Displaying results 1 - 100 of 291

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

In June 2012, authorities arrested Badawi, a…

Tashi Wangchuk was imprisoned for his religious and ethnic identity.

On January 27, 2016, authorities arrested Tashi, a Tibetan cultural and linguistic rights advocate, in Yushu (Kyegudo)…

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…

Ashraf Fayadh was imprisoned for apostasy.

In August 2013, authorities arrested Fayadh, a Palestinian poet and artist living in Saudi Arabia, following an altercation with a man in …

Aramais Avakian was imprisoned in relation to his religious identity.

On September 4, 2015, authorities arrested Avakian, a Christian fish farmer, after being accusing him of being an…

Bui Van Tham was imprisoned for his religious identity and activity.

On June 26, 2017, authorities arrested Tham following a state crackdown on a Hoa Hao Buddhist event in April 2017.…

Nguyen Hoang Nam is imprisoned in relation to his religious affiliation.

On July 24, 2023, authorities arrested Nam after accusing him of posting materials online that undermined…

Le Thi Hong Hanh was imprisoned for her religious identity and activity.

On November 13, 2017, authorities arrested Hanh following a state crackdown on a Hoa Hao Buddhist event in April…

Ahmad al-Shamri is imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

In 2014, authorities arrested al-Shamri, accused him of using social media to insult or renounce Islam, and charged him…

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…

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. …

Junaid Hafeez is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. 

In March 2013, authorities arrested Hafeez, a lecturer…

Abdul Waheed is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.

In March 2017, security services detained Waheed and held him incommunicado after he was accused of uploading "…

Liu Xuemei is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

On October 15, 2018, officers from the Kuitun City Public Security Bureau in Xinjiang arrested Liu reportedly…

Wang Yuling is imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In October 2018, officers from the Kuitun City Public Security Bureau in Xinjiang detained Wang reportedly in…

Sina Dehghan is imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

On October 21, 2015, authorities arrested Dehghan, who was 19-year-old at the time, after he…

Mohammad Nouri is imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy. 

In or around October 2015, authorities reportedly arrested Nouri after accusing him of posting anti-Islamic content…

Soheil Arabi was detained in relation to nationwide protests against mandatory religious veiling.

On January 2, 2023, authorities in Tehran arrested Arabi from his home under unclear…

Nguyen Bac Truyen was imprisoned for his religious freedom and human rights advocacy.

On July 30, 2017, Truyen, a lawyer and leader of…

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…

Ramesh Kumar was detained for blasphemy.

On May 27, 2019, authorities arrested Kumar, a veterinarian, after he was accused of using Qur'anic text to wrap his medicine deliveries. …

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. …

Sawan Masih was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

On March 9, 2013, authorities arrested Masih, a street sweeper, after he was accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a…

Shafqat Emmanuel was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

In July 2013, authorities arrested Emmanuel and his wife, Shagufta Kausar, for allegedly sending blasphemous texts.…

Shagufta Kausar was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

In July 2013, authorities Kausar and her husband, Shafqat Emmanuel, for allegedly sending blasphemous texts.  The…

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. …

Sunny Mushtaq is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.

In June 2019, authorities arrested 19-year-old Sunny Mushtaq and his friend, Noman Asghar, for receiving images…

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…

Asif Masih is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2017, authorities arrested 16-year-old Masih after he was accused of setting a Qur'an and another religious booklet on fire. A mob…

Patras Masih was detained for blasphemy.

On February 19, 2018, authorities arrested Masih after he was accused of posting a perceived-blasphemous image on Facebook a few days before.…

Mubarak Bala was imprisoned for exercising his freedom of belief.

On April 28, 2020, Kaduna State police arrested Bala, president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, from…

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…

Notan Lal was imprisoned for blasphemy.

On September 15, 2019, authorities arrested Lal, the owner and principal of a private…

Maruf Gul is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In September 2020, authorities arrested Gul, a Sunni Muslim, after he discussed religious…

Murtiza Memet is imprisoned for his ethnoreligious identity.

On an unspecified date believed to have been in 2018, authorities detained Memet for reportedly sending “illegal…

Mehmut Memet is detained for his ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, authorities in Uchturpan (Wushi) county, Aksu prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), detained Memet for…

Imran Ghafur Masih was imprisoned for blasphemy.

On July 1, 2009, authorities arrested Masih after he was accused of burning a Qur'an.  Following the accusation, a mob attacked Masih…

Zafar Bhatti was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy.

On July 22, 2012, authorities arrested Bhatti, a pastor, after he was accused of sending text messages insulting the Prophet…

Humayun Faisal was detained for blasphemy.

On May 24, 2015, authorities arrested Faisal after he was accused of burning newspapers containing Qur'anic texts on them. Faisal was reportedly…

Yaqoob Bashir Masih is imprisoned for alleged blasphemy.

In June 2015, authorities arrested Masih after he was accused of burning a booklet containing Qur'an text and was harmed by a mob.…

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.…

Nabeel Masih was imprisoned for blasphemy.

On September 18, 2016, authorities arrested Masih - a minor at the time - after he was accused of posting content on Facebook insulting the Kaaba.…

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…

Asif Stephen was detained for blasphemy. 

On August 12, 2017, authorities arrested Stephen - a minor at the time - after he was accused of burning pages of the Qur'an.  A mob…

Stephen Masih was detained for blasphemy.

In March 2019, authorities arrested Masih after he was accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad.  According to reports, the accusation…

Saleem Masih was detained for blasphemy.

On June 15, 2019, authorities arrested Masih after a relative accused him of burning pages of the Qur'an.  He was reportedly charged with "…

Shahbaz Masih was detained for blasphemy.

On December 27, 2019, authorities arrested Masih and his friend, Muhammad Ishaq, and charged them with "desecrating the Qur'an" (Sec. 295-B PPC).…

Anwar Masih is detained for alleged blasphemy.

On June 2, 2020, authorities arrested Masih following a dispute with some Muslim family members. Authorities, who were called to mediate,…

Sohail Masih is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2020, authorities arrested Masih after he was accused of posting content on Facebook deemed to be blasphemous. Authorities charged…

David Masih is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2020, authorities in Nowshera arrested Masih after pages torn from the Qur'an were discovered in a nearby drain. Authorities…

Zheng Weidong was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In October 2018, authorities arrested Zheng from his home following a wave of arrest of Falun Gong practitioners.…

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…

Lhundrub Dorje was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On July 14, 2020, authorities arrested Lhundrub reportedly for sharing images and teachings of the Dalai Lama online…

Mubashar Ahmad was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy-related offenses.

On May 13, 2014, authorities arrested Ahmad alongside three others for allegedly tearing down…

Ehsan Ahmad was imprisoned for blasphemy.

On May 13, 2014, authorities arrested Ahmad alongside three others after they were accused of tearing down posters containing religious…

Saeed Ahmad Wariach is detained for alleged blasphemy. 

Authorities arrested Wariach for "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC).

Abdul Majeed is detained for blasphemy.

On September 13, 2020, authorities arrested Majeed after charging him with "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC).

Lisdiani Rodríguez Isaac was imprisoned in relation to her religious identity and activity.

On July 15, 2021, authorities detained Isaac, a member of the Free Yoruba Association of…

Lisdani Rodríguez Isaac was imprisoned in relation to her religious identity and activity.

On July 15, 2021, authorities detained Isaac, a member of the Free Yoruba Association…

Donaida Pérez Paseiro is imprisoned for her religious leadership.

On July 16, 2021, Cuban authorities arrested Paseiro, the president of the Free Yoruba Association of Cuba, an independent…

Loreto Hernández García is imprisoned for his religious leadership.

On July 16, 2021, Cuban authorities arrested Paseiro, the president of the Free Yoruba Association of Cuba, an independent…

Elizabeth Cintra García was imprisoned in relation to her religious identity and activity.

On July 15, 2021, authorities detained García, a member of the Free Yoruba Association of…

Jorge Naranjo was under house arrest for his religious identity. 

On July 11, 2021, authorities arrested Naranjo, a member and the administrator of the Los Pinos Nuevos First…

Libi Marhabi is imprisoned for his religious identity. 

In March 2016, Houthi forces arrested Marhabi for allegedly smuggling a Torah out of Yemen.

On…

Hassan Farhan al-Maliki is detained for his religious expression and religious freedom advocacy.

In September 2017, authorities arrested al-Maliki, an…

Hamid Soudad was imprisoned for his expression about religion.

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

Alisher Kasymov is imprisoned for discussing his religion on social media.

On October 10, 2019, authorities arrested Kasymov for allegedly downloading “extremist sermons” and other…

Shakhzodjon Zokirov is imprisoned for discussing his religion on social media.

On October 8, 2019, authorities arrested Zokirov for allegedly downloading “extremist sermons” and other…

Ubaydulla Murtazoyev was imprisoned for discussing his religion on social media.

On September 5, 2019, authorities detained Murtazoyev for allegedly storing with the purpose of distributing…

Azimjon Abdusamatov was imprisoned for discussing his religion on social media.

Between August and October 2019, authorities originally arrested Abdusamatov alongside seven others for…

Bakhtiyor Tursunov is imprisoned for discussing his religion on social media.

On September 5, 2019, authorities detained Tursunov and charged him on various criminal statutes, including…

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…

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…

Suleiman Bouhafs was imprisoned for his alleged expression about religion.

On August 25, 2021, three men in a black vehicle abducted Bouhafs –  Chairman of the St. Augustine…

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…

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…

Salma Tanveer is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. 

In September 2013, authorities arrested Tanveer, a school principal, after she was accused of…

Shagufta Kiran is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In July 2021, authorities arrested Kiran after she was accused of forwarding content deemed blasphemous via WhatsApp in September 2020.…

Asif Pervaiz is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.

In October 2013, authorities arrested Pervaiz after a coworker accused him of sending blasphemous text messages.…

Muhammad Islam is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. 

In April 2019, authorities arrested Islam, a tailor, after two of his coworkers accused him of blasphemy.…

Salekh Magamadov is imprisoned in relation to state-imposition of a particular religious interpretation. 

On February 4, 2021, Magamadov and Magamadov's sibling, Ismail Isaev, -…

Ismail Isaev is imprisoned in relation to state-imposition of a particular religious interpretation. 

On February 4, 2021, Isaev and Isaev's sibling, Salekh Magamadov, - two…

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…

Anas Hassan was imprisoned for his alleged atheistic activity.

In August 2019, authorities arrested Hassan for allegedly running the Facebook page, "The Egyptian Atheists," and charged him…

Nazim Abdrakhmanov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

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

Samat Adilov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

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

On…

Zhasulan Iskakov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

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

Esim Suleimenov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

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

Azamat Umbetaliyev was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

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

Zhuldyzbek Taurbekov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

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

Dilmurat Sultanmuratovich Makhamatov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

On December 19, 2018, Kazakh authorities arrested Makhamatov after reportedly forcing…

Galymzhan Abilkairov was imprisoned for his religious activity and expression.

On April 23, 2018, authorities arrested Abilkairov reportedly following an investigation into sermons he…

Ghulam Ahmad was imprisoned and sentenced to death for blasphemy-related offenses.

On May 13, 2014, authorities arrested Ahmad alongside three others after they were accused of tearing…