Sep 16, 2022

In 2018, Kazakhstan arrested a group of men for participating in a WhatsApp group chat about Islam and sentenced them to multiple years in prison on fictitious terrorism and incitement-related charges. Last fall, the UN Working Group issued an opinion that their detention was arbitrary and that they should be released. Although the government of Kazakhstan has released a few individuals related to this case, five men still remain imprisoned.

Kazakhstan has regularly engaged with the U.S. government about possible religious freedom reforms, but it continues to severely limit this right through its 2011 religion law. USCIRF recommended in its 2022 Annual Report that the State Department place Kazakhstan on its Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom.

Freedom Now’s Legal Officer, Adam Lhedmat, and Advocacy Director, Matthew Schaaf join us today to discuss the case of the 5 Sunni Muslims who remain imprisoned for discussing their religious beliefs over WhatsApp.

Read USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report Chapter on Kazakhstan

Additional Name(s): Zhina (Mahsa) Amini, مهسا (ژینا) امینی

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: Iran

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Reports of Torture: Yes

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: September//2022

Date of Death: September//2020

Current Status: Deceased

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Appearance Resisting State-Imposed Religious Systems Women’s Rights

Nature of Charges: Unknown

Mahsa Amini

Extra Bio Info:

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 not wearing a "proper" hijab. Police reportedly beat her and took her to Vozara Police Station. Once she arrived to the police station, she was reportedly beaten again and later transferred to a hospital after suffering a heart attack or stroke. She reportedly fell into a coma.

On September 16, 2022, Amini passed away in the hospital.

Sources:

Additional Name(s): Atiqur Rahman

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: India

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other

Health Concerns: Aortic regurgitation, paralysis on left side of body, lost eyesight in left eye, memory loss

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes

Date of Detainment: October/5/2022

Date of Release: June//2023

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

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

Nature of Charges: Breach of Privacy & Disclosure Criminal Premeditation & Conspiracy Fabricating & Destroying Evidence Hate Speech Illicit Financing Terrorism Treason & Sedition

Atikur Rahman

Extra Bio Info:

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 arrested Rahman, a Muslim student activist, on his way to Hathras district in Uttar Pradesh to meet with the family of Dalit girl who had been raped and murdered by a group of upper caste men. Police accused Rahman and others arrested of trying to disturb public order. Rahman is an activist known for his social work helping poor and marginalized communities and for his participation in anti-Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) protests. 

On October 7, 2020, Uttar Pradesh authorities revealed that Rahman was being investigated for sedition (Sec. 124-A IPC), "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc." (Sec. 153A IPC), “deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs” (Sec. 295A IPC), “knowingly holding property derived or obtained from the commission of a terrorist act” (Sec. 14 UAPA), raising funds for terrorist acts (Sec. 17 UAPA), “destroying digital evidence” (Sec. 65 Information Technology Act), and “breach of confidentiality and privacy” (Sec. 72 Information Technology Act). According to Amnesty International, Rahman was charged with "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc." (Sec. 153A IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), conspiracy (Sec. 120B IPC), raising funds for terrorist acts (Sec. 17 UAPA), and conspiracy (Sec. 18 UAPA).

In February 2021, the Enforcement Directorate filed charges against Rahman and others, claiming that they were members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and had been involved in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the February 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, and protests surrounding the death of the Dalit woman in Hathras.

On April 4, 2021, the Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh police filed a roughly 5,000 page charge sheet against Rahman and his codefendants. He was reportedly charged with "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc." (Sec. 153A IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), and other sections of UAPA and the Information Technology Act.

On March 15, 2023, the Allahabad High Court granted Rahman bail in his UAPA case. He was not released from jail, however, due to other pending charges.

On May 25, 2023, Allahabad High Court granted Rahman bail in an alleged money laundering case.

In June 2023, Rahman was released from jail pursuant to the jail order.

Throughout his imprisonment, Rahman was consistently denied proper medical treatment leading to a severe deterioration of his health. Rahman suffers from aortic regurgitation, a heart condition he has had since childhood. In November 2020, Rahman was scheduled to have heart surgery; however, he was unable to have the surgery until after a court granted the surgery a year later in November 2021. During that time, Rahman was hospitalized several times. Since receiving the surgery, Rahman was reportedly denied proper follow-up care. On August 29, 2022, Rahman's family was informed that he had been brought to the hospital. Despite the hospital recommending a neurological examination at another medical facility, Rahman was taken back to prison once being discharged on September 5, 2022. Rahman is reportedly now paralyzed on the left side of his body and is experiencing severe memory loss. He has also reportedly lost sight in his left eye. Rahman's family was reportedly been denied information on his wellbeing throughout his detainment.

Related Cases: Siddique Kappan

Sources:
Subscribe to