Extra Bio Info:

Ekpar Asat is imprisoned in relation to his ethnoreligious identity.

In April 2016, authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Asat, founder of the Uyghur-language website Baghdax, reportedly for "inciting ethnic hatred." Asat's detainment followed his return from the United States after attending a leadership program organized by the U.S. Department of State.

In January 2020, the Chinese Embassy in Washington informed U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) that Asat had been sentenced to 15 years in prison. The date of his sentencing and the details of his charges and trial are unclear.

Asat's health has reportedly deteriorated greatly while imprisoned.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) advocates for Asat as part of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project. 

Extra Bio Info:

Isma’ila Sani Isah is detained for blasphemy.

In July 2021, authorities arrested Isah in Sokoto State after he was accused of making blasphemous posts against the Prophet Muhammad on social media.

Extra Bio Info:

Shakila Monfared is imprisoned for blasphemy.

In August 2020, security forces arrested Monfared as she was leaving home, reportedly in relation to her social media activism.

In September 2020, Monfared was released on bail.

In January 2021, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran reportedly convicted Monfared for “insulting Islamic sanctities” (Art. 513 IPC) and "propaganda against the state" (Art. 500 IPC). There are conflicting reports of how long she was sentenced with Human Rights Activists News Agency reporting six years and four months in prison and United for Iran reporting five years in prison.

In March 2021, it was reported that an appeals court gave Monfared a new sentence of 50 months in prison, but it is unclear how the sentence was divided among the charges, influencing the actual time she is required to be imprisoned.

On an unspecified date believed to be in 2021, Monfared was taken into custody and sent to prison to begin her sentence. 

In June 2021, several prisoners violently beat Monfared reportedly at the instigation of the prison staff.

In August 2021, Monfared was granted a short leave of absence from prison. She returned in September 2021.

In February 2022, it was reported that Monfared was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison on new charges described as “membership in one of the anti-regime groups and spreading lies.”

In March 2022, Monfared went on hunger strike reportedly to protest the housing of political prisoners and prisoners convicted of violent crimes in the same ward.

In July 2023, Monfared underwent gallbladder surgery and went on medical leave. 

Monfared reportedly suffers from gastrointestinal disease and severe stomach pain, for which she has been denied adequate medical care.

Monfared is serving her sentence in Qarchak Prison.