

Zhou Yuzhen was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In April 2019, authorities arrested Zhou in Jinzhou city after being accusing her of distributing Falun Gong materials. …

He Wen was under house arrest for expressing views about her religion.

In July 2018, He was arrested after shouting religious views while at Tiananmen Square. Police reportedly…

Wang Yingxia was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In August 2018, authorities arrested Wang for distributing Falun Gong-related materials.  She was charged with "…

Feng Peirong is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In December 2018, authorities arrested Feng, a teacher, after being accusing her of promoting Falun Gong in her classroom…

Li Guo was imprisoned for his religious activity. 

In May 2018, authorities arrested Li while he was allegedly distributing out Falun Gong-related materials. Police reportedly…

Han Ling was imprisoned for her religious activity.

In May 2019, authorities arrested Han for distributing Falun Gong-related materials. 

In December 2019, the…

Deng Huizhong was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In May 2019, authorities arrested Deng after she talked to people about Falun Gong. 

In December 2019, Deng was…

Kuang Zhihua is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In September 2017, authorities arrested Kuang reportedly in relation to her practice of Falun Gong.

In the summer…

Zheng Yixiu is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In September 2017, authorities arrested Zheng alongside a colleague reportedly in relation to their Falun Gong activities.…

Liu Yongying was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

On April 3, 2018, authorities arrested Liuin relation to her Falun Gong activities. Police confiscated electronics from her…

Wen Yan was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

On April 3, 2018, authorities arrested Wen while she was hanging Falun Gong-related banners.  

In late 2019, Wen…

Xia Mingjin was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

On April 3, 2018, authorities arrested Xia while hanging Falun Gong-related banners. She was reportedly mistreated while…

Gao Yinhua was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

On April 16, 2018, police in Nanchang County, Nanchang Municipality, Jiangxi Province, detained Gao and five other…

Chen Wen is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

On April 16, 2018, police in Nanchang County, Nanchang Municipality, Jiangxi Province, detained Chen and five other…

Cao Genxiu is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

On April 16, 2018, police in Nanchang County, Nanchang Municipality, Jiangxi Province, detained Cao and five other…

Chen Yulian is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

On April 16, 2018, police in Nanchang County, Nanchang Municipality, Jiangxi Province, detained Chen and five other…

Yan Jinhua was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In April 2018, authorities arrested Yan for hanging up banners about Falun Gong. She was reportedly mistreated while detained at…

Liu Taoying was imprisoned for her religious activity.

In July 2018, authorities arrested Liu from her home reportedly in relation to her practice of Falun Gong. Police reportedly searched…

Li Guiying was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In October 2016, authorities arrested Li in relation to her practice of Falun Gong.  Police reportedly searched her home…

Li Guihua was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In October 2016, authorities arrested Li in relation to her practice of Falun Gong. Police reportedly searched her home…

Ma Xiurong was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

In December 2020, authorities arrested Ma from her home reportedly in relation to her practice of Falun Gong. …

Zhu Tonggui is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On May 23, 2018, authorities arrested Zhu Tonggui and his brother from their rental property in Linyi City. It is…

Jin Bainiu was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In September 2019, authorities arrested Jin from her home reportedly in relation to her practice of Falun Gong.

On an…

Li Lanxiu was imprisoned for her religious activity.

In September 2019, authorities arrested Li reportedly in relation to her Falun Gong activities.

On an unspecified date, Li was…

Lu Houfen was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In December 2017, authorities arrested Lu for practicing Falun Gong. 

On an unspecified day in 2019, Lu was…

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…

Bai Lijun was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

On February 11, 2019, authorities arrested Bai and another individuals reportedly in relation to their Falun Gong…

Wang Fengjuan was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

On February 11, 2019, authorities arrested Wang and another individuals reportedly in relation to their Falun Gong activity.…

Gao Jianling is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In December 2017, authorities arrested Gao reportedly in relation to her practice of Falun Gong. 

In December…

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…

Zeng Jiageng is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In July 2019, authorities arrested Zeng after accusing her of using her cell phone to spread information about Falun Gong…

Shang Qin was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity. 

In April 2020, authorities arrested Shang in relation to her Falun Gong activity.

In November 2020, the…

Gao Yuming is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In February 2020, authorities arrested Gao reportedly in relation to her Falun Gong activities.

In late April 2020,…

Jiang Liyu was imprisoned for her religious activity. 

In May 2017, authorities arrested Jiang for putting up flyers about Falun Gong.

In July 2018, the Shijingshan District…

Zhang Ming was imprisoned for his religious activity.

On June 29, 2018, officers from Kuandian Country Domestic Security Division arrested Zhang and a colleague for having Falun Gong-…

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. …

A Dao was imprisoned for his religious activity and religious freedom advocacy.

On August 18, 2016, authorities arrested Dao, the pastor of the Montagnard Evangelical Church of Christ…

Bekzod Bakirov was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On December 22, 2016, authorities arrested Bakirov after accusing him of organizing a meeting to indoctrinate people to…

Akhmet Dzhumayev was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On December 22, 2016, authorities arrested Dzhumayev after accusing him of organizing a meeting…

Islambek Kamchybekov was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On December 22, 2016, authorities arrested Kamchybekov after accusing him of organizing a meeting to…

Shakir Kozhamkulov was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On December 22, 2016, authorities arrested Kozhamkulov after accusing him of organizing a…

Gazybek Kubatov was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On December 22, 2016, authorities arrested Kubatov after accusing him of organizing a meeting to indoctrinate…

Zufar Mustafin was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On January 17, 2017, authorities arrested Mustafin after accusing him of organizing a meeting to indoctrinate…

Kanybek Uulu was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On December 22, 2016, authorities arrested Uulu after accusing him of organizing a meeting to indoctrinate…