Additional Name(s): مهسا محمدى
Gender: Female
Current Location: Dolatabad Prison, Isfahan
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Unspecified
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: October/30/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures) Online Activity
Nature of Charges: Blasphemy
Mahsa Mohammadi is detained for blasphemy.
On October 30, 2022, authorities reportedly detained Mohammadi, a university student in Sabzevar, over a tweet perceived as blasphemous. Mohammadi's arrest came amid nationwide protests against the death of Mahsa Amini and compulsory religious veiling. Mohammadi was reportedly charged with "insulting the Prophet" [Sab-ul-Nabi] (Art. 262 IPC), a capital offense, and is facing the death penalty.
"At Least 55 People Executed in 26 Days; List of Protesters at Risk of Death Penalty" Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO)
IRAN HRM, Tweet, January 23, 2023
"At least 100 protestors facing execution in Iran, says rights group" Euronews
Dr Monique Ryan MP, Tweet, December 17, 2022
Additional Name(s): محسن افروز
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sufi
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 1 Year's Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: November//2022
Current Status: Unknown
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Association Resisting State-Imposed Religious Systems Women’s Rights
Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials
Morsen Afrouz was imprisoned for protesting religious freedom conditions and in relation to his religious association.
In November 2022, authorities in Firuzkooh reportedly detained Afrouz, a Gonabadi Sufi, during nationwide protests against the death of Mahsa Amini and compulsory religious veiling.
In January 2023, it was reported that a revolutionary court sentenced Afrouz to one year in prison for "propaganda against the state" (Art. 500 IPC).
Afrouz's sentence should have ended.
Photo attributed to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)
"Mohsen Afrouz" United For Iran
ARAM Iran, Tweet, January 24, 2023
"اعتراضات سراسری؛ محسن افروز، درویش گنابادی به حبس محکوم شد" Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)
Jan 19, 2023
In 2016, Congress passed the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act which mandated that USCIRF maintain a list of individuals targeted for their religion or belief. In 2019, USCIRF launched its Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Victims List – an online database that catalogues persons detained, imprisoned, placed under house arrest, disappeared, forced to renounce their faith, and tortured for their religious belief, religious activity, and religious freedom advocacy. Since then, the FoRB Victims List has documented almost 2,000 victims with that number unfortunately continuing to grow.
USCIRF Researcher, Dylan Schexnaydre, joins Research Analyst, Zack Udin, to discuss the database’s background, recent upgrades, and data for 2022.
Read USCIRF’s Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Factsheet
View USCIRF’s Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List or complete the Victims List Intake Form.