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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 violence against Adivasi communities and opposing mining projects on an important Adivasi religious site, at a two-day conference about women's issues in the region. Police referred to Markam as a "Maoist" and implicated her in several first information reports (FIR) stretching back to 2016 involving deadly violence, despite the FIRs not being made out against her and her constant engagement with state officials over the years.

Markam is reportedly charged with rioting (Sec. 147 IPC), rioting with a deadly weapon (Sec. 148 IPC), unlawful assembly (Sec. 149 IPC), murder (Sec. 302 IPC), attempted murder (Sec. 307 IPC), membership and support of a terrorist organization (Sec. 13, 23, 38(2), and 39(2) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)), "causing explosion likely to endanger life or property" (Sec. 3 Explosive Substances Act, 1908), "attempting to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property (Sec. 4 Explosive Substances Act, 1908), and "making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances" (Sec. 5 Explosive Substances Act, 1908).

In April 2021, seven UN human rights rapporteurs sent a letter to the Indian government, asking for more information about Markam's arrest and expressing concerns about the use of anti-terrorism charges against her and state-efforts to protect Adivasi women human rights defenders. 

On January 5, 2023, Markam was released from jail after courts reportedly acquitted her in four cases and granted her bail in one.

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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, after he reported on a deadly police raid in Jammu and Kashmir, a Muslim-majority area. Reports indicate that police accused him of "uploading anti-national content" on Facebook.  The Kashmir Zone Police Twitter account accused Shah of "glorifying terrorism, spreading fake news & inciting general public" in three separate first information reports (FIR), arresting him under FIR 19/2022 of Pulwama. Shah was reportedly charged with public mischief (Sec. 505 IPC), sedition (Sec. 124A IPC), and engaging in unlawful activities (Sec. 13 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)) in FIR 19/2020.

On February 26, 2022, Shah was granted bail but was arrested again hours later in relation to FIR 06/2021 of Imamsahib, Shopian. He is reportedly charged with "wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot" (Sec. 153 IPC) and public mischief (Sec. 505 IPC).

On March 6, 2022, Shah was granted bail but was arrested again hours later in relation to FIR 70/2020 of Safakadal Srinagar. He is reportedly charged with rioting (Sec. 147 IPC), attempted murder (Sec. 307 IPC), abetment (Sec. 109 IPC), "printing or engraving defamatory matter" (Sec. 501 IPC), and public mischief (Sec. 505 IPC).

On March 12, 2022, it was reported that authorities dropped the rioting, attempted murder, and abetment charges against Shah. However, authorities also pressed additional charges against Shah under UAPA and the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act.

On November 23, 2023, Shah was released from jail on bail after the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh found that the authorities did not have sufficient evidence to charge him under UAPA. Shah continues to face additional charges under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

Shah is well-known for his coverage of the anti-Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) protests and the 2020 Delhi riots.

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Kishor Ram was detained for reporting on religious freedom conditions.

On February 24, 2022, authorities arrested Ram, who is a member of the Dalit community and a journalist known for reporting on marginalized classes and lower caste issues, after he reported on the death of a Dalit youth and the rape of two Dalit underage girls. Police accused Ram of “asking caste of people” and speaking about the “killing of people belonging to SC by upper caste people” when interviewing the victims' families. Ram was charged with "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc." (Sec. 153A IPC).

On an unspecified date, Ram was released a month after his arrest.