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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…

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…

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. …

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

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

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…

Abdughappar Abdurusul is detained for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity. 

In July 2018, authorities in Ghulja (Yining) city, Ili (Yili) Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture,…

Abdujelil Hajim is detained for his religious belief, activity, and ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained several Uyghur…

Ayshemhan Yasin was detained for her ethnoreligious identity and for going on pilgrimage. 

In late 2017, authorities in Turpan municipality, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (…

Memet Ismayil was detained for his ethnoreligious identity and for going on pilgrimage. 

In late 2017, authorities in Turpan municipality, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region…

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…

Imin Damollam is imprisoned for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

On an unspecified date, authorities detained Damollam, former Keriya People’s Political Consultative…

Ziyawudun Choruq is detained for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity. 

On an unknown date in 2017, authorities in Korla (Ku’erle) city, Bayangol (Bayinguoleng) Mongol…

Mehet Omer is detained for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities arrested Omer and held him for an unspecified period of time reportedly in relation…

Gheni Haji is imprisoned for his religious belief, activity, and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Haji and…

Memet Tursun Haji is imprisoned for his religious belief, activity, and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Haji,…

Imin Hajim is imprisoned for his religious belief, activity, and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Hajim, …

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…

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…

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…

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…

Murtaja Qureiris was imprisoned for his religious identity and for protesting religious discrimination.

On September 20, 2014, authorities arrested Qureiris, who was 13 years old at the…

Israa al-Ghomgham is imprisoned for her religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In December 2015, Saudi authorities arrested al-Ghomgham, a well-known Shi'a activist, along with…

Mousa al-Hashim is imprisoned for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In December 2015, Saudi authorities arrested al-Hashim along with his wife, a well-known Shi'a…

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…

James Su Zhimin was forcibly disappeared for his religious leadership role and activity. 

In March 1996, Su, an unregistered bishop in Baoding, Hebei Province, was arrested…

John Cao was imprisoned because of his religious identity and missionary work.

On March 5, 2017, the Menglian County Police of Yunnan Province detained Cao, a pastor, humanitarian worker,…

Gulfisha Fatima was detained for her religious freedom advocacy.

On April 9, 2020, authorities arrested Fatima, a Muslim student activist, under first information…

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…

Ishrat Jehan was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On February 26, 2020, authorities arrested Jehan, a former councilor, after accusing her…

Safoora Zargar was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On April 10, 2020, authorities arrested Zargar, a Muslim student activist and roughly three months pregnant at…

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,…

Mohammed Issam al-Faraj is imprisoned for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

On June 29, 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting the state's…

Ali Hassan al-Faraj is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting against the state's treatment…

Ahmed Abdul Wahid is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested al-Faraj for protesting against the state's treatment of…

Ali Mohammed Al Bati is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested Al Bati for protesting against the state's treatment…

Mohammed Hussein Al Nimr is detained for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In June 2017, authorities in Medina arrested Al Bati for protesting against the state's…

Jalal Labbad was imprisoned and executed for his religious identity and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On February 23, 2017, authorities arrested Labbad from his family’s home…

Zya Minas was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

In May 2022, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) authorities arrested Minas, the mayor of Dadersh village in Dohuk…

James Zaya was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On May 11, 2022, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) authorities arrested Zaya after local villagers protested the…

Liu Honggeng is imprisoned for his religious leadership role and for practicing his religion without state-approval.

On May 7, 2015, authorities in Baoding city, Hebei province,…

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…

Wangchen is detained for his religious activity.

In June 2023, police in Lhasa municipality, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), detained Wangchen while he was on pilgrimage with his family.…

Tsultrim Nyandrag was imprisoned in relation to his religious belief and activity.

In December 2013, public…

Ahmed al-Matrood is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On an unspecified date, Saudi authorities arrested al-Matrood for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's…

Khaled al-Ghanim is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On an unspecified date, Saudi authorities arrested al-Ghanim for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's…

Ali al-Ouwaisher is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On an unspecified date, Saudi authorities arrested al-Ouwaisher for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's…

Mujtaba al-Muzain is imprisoned for his religious freedom advocacy.

On an unspecified date, Saudi authorities arrested al-Muzain for protesting in Al-Qatif governorate against the state's…

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…

Salma al-Shehab was imprisoned for her women's rights activism opposing state-imposed religious systems as well as her religious identity.

On January 15, 2021, authorities arrested al-…

Youssef al-Manasif is imprisoned and sentenced to death for his religious identity and religious freedom advocacy.

In April 2017, authorities arrested al-Manasif for participating in…

Abdullah al-Derazi was imprisoned and executed for his religious identity and for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On August 27, 2014, Tarut Island Police arrested al-Derazi in…

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…

Tsewang Norbu is detained for his religious belief and activity.

On June 9, 2022, police detained Norbu, a Tibetan pilgrim, after he protested his inability to enter…

Aleksandr Gabyshev is detained for his religious expression, belief, and activity. 

On January 27, 2021, authorities arrested Gabyshev and sent him to a psychiatric hospital after…

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…

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…

Ernes Ametov is imprisoned for his religious activity and alleged religious association.

On October 11, 2017, authorities in Russian-occupied Crimea, Ukraine, detained several Crimean…

Ali Ahmed Tariq was detained for blasphemy.

On April 27, 2023, police arrested Tariq, a lawyer, after receiving a complaint that he used the name "Syed" …

Ahmad Al Malahi was detained for his religious activity.

On May 25, 2023, armed Houthi forces detained 17 Baha’is, including Al Malahi, after raiding a private residence in Sana’a where…

Keyvan Rahimian is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On July 18, 2023, authorities in Tehran arrested Rahimian, a lecturer at an online Baha'i university, reportedly…

Osman José Amador Guillén is detained for his religious activity and belief.

On September 8, 2023, police arrested Amador, a parish priest in Wiwilí, late at night while he was…

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…

Sonam Gyatso is detained for their religious activity.

On December 18, 2022, security officials in Rikaze (Shigatse) municipality, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), detained three Tibetans,…

Gonkyab is detained for their religious activity.

On December 18, 2022, security officials in Rikaze (Shigatse) municipality, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), detained three Tibetans,…

Dradul is detained for his religious activity.

On December 18, 2022, security officials in Rikaze (Shigatse) municipality, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), detained three Tibetans, including…