Displaying results 1 - 100 of 102

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

In June 2012, authorities arrested Badawi, a…

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…

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

In March 2013, authorities arrested Hafeez, a lecturer…

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

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

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. …

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…

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…

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…

Y Pum Bya is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On April 10, 2018, Vietnamese authorities arrested Y Pum Bya, a church leader, after accusing him of spreading false…

Y Min Ksor is imprisoned for his religious activity. 

In April 2018, authorities arrested Ksor, a member of the unregistered Good News Missionary Church, during a police raid on a house…

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…

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.…

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…

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).…

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…

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…

Kadyr Yusupov was mistreated in prison for fighting for prisoner religious freedom rights and his religious activity. 

In or around December 2018, authorities arrested Yusupov, who…

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…

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…

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.…

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…

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…

Shiraz Ahmad is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In February 2021, authorities arrested Ahmad after he was accused of creating an Ahmadiyya online group and sharing content in it.…

Muhammad Ishaq was detained for blasphemy.

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

Salamat Mansha Masih was detained for blasphemy.

On February 13, 2021, authorities arrested Masih and charged him with "intending to outrage religious feelings" (Sec. 295-A PPC), "…

Malik Zaheer Ahmad is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In September 2020, authorities arrested Ahmad after he was accused of blasphemy. In February 2021, after he was granted bail,…

Rohan Ahmad is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In May 2020, authorities arrested Ahmad after he was accused of sharing on WhatsApp religious content deemed blasphemous. Authorities…

Malik Usman Ahmad…

Hafiz Tariq Shehzad is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In September 2020, authorities arrested Shehzad after accusing him of sharing perceived blasphemous materials. Authorities charged…

Muhammad Hashmi is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2021, authorities arrested Hashmi after his bail was revoked. He was initially arrested on June 20, 2019, after he was…

Danish Ali was detained for blasphemy.

On an unspecified date, authorities arrested Ali after he was accused of insulting to the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad during an argument with his…

Muhammad Akbar is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In 2019, authorities arrested Akbar after he was accused of burning papers containing Qur'anic texts. The accusations were spurred after…

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…

Doni Irawan Malay is imprisoned for blasphemy.

On August 4, 2020, a court in Medan sentenced Malay to three years in prison for “insulting a religion" or "preventing a person from adhering…

Qaiser Zada is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2021, authorities arrested Zada after Zada was accused of burning a copy of the Qur'an and beaten by a mob. Authorities charged Zada…

Asif Fareed is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2021, authorities arrested Fareed and his brother, Abdullah Fareed, after they were accused of burning pieces of the Qur'an and…

Abdullah Fareed is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2021, authorities arrested Fareed and his brother, Asif Fareed, after they were accused of burning pieces of the Qur'an and…

Ashin Sobitha is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On February 1, 2021, military forces detained Sobitha, a monk known for opposing religious nationalism in Burma.…

Shwe Nya War was detained in relation to his religious freedom advocacy.

On February 1, 2021, military forces detained War, a monk, following the military’s overthrow of the…

Farid Zirgi Moghaddam is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In August 2019, intelligence agents detained Moghaddam in Birjand reportedly in relation to posts he made about…

Shoma Sen was detained for her human rights and civil rights work for marginalized religious communities.

On June 6, 2018, police in Maharashtra arrested several…

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…

Jyoti Jagtap is detained for her religious freedom advocacy.

In September 2020, the Anti-Terrorism Squad in Pune arrested Jagtap, a human rights activist, for…

Gyaltsen was imprisoned for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On March 15, 2008, public security officials in Sangye (Samye) township, Zhanang (Dranang) county, Shannan (Lhokha)…

Tenzin Buchung was imprisoned for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On March 15, 2008, public security officials in Sangye (Samye) township, Zhanang (Dranang) county, Shannan (…

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…

Ashok Kumar is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In August 2022, police in Hyderabad arrested Kumar, a sanitation worker, after he was accused of burning a Qur'an. A first information report (…

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…

Cepdika Eka Rismana is imprisoned for blasphemy. 

On May 5, 2022, police in West Java province arrested Rismana after a video of him stepping on a Qur'an went viral. Authorities…

Seyyed-Karam Abbasi was detained in relation to his religious belief and civil rights work.

On December 1, 2022, authorities in Saveh reportedly beat and arrested Abbasi, a Yarsani…

Syeed-Amin Abbasi was detained in relation to his religious belief and civil rights work.

On or around November 30, 2022, authorities reportedly arrested Abbasi, his brother Seyyed-Soroush…

Hkalam Samson was imprisoned for his religious activity and religious leadership role. 

On December 4, 2022, authorities arrested Samson, a pastor and advisor to the Kachin…

Mansour Safayi was detained in relation to his religious belief and civil rights work.

On December 12, 2022, authorities reportedly arrested Safayi after summoning him.

In…

Siavash Hayati was detained in relation to his religious belief and civil rights work.

On November 30, 2022, authorities reportedly arrested Hayati alongside other other Yarsani…

Kaki Farzad Almasi was detained in relation to his religious belief and civil rights work.

On November 30, 2022, authorities reportedly arrested Almasi alongside other other…

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

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

Tulkun Astanov is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On November 22, 2020, authorities arrested Astanov, a religious…

Alimardon Sultanov is imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions. 

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…

Ishtiaq Saleem is detained for alleged blasphemy.

In November 2022, authorities in Islamabad arrested Saleem after he was accused of sharing content deemed blasphemous on social media.…

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…

Raja Amir was detained for blasphemy.

In August 2023, police arrested Amir after rumors circulated alleging that he and his brother tore pages from a Quran and wrote derogatory comments on…

Nikita Zhuravel is imprisoned for blasphemy.

On May 20, 2023, authorities in the Volgograd region arrested 19-year-old Zhuravel after he allegedly posted a video online of himself burning…

Anas al-Mazrou is detained for his religious freedom advocacy.

In March 2019, authorities arrested al-Mazrou, a university lecturer, for participating in a human rights panel at the…

Danh Minh Quang is imprisoned for religious freedom advocacy. 

On or around July 31, 2023, Vietnamese authorities in Soc Trang province arrested Dahn Minh Quang and charged him with “…

To Hoang Chuong is imprisoned for his human rights advocacy for religious communities. 

On or around July 31, 2023, Vietnamese authorities in Tra Vinh province arrested To Hoang Chuong…

Isidro Mora was detained for criticizing religious freedom conditions and for his religious leadership role.

On December 20, 2023, Nicaraguan police arrested Mora, a bishop from the…

Silvio Fonseca was detained for his religious expression and his religious leadership role.

On December 29, 2023, Nicaraguan authorities arrested Silvio Fonseca, the vicar of Family, Life…

Héctor Treminio was detained for his religious leadership role.

On December 28, 2023, police arrested Treminio, parish priest of the Santo Cristo de Esquipulas Church in Managua and…

Carlos Avilés was detained for his religious leadership role.

On December 28, 2023, police arrested Avilés, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Managua and priest of Cristo de las Colinas…

Fernando Calero was detained for his religious leadership role.

On December 28, 2023, police arrested Calero, parish priest of Our Lady of Fátima in Rancho Grande, Matagalpa, after he…

Marcos Díaz Prado was detained for his religious leadership role.

On December 28, 2023, authorities arrested Díaz Prado, vicar of the Santo Tomás Apóstol church of Puerto de Corinto in…

Mykel Monterrey was detained for his religious leadership role.

On or around December 29, 2023, police arrested Monterrey, parish priest of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria parish of the…

Raúl Zamora was detained for his religious leadership role.

On or around December 29, 2023, police arrested Zamora, parish priest of Jesús de la Divina Misericordia parish of the…

Gerardo Rodríguez was detained for his religious leadership role.

On or around December 30, 2023, police arrested Rodríguez, parish priest of Purísima Concepción church in Reparto Belmonte…

Miguel Mántica was detained for his religious leadership role.

On or around December 29, 2023, police arrested Mántica, parish priest of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Bolonia, Managua,…

Jader Hernández was detained for his religious leadership role.

On or around December 29, 2023, police arrested Hernández, parish priest of the Madre del Divino Pastor parish in Nejapa,…

Ismael Serrano was detained for his religious leadership role.

On December 30, 2023, police arrested Serrano, parish priest of San Miguel Arcángel, Las Brisas, under unclear circumstances…

 José Gustavo Sandino Ochoa was detained for his religious leadership role.

On December 31, 2023, police reportedly arrested Sandino, parish priest of Our Lady of Sorrows parish in…

Alester Sáenz was detained for his religious leadership role.

On December 20, 2023, Nicaraguan police arrested Sáenz, a seminarian, alongside Bishop Isidro Mora after the bishop…

Tony Palacios was detained for his religious leadership role.

On December 20, 2023, Nicaraguan police arrested Palacios, a seminarian, alongside Bishop Isidro Mora after the…

Mariam Al Qisoom is imprisoned for her religious freedom advocacy. 

In February 2019, authorities arrested Qisoom for her human rights advocacy on behalf of Shi'a minorities in…

Freddy Quezada was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions.

On November 29, 2023, the Nicaraguan authorities arrested Quezada, a professor, after he criticized the…

Ashfaque Ali is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. 

In January 2025, Judge Tariq Ayub sentenced Ali to death for posting content deemed blasphemous on social media…

Rana Usman is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. 

In January 2025, Judge Tariq Ayub sentenced Usman to death for posting content deemed blasphemous on social media…