Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Malaysia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: November/30/2016
Current Status: Unknown
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Disappeared
Reason for Persecution: Proselytizing Activities Religious Activity Religious Belief
Nature of Charges: Not Applicable
Ruth Sitepu was forcibly disappeared in relation to her religious belief and activity.
On November 30, 2016, Sitepu and her husband, Joshua Hilmy, were disappeared presumably at the hands of authorities. The U.S. Department of State indicated in its 2020 International Religious Freedom Report that Hilmy was targeted because of his conversion from Islam to Christianity. International Christian Concern reports that the couple was targeted because of their ministry to non-Christians.
On March 6, 2017, Sitepu and Hilmy's landlord filed a formal missing persons report.
In July 2021, a government official testified that there are no government records of Sitepu and Hilmy leaving the country since their disappearance.
Related Cases: Joshua Hilmy
"No Record Found Showing the Departure of Missing Pastor and Wife" International Christian Concern (ICC)
"Malaysian Government Withholds Evidence Concerning Missing Pastor" International Christian Concern (ICC)
2020 Report on International Religious Freedom: Malaysia U.S. Department of State
USCIRF Enforced Disappearances in Malaysia Factsheet October 2019