Gender: Male

Perpetrator: India

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: March/20/2023

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Reporting on Religious Freedom Conditions or Documenting Religious Freedom Violations

Nature of Charges: Criminal Premeditation & Conspiracy Illicit Financing Terrorism Threat Treason & Sedition

Irfan Mehraj

Extra Bio Info:

Irfan Mehraj is detained for his human rights work and journalism for vulnerable religious communities.

On March 20, 2023, authorities with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Mehraj, a human rights activist and journalist, in Srinagar after summoning him for questioning. The NIA accused him of working at the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), a human rights organization known for documenting human rights violations committed by authorities in Kashmir, a Muslim-majority area. The NIA has accused JKCCS of funding terrorist activities and arrested its leader, human rights defender Khurram Parvez, in the same case. Mehraj was also known for his reporting on marginalized religious communities.

Mehraj was reportedly charged with conspiracy (Sec. 120B IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), raising funds for terrorist acts (Sec. 17 UAPA), conspiracy (Sec. 18 UAPA), threatening a witness by a company (Sec. 22A and 22C UAPA), associating with a terrorist organization (Sec. 38 UAPA), supporting a terrorist organization (Sec. 39 UAPA), and raising funds for a terrorist organization (Sec. 40 UAPA).

On March 24, 2023, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor called for Mehraj's release.

Related Cases: Khurram Parvez

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Gender: Male

Perpetrator: India

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sufi

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: September/16/2022

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Managing a Religious Institution Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role

Nature of Charges: Public Disorder

Abdul Rashid Dawoodi

Extra Bio Info:

Abdul Rashid Dawoodi is detained in relation to his religious leadership role.

On or around September 16, 2022, police in Jammu and Kashmir arrested Dawoodi, a cleric and founder of the Tehreek-e-Soutul Awliya Islamic organization, after accusing him of “instigating youth.” Dawoodi was charged under the Public Safety Act.

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Additional Name(s): Kishta Ochirovna Tutinova, Тутинова Кишта Очировна

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: February/28/2023

Date of Release: October//2023

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: House Arrest

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Online Activity Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism

Kishta Tutinova

Extra Bio Info:

Kishta Tutinova was under house arrest for her religious belief and activity.

On February 28, 2023, authorities in Elista detained Tutinova after searching her home and confiscating a Bible, cell phones, and other personal effects. Investigators accused Tutinova of holding religious meetings online and participating in other activities and were investigating her for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC).

On March 1, 2023, Tutinova was placed under house arrest.

In October 2023, Tutinova's house arrest was lifted.

Sources:
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