A new international report has found that Christian persecution has reached its highest level ever recorded, with 388 million believers now facing serious discrimination, pressure or violence because of their faith.
The findings come from the latest World Watch List released this week by advocacy group Open Doors US, which says the number of persecuted Christians has risen by more than eight million in the past year alone. Ryan Brown, chief executive of the organisation, said the trend reflects both a sharp rise in violent attacks and the steady expansion of government restrictions targeting religious communities.
Much of the worst violence remains concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, which accounts for 14 of the 50 countries ranked as the most dangerous for Christians. Nigeria continues to stand out as the world’s deadliest country for believers, accounting for 3,490 of the 4,849 Christians killed globally for their faith during the reporting period. The figure marks a significant increase from the previous year and confirms Nigeria as the primary hotspot for faith-based killings.
Somalia remains the second-most dangerous country for Christians for the fourth consecutive year, with believers there facing constant threats from extremist groups and the risk of deadly punishment for even the smallest expression of faith. The report also documents a dramatic rise in pressure on Christians in Syria, which recorded the largest single-year increase in persecution since the ranking system began in 2014. Continued instability and weak law enforcement have allowed extremist groups to exploit power vacuums, leaving Christian communities increasingly vulnerable.
In China, persecution is taking a more systematic form. Authorities have intensified surveillance, closed unregistered churches and imposed new restrictions on religious expression, including strict controls on online worship and Christian content. Similar patterns are reported in countries such as North Korea, which remains the most dangerous nation in the world for Christians and is now using advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, to identify and track suspected believers.
Mr Brown said the World Watch List is intended not only as an information tool but also as a call to prayer. He emphasised that persecuted Christians are asking fellow believers around the world to remember them and to stand with them in prayer, noting that while religious freedom concerns are growing in some Western countries, the dangers faced by Christians in many parts of the world remain far more severe and life-threatening.
Adapted from The Christian Post.
