Christian persecution is intensifying worldwide, a troubling reality often downplayed in mainstream news, according to an observer interviewed by OSV News.
The gravity of the situation calls for increased acknowledgment of Christians losing their lives due to global persecution, a crisis frequently overlooked by major media outlets. Joop Koopman, Director of Communications for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in the United States, emphasizes that ACN serves as a primary source reporting on this suffering. Initially established in 1947 as a Catholic aid organization for war refugees, ACN has evolved into a pontifical foundation dedicated to assisting persecuted, oppressed, or materially deprived Christians globally. Operating in over 145 countries under the guidance of the pope, ACN, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, provides humanitarian aid to the persecuted Christian community.
Open Doors U.S., an advocacy group for persecuted Christians in over 70 countries, reports that more than 360 million Christians, approximately one in seven globally, currently face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. In Africa, one in five Christians experiences persecution, while in Asia, the figure rises to two in five. Over the past three decades, the number of countries where Christians endure high and extreme persecution has nearly doubled to 76.
Direct persecution encompasses attacks on life and property, imprisonment, torture, restricted access to churches and Bibles, forced conversions, and violence against women. Indirect forms involve educational and employment discrimination, legal restrictions, and denial of rights.
Top countries for Christian persecution, as identified, include North Korea, Nigeria, India, Iran, China, Pakistan, Eritrea, and Algeria. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommends designating 12 nations as countries of particular concern, including Burma, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Additionally, Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, Syria, and Vietnam are added to the list. Countries on the special watch list include Algeria, the Central African Republic, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.
Christian Concern attributes Christian persecution to Marxism, radical Islam, social and cultural discrimination, and supernatural evil.
North Korea tops the list as the nation most closed to Christianity, with Christians practicing in secret amid severe persecution. Recent events highlight increased threats against Christians in the Gaza Strip and Nigeria, resulting in thousands of deaths and concerns about potential conflict spread. The invasion of Russia into Ukraine has led to extensive persecution of Christians, declared a genocide, with attacks on clergy and the destruction of places of worship. Nicaragua, under President Daniel Ortega, suppresses the Church, detaining and expelling clergy and laypeople.
In Pakistan, the Christian minority faces discrimination and accusations under blasphemy laws, while in China, believers are monitored, and churches are encouraged to adopt a Chinese communist identity. The effectiveness of the Vatican’s provisional agreement with China is questioned, raising concerns about the appointment of bishops and the disappearance of imprisoned clergy.
Author: Bright Agbelengor
