Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Iraq

Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other

Date of Detainment: May//2022

Date of Release: May//2022

Current Status: Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity

Nature of Charges: Unknown

James Zaya

Extra Bio Info:

James Zaya was detained for protesting religious freedom conditions.

On May 11, 2022, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) authorities arrested Zaya after local villagers protested the confiscation on their land.  The confiscations were likely motivated in part by the villagers’ specific religious identity. Authorities reportedly assaulted protestors. Zaya had filmed the protest and the subsequent crackdown.

Zaya was reportedly released a day after his arrest.

Related Cases: Zya Minas

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