Christians face increased persecution nationwide, report finds

Christians in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia are currently facing more persecution than they have in years past, the nonprofit Aid to the Church in Need reported on Tuesday. The organization documented an increase in persecution of Christians—both state-directed and otherwise—in more than half of the 18 countries it surveyed.

What does this look like region-to-region?

• The Middle East: The number of Christians in Syria has plummeted to only about 250,000 in recent years. The Christian population of the country in 2011 was about 1.5 million. Meanwhile, the number of Christians arrested per year in Iran nearly tripled between 2021 and 2023, according to the report’s findings.

• Asia: In North Korea, Christians are considered enemies of the state and experience significant persecution. The organization estimates there are 98,000 Christians in the country. Many North Koreans who’ve interacted with Christians or possess Bibles are arrested and immediately thrown in prison when they return to their homeland. Meanwhile, China continues its heavy regulation of Christian worship services, resulting in the arrests of thousands of Christians.  Also, the Burmese military has destroyed dozens of churches across the country.

• Africa: In all six African countries surveyed, Muslim extremism accounted for the increase in violence against Christians, the organization said. The epicenter of Islamic extremist violence has shifted from the Middle East to Africa, the organization said.

Dig deeper: Read Mark Tooley’s column in WORLD Opinions about the causes of increased persecution in Nicaragua.