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…

Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is imprisoned for his religious expression. 

In March 2020, authorities arrested Sharif-Aminu, a musician and follower of the Sufi Tijaniyyah Order, for allegedly…

Sheikh Abduljabar Nasiru Kabara is imprisoned for blasphemy.

In July 2021, authorities arrested Kabara, a cleric, and charged him with blasphemy and incitement for his allegedly “defamatory…

Abdulazeez Inyass is imprisoned for blasphemy.

In May 2015, Nigerian authorities arrested Inyass for allegedly saying that Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse, the founder of the Tijaniya order to…

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…

Khurram Parvez is detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

In November 2021, authorities arrested Parvez, a Muslim human rights advocate in Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state.…

Siddique Kappan was detained on for his religious identity and for reporting on religious freedom conditions. 

On October 5, 2020, authorities arrested…

Umar Khalid is detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

In September 2020, authorities arrested Khalid, a student activist, for leading peaceful protests opposing the religiously…

Khalid Saifi is detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

In February 2020, authorities arrested Saifi, founder of the United Against Hate organization, for leading peaceful protests…

Meeran Haider was detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

On April 1, 2020, authorities arrested Haider, a Muslim student activist, after accusing him of inciting communal violence…

Sharjeel Imam is detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

In January 2020, authorities arrested Imam, a Muslim student activist, for participating in peaceful protests opposing the…

Asif Iqbal Tanha was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On May 17, 2020, authorities arrested Tanha, a Muslim student activist, for rioting and attempted murder under…

Shifa ur-Rehman was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On April 26, 2020, authorities arrested ur-Rehman, a Muslim and president of Jamia…

Umar Gautam is detained for his religious activity.

In June 2021, authorities arrested Gautam, a Muslim convert, Islamic scholar, and founder of the Islamic Da’…

Qazi Jahangir Qasmi is detained for his religious activity. 

In June 2021, authorities arrested Qasmi, an Islamic cleric and employee at the Islamic Da’wah…

Kaleem Siddiqui was detained in relation to his religious belief and activity.

On September 21, 2021, authorities arrested Siddiqui, an Islamic scholar and…

Abdullah Gautam is detained for his religious activity.

In November 2021, authorities arrested Gautam after accusing him of being involved in the alleged forced conversion efforts of his…

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…

Nandha Nathaniel was detained in relation to his religious belief and activity.

In October 2021, authorities arrested Nathaniel, who is a pastor, and his wife, Savita Singh, after they…

Ramesh Vasuniya was detained in relation to his religious activity.

On December 5, 2021, authorities arrested Vasuniya, a pastor, and five others, including his wife, after they were…

Kishor Ram was detained for reporting on religious freedom conditions.

On February 24, 2022, authorities arrested Ram, who is a member of the Dalit community and a journalist known for…

Fahad Shah was detained for reporting on religious freedom conditions. 

On February 4, 2022, authorities arrested Shah, journalist and editor of the news website The Kashmir Walla,…

Isma’ila Sani Isah is detained for blasphemy.

In July 2021, authorities arrested Isah in Sokoto State after he was accused of making blasphemous posts against the Prophet Muhammad on…

Surendra Gadling is detained for religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested Gadling, a human rights lawyer known for defending…

Mahesh Raut was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On June 6, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested…

Sudhir Dhawale was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On June 6, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested…

Rona Wilson was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On June 6, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested…

Gautam Navlakha was under house arrest for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On August 28, 2018, police in…

Vernon Gonsalves was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On August 28, 2018, police in Maharashtra…

Arun Ferreira was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On August 28, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested…

Anand Teltumbde was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On April 14, 2020, Teltumbde, a scholar and…

Hany Babu was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On July 28, 2020, the National Investigation Agency…

Sagar Tatyarao Gorakhe was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On September 7, 2020, the National…

Ramesh Murlidhar Gaichor was detained for his human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On September 7, 2020, the National…

Rupesh Singh is detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

In July 2022, police in Ramgarh district arrested Singh, a freelance journalist known for reporting on human rights abuses…

Gokarakonda Naga Saibaba was imprisoned for criticizing state violence against religious and marginalized communities. 

On May 9, 2014, plain clothed police officers in Delhi arrested…

Mohammed Zubair was detained for his expression about religion and in relation to his reporting on religious freedom conditions.

On June 27, 2022, Delhi police arrested Zubair, co-founder…

Jagtar Singh Johal is detained for his religious belief and religious freedom advocacy.

In November 2017, over a dozen plainclothes officers arrested Jagtar Johal, a Sikh activist and…

Atikur Rahman was detained in relation to his religious identity, social work for religious communities, and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On October 5, 2020, authorities…

Javed Mohammed is detained for his religious expression and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2022, police in Uttar Pradesh arrested Mohammed, a well-known Muslim activist, after accusing…

Abdul Rashid Dawoodi is detained for his religious activity and leadership role.

In September 2022, police in Jammu and Kashmir arrested Dawoodi, a Sufi cleric and founder of the Tehreek-e-…

Irfan Mehraj is detained for religious freedom advocacy.

In March 2023, National Investigation Agency authorities arrested Mehraj, a human rights activist and journalist known for his…

Ali Khan Mahmudabad is detained for his religious freedom advocacy. 

In May 2025, officers arrested Mahmudabad, a Muslim political science professor known for his work on religion, and…

Chandy Varghese is detained for his religious activity.

In November 2025, Indian authorities arrested Varghese for his evangelism during a three-day spiritual gathering at Beersheba Church…

Arun John is detained for his religious activity. 

In November 2025, Indian authorities arrested John for his evangelism during a three-day spiritual gathering at Beersheba Church in…