Skip to content

GLOBAL NEWS

Jehovah’s Witnesses Imprisoned for Their Faith​—By Location

Jehovah’s Witnesses Imprisoned for Their Faith​—By Location

Jehovah’s Witnesses imprisoned for their faith as of April 2024

WHERE

IMPRISONED

REASON

Crimea

12

  • Religious activity

Eritrea

36

  • Religious activity

  • Undisclosed reasons

Russia

117

  • Religious activity

Singapore

11

  • Conscientious objection

Other Lands

Over 21

  • Religious activity

Total

Over 197

 

“The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion” is a fundamental human right, according to Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. a In some lands, however, Jehovah’s Witnesses are denied this basic right and are unjustly jailed and even suffer cruel mistreatment. Most of those imprisoned were arrested merely for practicing their faith. Others are imprisoned for their conscientious objection to military service.

a See also the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18, and the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 9.