Additional Name(s): Mukazhan Gazizovich Ksyupov, Ксюпов Мукажан Газизович
Gender: Male
Current Location: Butyrka Investigation Prison, Moscow
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: October/5/2021
Date of Sentencing: June/27/2023
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 Possession of Religious Materials Praying Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Mukazhan Ksyupov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On October 5, 2021, authorities in Moscow arrested six men, including Ksyupov, after raiding their homes and confiscating religious literature and electronics. The men were accused of holding gatherings in their homes where Said Nursi's literature was read and discussed and where they drank tea together and prayed.
On August 25, 2022, Ksyupov appeared in court, charged with “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).
On June 27, 2023, the Kuzminsky District Court of Moscow sentenced Ksyupov to six years in prison.
On November 8, 2023, the Moscow City Court upheld Ksyupov's sentence.
Related Cases: Yevgeny Tarasov, Parviz Zeynalov, Urdash Abdullayev, Ilmir Abdullin, Nikolay Nesterovich
"Мосгорсуд утвердил приговор последователям Саида Нурси" SOVA Center
"Суд в Москве вынес приговор последователям Саида Нурси" SOVA Center
"Уголовный процесс против шести мусульман по делу турецкого богослова Саида Нурси" Human Rights Without Frontiers
"Russia: Six who met to study their faith on trial in Moscow" Forum 18
Additional Name(s): Yevgeny Pavlovich Tarasov, Тарасов Евгений Павлович
Gender: Male
Current Location: Butyrka Investigation Prison, Moscow
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: October/5/2021
Date of Sentencing: June/27/2023
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 Possession of Religious Materials Praying Religious Activity
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism
Yevgeny Tarasov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.
On October 5, 2021, authorities in Moscow arrested six men, including Tarasov, after raiding their homes and confiscating religious literature and electronics. The men were accused of holding gatherings in their homes where Said Nursi's literature was read and discussed and where they drank tea together and prayed.
On August 25, 2022, Tarasov appeared in court, charged with “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).
On June 27, 2023, the Kuzminsky District Court of Moscow sentenced Tarasov to six years and six months in prison.
On November 8, 2023, the Moscow City Court upheld Tarasov's sentence.
Related Cases: Mukazhan Ksyupov, Parviz Zeynalov, Urdash Abdullayev, Ilmir Abdullin, Nikolay Nesterovich
"Мосгорсуд утвердил приговор последователям Саида Нурси" SOVA Center
"Суд в Москве вынес приговор последователям Саида Нурси" SOVA Center
"Уголовный процесс против шести мусульман по делу турецкого богослова Саида Нурси" Human Rights Without Frontiers
"Russia: Six who met to study their faith on trial in Moscow" Forum 18
Additional Name(s): Maliheh Nazari, ملیحه نظری
Gender: Female
Current Location: Evin Prison, Iran
Perpetrator: Iran
Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Appeal: Rejected
Sentence: 6 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: August/30/2022
Date of Sentencing: June/7/2022
Date of Release: April/24/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Practicing Religion as a Convert Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Banned Organization
Malihe Nazari was imprisoned for her religious belief and activity.
On June 30, 2020, authorities arrested Nazari following raids targeting house-churches across several cities.
In August 2020, Nazari was released on bail.
On June 7, 2022, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court reportedly sentenced Nazari to six years in prison for "founding or leading an organization that aims to disrupt national security" (Art. 498 IPC).
In August 2022, a Tehran appeals court rejected Nazari's appeal.
On August 30, 2022, Nazari was taken into state custody to begin serving her sentence in Evin Prison.
On April 24, 2023, Nazari was reportedly released from prison.
Nazari reportedly has a son with leukemia.
Related Cases: Joseph Shahbazian
Photo attributed to Article 18
"Christian convert whose son has leukaemia released from prison" Article 18
"ملیحه نظری، نوکیش مسیحی، برای تحمل شش سال حبس، راهی اوین شد" Article 18
"Iranian-Armenian pastor begins 10-year prison sentence" Article 18
"سه شهروند مسیحی جهت اجرای حکم حبس احضار شدند/سند" Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)
"Maliheh Nazari" United for Iran
"Christians lose appeal against imprisonment and fines for house-church activities" Article 18
"Seven Iranian Christians sentenced to total of 32 years in prison" Article 18