Search

Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee is imprisoned for her activism and criticism of state-endorsed religious interpretations. 

On September 26, 2022, authorities arrested Iraee from her home in…

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

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

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…

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…

Jume Nasir is detained for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity. 

In July 2016, authorities detained Nasir reportedly for praying inside his business. Additional reasons…

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…

Beyshihan Hoshur is detained for her religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In March 2018, authorities detained Hoshur and several other elderly women in relation to their…

Abdulla Abdurahman is detained for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In March 2018, authorities in Pichan (Shanshan) county, Turpan (Tulufan) municipality, Xinjiang…

Yasin Tursun is imprisoned for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity. 

In 2017, authorities detained Tursan, a farmer and Communist Party member, reportedly for "…

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…

Tursun Hoshur is detained for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity. 

In July 2017, public security authorities in Shaptul township, Peyziwat (Jiashi) county,…

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, …

Mohammed al-Rabiah is imprisoned for his activism against state imposed religious systems.

On May 15, 2018, authorities arrested al-Rabiah amid a statewide crackdown on women's rights…

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…

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…

Aleksey Yershov was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In July 2020, security forces raided the home of Yershov and other Jehovah's Witnesses. They reportedly…

Andrey Kolesnichenko was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In July 2020, authorities raided the home of Kolesnichenko and other Jehovah's Witnesses and confiscated…

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…

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…

Zeynab Jalalian is imprisoned on religiously oriented charges.

In March 2008, security officials violently arrested Jalalian reportedly in relation to her social and political activism for…

Rahele Ahmadi was imprisoned for her women’s rights activism against compulsory religious veiling.

On July 10, 2019, authorities arrested Ahmadi, an activist against compulsory hijab,…

Yasaman Ariani was imprisoned for her women’s rights activism against compulsory religious veiling.

In April 2019, authorities arrested Ariani for protesting compulsory hijab after she was…

Saba Kord Afshari was imprisoned for her women’s rights activism against compulsory religious veiling.

In June 2019, authorities arrested Afshari for protesting compulsory hijab after a…

Monireh Arabshahi was imprisoned for her women’s rights activism against compulsory religious veiling.

In April 2019, authorities arrested Arabshahi for protesting compulsory hijab by…

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.…

Thubten Pema Lhundrub is detained for adherence to a religious figure.

On May 14, 2019, public security officials in Kangtsa (Gangcha) county, Tsojang (Haibei) Tibetan Autonomous…

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…

Asmaa al-Subaie is detained for her women’s rights activism critical of state-imposed religious systems.

In June 2021, authorities affiliated with the Presidency of State Security arrested…

Soori Babaei Chegini was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On July 13, 2022, authorities arrested Chegini from her brother's home in Qazvin after she posted a…

Melika Qaragozlu was detained in relation to protesting religious freedom conditions.

On July 13, 2022, authorities arrested Qaragozlu, a student activist, reportedly after she…

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…

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-…

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…

Mahsa Amini was detained and died in state custody in relation to state-imposed religious dress.

In September 2022, police tasked with enforcing public morals in Tehran arrested Amini for…

Yevgeny Tarasov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 5, 2021, authorities in Moscow arrested six men, including Tarasov, after raiding their homes and…

Mukazhan Ksyupov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 5, 2021, authorities in Moscow arrested six men, including Ksyupov, after raiding their homes and…

Parviz Zeynalov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 5, 2021, authorities in Moscow arrested six men, including Zeynalov, after raiding their homes and…

Urdash Abdullayev is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 5, 2021, authorities in Moscow arrested six men, including Abdullayev, after raiding their homes and…

Ilmir Abdullin was detained for his religious belief and activity.

On October 5, 2021, authorities in Moscow arrested six men, including Abdullin, after raiding their homes and…

Nikolay Nesterovich was detained for his religious belief and activity.

On October 5, 2021, authorities in Moscow arrested six men, including Nesterovich, after raiding their homes…

Aleksey Dyadkin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On August 21, 2020, authorities arrested Dyadkin after he meeting with investigators for questioning.…

Aleksey Goreliy is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On August 8, 2020, authorities arrested Goreliy after raiding the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses and…

Nikita Moiseyev was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On August 8, 2020, authorities arrested Moiseyev after raiding the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses and…

Vladimir Popov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On August 12, 2020, authorities arrested Popov after raiding the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses and…

Yevgeniy Razumov was imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On August 8, 2020, authorities arrested Razumov after raiding the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses and…

Oleg Shidlovskiy is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On August 8, 2020, authorities arrested Shidlovskiy after raiding the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses and…

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…

Roman Baranovskiy is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On April 10, 2019, authorities in Abkan arrested Baranovskiy following raids on the homes of Jehovah's…

Atash Shahkarami was detained for speaking out about the disappearance and murder of an anti-hijab protester.

On October 2, 2022, security forces arrested Shahkarami after she spoke with…

Niloofar Hamedi was imprisoned for reporting on religious freedom conditions.

On September 22, 2022, authorities raided the home of Hamedi and arrested her in relation to her…

Yaroslav Kalin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On October 4, 2021, authorities in Irkutsk detained Kalin following raids on the homes of several…

Sergey Kosteyev is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 4, 2021, authorities in Irkutsk detained Kosteyev following raids on the homes of several Jehovah'…

Nikolay Martynov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 4, 2021, authorities in Irkutsk detained Martynov following raids on the homes of several Jehovah…

Mikhail Moysh is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 4, 2021, authorities in Irkutsk detained Moysh following raids on the homes of several Jehovah's…

Igor Popov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On November 30, 2021, authorities in Mezhdurechensk detained Popov following a raid on his home. Investigators had…

Denis Sarazhakov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On November 30, 2021, authorities in Askiz detained Sarazhakov following a raid on his home.…

Aleksey Solnechny is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 4, 2021, authorities in Irkutsk detained Solnechny following raids on the homes of…

Andrey Tolmachev is impisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 4, 2021, authorities in Irkutsk detained Tolmachev following raids on the homes of…

Sergey Vasilyev is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 4, 2021, authorities in Irkutsk detained Tolmachev following raids on the homes of several…

Yevgeniy Zhukov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 1, 2020, Russian authorities in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine, detained Zhukov following searches on…

Vladimir Maladyka is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 1, 2020, Russian authorities in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine, detained Maladyka following…

Vladimir Sakada is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On October 1, 2020, Russian authorities in Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine, detained Sakada following searches on…

Sergey Ananin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On February 14, 2021, authorities in Belovo detained Ananin after searching the homes of several Jehovah's Witnesses. He…

Jumanazar Hojambetow is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In early summer 2017, authorities arrested Hojambetow and four others for meeting to pray and study the writings of…

Begejik Begejikow is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In early summer 2017, authorities arrested Begejikow and four others for meeting to pray and study the writings of Said…

Ahmet Mammetdurdyyew is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In early summer 2017, authorities arrested Mammetdurdyyew and four others for meeting to pray and study the writings…

Meret Owezow is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In early summer 2017, authorities arrested Owezow and four others for meeting to pray and study the writings of Said Nursi,…