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…

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…

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…

Abduqadir is detained for his ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, authorities detained Abduqadir under unclear circumstances. The uncle of Abduqadir's wife reportedly said that…

Abdueziz Yasin is detained for his ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, authorities detained Yasin under unclear circumstances. Yasin's uncle reportedly said that some of his relatives were…

Hawa Musayim was imprisoned for his religious and ethnic identity.

In 2017, public security officials in Kashgar Konasheher (Shufu) County, Kashgar (Kashi) Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur…

Urayim Axun was imprisoned for his ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, public security officials in Kashgar Konasheher (Shufu) County, Kashgar (Kashi) Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur…

Hornisaxan Osman is detained for her ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, authorities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Osman and her two sons and sent them to a…

Ershat Abdureshit is detained for his ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, authorities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Abdureshit, his brother, and mother and sent…

Erpan Abdureshit is detained for his ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, authorities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Abdureshit, his brother, and mother and sent…

Wahap Tursun is imprisoned for his ethnoreligious identity.

In 2017, authorities detained Tursun and accused him of for "religious extremism" reportedly in relation to his ex-wife wearing…

Aytorem Turdi is detained for her religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In November 2017, public security officials in Aksu city, Aksu prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous…

Dilmurat Emer is detained for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In November 2017, authorities detained Emer and sent him to a "political reeducation" center. Several…

Exmet Turdi is imprisoned for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In July 2017, authorities detained Turdi, a wool and hide trader, under unclear circumstances. His arrest…

Amangul Aydek is imprisoned for her ethnoreligious identity.

In June 2017, authorities detained Aydek, a food vendor, under unclear circumstances. Her arrest came amid mass detentions of…

Abdureshit Turdi is imprisoned for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Turdi amid mass…

Nurnisa Turdi is detained for her religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities detained Turdi and several of family members and sent them to a "…

Shehide Imin is detained for her religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities detained Imin and several of family members and sent them to a "political…

Eltekin Imin is detained for his religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities detained Imin and several of his family members and sent them to a "political…

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…

Rustam Nosirov was imprisoned in relation to his religious appearance.

On September 30, 1998, the Chinaz District Court sentenced Nosirov to two years in prison for "intentional infliction…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

Emerjan is detained for her religious activity and ethnoreligious identity.

In May 2017, authorities detained Emerjan and several of family members and sent them to a "political…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Zahra Sedighi-Hamadani was imprisoned for her human rights work in support of the LGBTQI+ community.

On October 27, 2021, authorities detained Sedighi-Hamadani in Urumieh,…