Additional Name(s): 周金霞
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: China
Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: February/20/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Giving, Sharing, & Listening to a Religious Speech Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Public Disorder
Zhou Jinxia
Extra Bio Info:
Zhou Jinxia is detained for her religious activity.
On February 20, 2022, authorities detained Zhou, a member of the Beijing Aiqi house church, as she preached in front of the Chinese Communist Part and government leadership compound at Zhongnanhai in Beijing municipality. She was afterwards taken to her hometown Dalian municipality, Liaoning province.
On February 21, 2022, Xigang district police criminally detained Zhou for "picking quarrels and provoking trouble."
Zhou has previously been detained several times for her peaching activities.
Sources:
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"Zhou Jinxia" Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)
Additional Name(s): Andrey Emikovich Danielyan, Даниелян Андрей Эмикович
Gender: Male
Current Location: Detention Center No. 4, Altai Territory
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: November/7/2022
Date of Sentencing: November/7/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts Giving, Sharing, & Listening to a Religious Speech Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Andrey Danielyan
Extra Bio Info:
Andrey Danielyan is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On November 7, 2022, the Rubtsovsk City Court of the Altai Territory sentenced Danielyan to six years in prison 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). Authorities accused Danielyan of preaching and holding group worship meetings. He was taken into custody following the verdict.
On January 26, 2023, the Altai Regional Court upheld Danielyan's sentence.
On November 30, 2023, the Eighth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction in Kemerovo upheld Danielyan's sentence.
Danielyan is married.
Sources:
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Photo attributed to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Andrey Danielyan" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"Case of Danielyan in Rubtsovsk" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"The Cassation Court Left Andrey Danielyan From Rubtsovsk in Prison" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"An Appeal in Barnaul Upheld Andrey Danielyan's Sentence. He Will Spend Six Years in Prison for Believing in Jehovah God" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
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"A Court in Rubtsovsk Sent Andrey Danielyan, 53, to a Penal Colony for Six Years for Talking About the Bible" Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
Nov 4, 2022
USCIRF Releases New Report on Law and Religion in Algeria
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on religious freedom conditions in Algeria:
Law and Religion in Algeria – This factsheet highlights Algerian laws that pose risks to freedom of religion or belief. This report summarizes the intersection of law, religion, and politics in recent Algerian history. It highlights aspects of Algerian law that are inconsistent with international legal protections for the freedom of religion or belief, including laws against blasphemy and proselytization, as well as recent instances of enforcement and bias. The report lays out several policy options the United States government can pursue to help reduce legal repression by the Algerian government based on these laws.
In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. State Department include Algeria in its Special Watch List for engaging in severe violations of international religious freedom. In 2021, USCIRF published a country update highlighting relevant religious freedom developments in Algeria and hosted a virtual event on deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Algeria.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].