Displaying results 1 - 96 of 96

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…

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…

Chang Weiping, a lawyer known for defending individuals facing charges for their religious belief and practice, is detained for accusing authorities of torture.

On October 22, 2020, …

Waleed abu al-Khair is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

In April 2014, authorities arrested al-Khair for legally defending religious prisoners of conscience, including Raif…

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…

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), "…

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.…

Gao Zhisheng remains forcibly disappeared for his work defending human rights and religious minorities.

On August 13, 2017, Gao, a human rights lawyer, was forcibly disappeared from his…

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…

Hidme Markam was detained for her advocacy work to protect religious sites.

On March 9, 2021, authorities arrested Markam, an Adivasi Indigenous activist known for criticizing state…

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…

Mahnaz Jan Nesar was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, authorities arrested Nesar and several other Baha’is in Bandar Abbas reportedly for attending Baha’i…

Maral Rasti was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, authorities arrested Rasti and several other Baha’is in Bandar Abbas reportedly for attending Baha’i…

Arash Rasekhi was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, authorities arrested Rasekhi and several other Baha’is in Bandar Abbas reportedly for attending Baha’i…

Mehrallah Afshar was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, authorities arrested Afshar and several other Baha’is in Bandar Abbas reportedly for…

Nasim Ghanvatian was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In April 2017, authorities arrested Ghanvatian and several other Baha’is in Bandar Abbas reportedly for…

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…

Lina Alsharif was detained in relation to religious freedom advocacy.

In May 2021, officials from the Saudi Presidency of State Security raided Alsharif’s home in Riyadh, arrested her, and…

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…

Teesta Setalvad was detained for her human rights work supporting minority religious communities. 

On June 25, 2022, an antiterrorism squad in Mumbai arrested Setalvad, a human rights…

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…

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 (…

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…

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…

Payam Vali is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On September 24, 2022, authorities in Karaj arrested Vali reportedly in relation to his being Baha'i. Security…

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…

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…

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

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

Oscar Benavidez was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions.

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

Kamile Wayit is detained in relation to her ethnoreligious identity and her brother's human rights work.

On December 12, 2022, authorities in Atush (Atushi) city, Kizilsu (Kezilesu) Kyrgyz…

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.…

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…

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…

Server Mustafayev is imprisoned for his alleged religious activity. 

On May 21, 2018, authorities in Russian-occupied Crimea, Ukraine, arrested Mustafayev, co-founder of Crimean…

Bakhrom Khamroev is imprisoned for his human rights work for religious communities and his alleged religious expression.

On February 24, 2022, authorities arrested Khamroev, a human…

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…

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…

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…

Oleg Orlov is imprisoned in relation to his human rights work.

On February 27, 2024, the Golovinsky District Court in Moscow sentenced Orlov, the 70-year old co-chair of the Nobel…

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…

Salman Sajjad is imprisoned and sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy.

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

Wajid 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 and…