The Persecution of the Antichrist

• If your Christian faith is discovered in North Korea, you could be killed on the spot.
• If you aren’t killed, you will be sent to a horrendous labour camp and treated as a political criminal. You will be punished with years of hard labour that few survive.
• North Korean authorities are also likely to round up your extended family and punish them too, even if your family members aren’t Christians themselves. 
• North Korean refugees in other countries, particularly China, are at risk of being rounded up and sent back to appalling punishments. If it is discovered that a North Korean has become a Christian, or even simply heard the gospel or came into contact with Christians, then they will be singled out for severe punishment.
• Any Christian connection in your family history means that party membership is withheld, and you are consigned to the worst jobs and lowest positions. OPEN DOORS

 Somali Christians are often killed on the spot when their faith is discovered – murdered either by Islamic militants or even their own family.

• Believers who aren’t killed can face persecution from family members including house arrest, forced marriage, sexual violence or being forced to take part in Islamic rituals.
• There has been a huge rise in sexual violence against girls by Islamic militants, and those suspected of following Jesus are particular targets.

• If someone is reported to be a Christian, they could face severe monitoring, arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment and even murder.
• Christian converts can face severe punishment from the community, including being disowned, disinherited, divorced and losing custody of their children, being banished or even murdered.
• Yemen continues to be torn apart by civil war, and the Christian minority are discriminated against in relief aid, which is mostly distributed through local Muslim groups and mosques.

• Islamic militant and criminal groups kidnap and sometimes kill Christians. Even if they avoid such a fate, foreign Christians – particularly those from sub-Saharan Africa – face harassment and threats from radical Muslims.
• Families and communities exert intense pressure on Christians to convert to Islam, including ‘forced Hajj’ – an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca – which acts as a form of loyalty test.
• Christian men often lose their jobs, face abuse and can be kicked out of their homes. The risks are so high that forming fellowship groups is nearly impossible unless entire families convert.
• Christian women face sexual violence from their own families and communities and are unlikely to find hope in the justice system. Even women suspected of showing interest in Christianity face house arrest, forced marriage or even so-called ‘honour’ killings.

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• More than 100 churches, Christian buildings, and even private homes belonging to Christians have been forcibly occupied during the country’s ongoing conflict.
• There has been a spike in the abduction and killing of Christian men by radical Islamic groups.
• Church leaders are targeted by false charges, including terrorism and apostasy, despite the apostasy law being abolished in 2020.
• Converts from Islam face violence, imprisonment, forced marriage, rejection, sexual violence, disinheritance, and losing custody of their children. Many are forced to flee their homes, or feel that staying is unsustainable.
• Christians are also experiencing exceptional hardship in the hunger crisis because local communities discriminate against them and won’t give them support.

• Government authorities regularly conduct house raids, and have arrested hundreds of ‘unsanctioned’ Christians, particularly church leaders.
• Current estimates suggest around 1,000 Eritrean Christians are imprisoned, and they haven’t been charged with any crime.
• Extreme pressure and state-sanctioned violence are forcing some Christians to flee the country, in addition to the country’s conscription law that forces young Christians into indefinite military service without the right to conscientious objection.
• Converts face intense pressure from their families, including forced marriage and forced conversion.

• According to Open Doors research, more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined.
• Jihadist violence continues to escalate in Nigeria, and Christians are at particular risk from targeted attacks by Islamic militant groups including Fulani militants, Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province).
• These attacks are shockingly brutal in nature – many believers are killed, particularly men, while women are often kidnapped and targeted for sexual violence. These militants also destroy homes, churches and livelihoods.
• Kidnap for ransom is used regularly with the deliberate intention of destabilising Christian families and the church.
• More than 16.2 million Christians in sub-Saharan Africa, including high numbers from Nigeria, have been driven from their homes by violence and conflict. Millions now live in displacement camps.

• Christians are disproportionately targeted by Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws. While they only comprise 1.8% of the population, about a quarter of all blasphemy allegations are made against Christians.
• Blasphemy laws carry a death sentence. In practice, this is seldom carried out – but accusations of blasphemy can lead to mob violence, and even murder. In June 2024, a 73-year-old Pakistani Christian called Lazar was brutally beaten to death after being falsely accused of burning the Quran.
• Girls and women are vulnerable to abduction, forced marriage, sexual violence and forced conversion. Even if they escape, the ‘shame’ of abduction and rape casts a huge shadow over their lives.
• The attack on Christian homes and buildings in Jaranwala in 2023 continues to contribute to a culture of fear.
• Historical churches have relative freedom for worship and other activities. However, they are heavily monitored and have been targeted for bomb attacks. 

• Converts from Islam to Christianity face severe religious freedom violations, primarily from the government and, to a lesser extent, from society and their families.
• Believers from a Muslim background are often arrested and given long prison sentences for ‘crimes against national security’.
• In prison, Christian converts are treated worse than other inmates, denied exercise, phone calls, and subjected to torture and extended interrogation.
• A woman who converts risks arrest and sexual harassment during interrogations, and forced marriage to a Muslim by her family. If she is already married and her husband does not convert, she is likely to face domestic violence and sexual abuse – for which her husband has impunity.

• The Taliban have said they will kill any Christians, and have gone door-to-door to find believers. Afghan church leaders were specifically targeted; many have disappeared, while others have been beaten, tortured and killed. 
• Any existing house churches remain deeply underground, and Christians live under relentless pressure.
• If converts from Islam are discovered, the family, clan or tribe may try to preserve its so-called ‘honour’ and oppose the convert through pressure, violence or even murder.
• Women have no rights in Afghanistan, and women from religious minorities are especially vulnerable to physical abuse, house arrest, forced marriage or sexual enslavement.
• Given that men and boys have greater freedom of movement, they are additionally vulnerable to kidnapping, sexual violence or killing in the streets.

• The extreme belief that to be Indian means being Hindu has led to violent attacks against Christians across the country, and impunity for the people who perpetrate this violence.
• In places where authorities are linked with Hindu extremism, Christians who attend house churches risk attack, as extremist mobs continue to target churches, often interrupting church services. 
• Christian women are at risk of sexual violence, while men can face physical torture and mob attacks. Church leaders are particularly vulnerable, with false blasphemy charges levied against them. Many who are accused are unfairly tried and end up in prison.
• Twelve states have anti-conversion laws – purportedly to protect people from being forcibly converted, but which are frequently abused to falsely charge Christians and other religious minorities.

• It’s very risky to become a Christian in Saudi Arabia. It’s illegal to leave Islam, and new believers will also face intense opposition from their families and communities. They can be pressured, disowned, locked away, beaten, or even killed to restore the family’s ‘honour’.
• Most Saudi Christians tend to follow their faith quietly and secretly. Some even choose not to tell their own spouse or children about their faith, for fear that extended family members or school staff could discover they have left Islam.
• There are no legal church buildings or meetings. But secret believers have become bolder in recent times, sharing their Christian faith with others on the internet and Christian satellite TV channels. Though Saudi Christians caught doing this have faced serious repercussions. 
• Most Christians living in Saudi Arabia are temporary workers from other countries. They are forbidden from sharing their faith with local Saudis, and gathering for worship is restricted. Breaking these rules can get them detained and deported.
• There are reports that instances of rape and sexual assault are commonplace across Saudi Arabia for the thousands of non-Saudi housemaids across the country who are non-Muslim, including Christians.

• Believers have been killed and churches have been indiscriminately attacked, even well-established ones in predominantly Christian states like Chin and Kayah.
• More Christians than ever have been driven out of their homes and have found refuge in churches or displacement camps. Some are even forced to flee to the jungle where they are often deprived of access to food and health care. 
• Government forces have continued to disproportionally attack Christian villages and churches and also killed Christian aid workers and pastors, often in aerial attacks.

• The Islamic extremist insurgency that devastated the north of Mali in 2012 continues to have huge repercussions for the country’s small number of Christians.
• Churches were burned down, and many Christians lost their homes and had to flee the region. Although some Christians and congregations have returned under police protection, they still live under the threat of attack. Those living in areas controlled by militants have been denied access to water and land to grow crops.
• Christian men and boys are particularly subject to death threats, forced recruitment into armed groups and violent attacks because of their faith. Many have been forced to flee as a result.
• Believers who share the gospel in the north are especially vulnerable to violence, while Christian missionaries live under the constant threat of abduction by jihadists. Those who convert to Islam risk violence and pressure from their relatives and communities if their new faith is discovered.
• Militant groups kidnap girls and sometimes even married women, in order to forcibly ‘marry’ or ‘remarry’ them. Women and girls (particularly widows and single Christian women) are also vulnerable to trafficking.

• Unregistered churches, even those once tolerated, are considered illegal and increasingly put under pressure, as authorities seek to enforce regulations and tighten policies. State-approved churches come under strong ideological pressure, and smaller congregations are often forced to merge to make a larger church that is easier for the state to control.
• Children under 18 are forbidden from attending church. Officially registered churches are carefully regulated to make sure nothing they promote falls outside guidelines set by the Chinese Communist Party.
• Christian leaders are targeted in China and face intense surveillance. They may be imprisoned if their outlawed religious activities are discovered.
• In regions where Islam or Tibetan Buddhism are majority faiths, Christian converts can face additional scrutiny and pressure – and sometimes violence – from their families and communities. 

• Those who leave Islam must keep their faith secret. It’s so dangerous that husbands, wives and children may even hide their faith from one another. If discovered, believers may be stripped of their citizenship, isolated from society and lose their state benefits for violating Sharia (Islamic law).
• While foreign Christians – who mostly work in the tourist sector – have slightly more freedom than converts, their gatherings are strictly monitored and controlled by the authorities. Many prefer not to organise meetings, for fear of the repercussions. Foreign Christians (whether tourists or migrant workers) are strictly forbidden from sharing their faith with Maldivians.
• If a Christian woman or girl is discovered to be a Christian, she risks being pressured into marriage and exposed to domestic violence in an attempt to force her to reject her new-found faith.
• If a Maldivian man or boy is found to be a secret Christian, he is likely to face physical violence, harassment, threats and even imprisonment (although there have been no cases of imprisonment in recent years).
• Give the pressure they face, many Christians choose to leave the country and live abroad, if they can afford to do so.

• Different Christian denominations, such as the Assyrian and Chaldean churches, are all seriously affected by discrimination and violence from militant groups and government authorities. In central and southern Iraq, many Christians avoid displaying religious symbols due to fear of harassment.
• Christian men in Iraq face significant job discrimination, especially in the public sector. Those in central and southern Iraq are pressured to leave their jobs, particularly if they work for foreign organisations or hold high positions. In the north, Christian men struggle to find employment and often face exploitation.
• Christian women are often perceived as ‘loose’ and face sexual harassment and threats, especially in the workplace and on public transport. They may need to wear veils for safety in some areas.
• Female converts from Islam face severe violations, including house arrest, beatings and even death, often from their own families. They cannot legally marry Christian men, as they are still considered Muslims by the state.
• Priests and Christian leaders face travel restrictions, harassment at checkpoints, threats of imprisonment, kidnapping and death, especially in the Nineveh Plains. Speaking out against political leaders or militias can make them targets.

• Christians often face violence. Church leaders are particularly vulnerable to abduction, and several remain missing. Kidnapping a leader is likely to undermine the Christian community.
• Women and girls from religious minority groups – including Christians – risk abduction, sexual harassment and sexual violence. They may also face domestic violence, forced marriage or even so-called ‘honour’ killing.
• Throughout Syria, Christian men face discrimination in the workplace. Unemployed Christians have immense difficulty obtaining a job, and employed Christians stand little chance of being promoted.

• Conversion from Islam is forbidden and dangerous. Many choose to hide their faith completely.
• Male converts can face additional persecution from their families. This may include beatings, being forced out of their homes, verbal insults and threats. 
• Female converts may be placed under house arrest by their families or forcibly married to a Muslim man.
• Christian men in Algeria regularly face harassment in their workplaces. Because men are the main breadwinners, loss of work can have a crippling effect on the entire family.
• Christian women can face harassment (particularly if they are unveiled), sexual assault and death threats.
• The wave of church closures by the authorities has deprived many Algerian believers of fellowship through attending church and discipleship classes, as well as the opportunity to be baptised. Women in particular are affected by this. They do not have the freedom to travel to remote churches to access Christian teaching and fellowship.

• Believers living in areas where militant groups are active risk being kidnapped, displaced or worse. Christians have been targeted and killed and churches destroyed. Because of jihadist activity, hundreds of churches have been closed. 
• Converts from an Islamic or traditional religious background face particular pressure and violence. Families sometimes beat them, force them to marry a Muslim, withdraw them from school and, in some instances, cast them out of the family or issue death threats. 
• Large numbers of pastors and their families have been abducted and remain in captivity, and some have even been killed.
• Christian women face rape, forced marriage, banishment and abduction, and face pervasive threats of death and abuse.    
• Many Christian men and boys flee the country due to the pressures they face.

• Christians – particularly converts from Islam – are likely to encounter severe pressure to recant their faith from their family and local community.
• Believers must meet in house churches because they cannot gain permission or official recognition to be able to gather in public.
• Although conversion is not a punishable offence legally, converts risk being arrested and interrogated by the government, and the country’s strong and well-informed security services make it difficult for believers to express their faith.
• Converts often face persecution from their families, including ostracism, loss of inheritance or financial support, house arrest, forced divorce and denial of access to children.
• Every year, police question numerous Christian men in Morocco for incidents such as owning a Bible or discussing the Christian faith with a Muslim. It’s also harder for Christian men to find and secure a new job if their faith is known.
• In rural areas especially, women are still expected to remain at home. As a consequence, religious persecution against women typically takes place within the family home. The high level of stigma attached to rape, or the threat of rape, makes it a highly effective weapon for religious coercion. 
• Immigrant Christians are relatively free to meet and worship, although they are often under surveillance and risk deportation if they are found to be sharing their faith with Muslims. 

• The Communist authorities heavily monitor all religious activities, even those of registered churches. All gatherings must be reported, forcing house churches to operate secretly as they are deemed ‘illegal gatherings’.
• Converts to Christianity face severe challenges and this can include divorce, separation from children and beatings, and the local authorities and religious leaders even incite whole communities against them, leading to their expulsion from their villages.

• Converts risk expulsion from the family home and loss of livelihood, and may even be forced to leave the country.
• Apostasy is legally punishable by death. There are no known cases of this in recent years – but the threat remains.
• While visiting or migrant Christians from Western countries are largely left alone, evangelism is strictly forbidden and can lead to prosecution
• Most Christians in Mauritania are from sub-Saharan Africa and they can face discrimination in employment, because of both racial and faith-based discrimination.

• Converts – whether from a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or an ethnic/tribal background – face the most severe restrictions, discrimination and attacks in Bangladesh. Fearing attack from extremists, they often gather in small house churches or secret groups.
• Persecution against men is often more public than that against women; men can be beaten, tortured and threatened, whilst women can face sexual assault, harassment, forced marriage and divorce.
• Church leaders are particularly at risk of arrest, although imprisonment is rare.
• Churches that evangelise among the Muslim majority face persecution, but even traditional churches such as the Roman Catholic Church may experience attacks or threats made to their clergy.

• The historic Russian Orthodox churches experience the least persecution from the government, but they are not permitted to share their faith with the rest of the Uzbek population.
• All other Christian communities – particularly church leaders – face some sort of monitoring and pressure. Churches that are not approved of and registered by the state are often raided by the police, with people arrested, threatened and fined.
• Most people in Uzbekistan are Muslim, and converts from Muslim families bear the brunt of persecution – from both the state and also from their own families and communities.
• While laws in Uzbekistan give equal rights to men and women, traditional Islamic culture treats women as subservient to men – and this is reflected in the type of persecution faced by Uzbek Christian women, including house arrest, kidnap, forced marriage, divorce and sexual violence.

• Church leaders and Christian activists who criticise the regime can face interrogation, arrest, physical violence and imprisonment.  
• The government often refuses to register new churches, forcing many to operate illegally. These churches are vulnerable to fines, property confiscation and even demolition.
• Christian women and girls face pressure partly because of gaps in laws about domestic violence.
• House church leaders (who are often men) report frequent visits from state security agents who threaten their job and their children’s education.

• People in Central African Republic (CAR) who choose to leave Islam to follow Jesus can face numerous risks, including ostracism, separation from children, house arrest abduction and even death.
• The many years of violence and instability has left Christian women and girls vulnerable to various forms of religious persecution, including rape, abduction, trafficking and forced marriage.
• Pastors are especially targeted, to try to prevent them from converting members of the community. They have even been attacked during church services.

• The presence of radical Islamist groups has led to frequent attacks and kidnappings, significantly limiting the freedom and safety of Christians. It’s also led to a rise in attacks on Christian property, such as churches, schools and healthcare centres.
• Those who leave Islam for Christianity can face rejection, house arrest, forced marriage, sexual abuse, divorce, separation from children and disinheritance.
• Pressure also comes from the authorities, and this is likely to increase in the near future. The legal process for registering a church is arduous and protracted, and legal roadblocks have been used to prevent Christians from gathering.

• Christian leaders are the most closely observed – they’re targeted to control Christian activities and spread fear among their congregations.
• Even the country’s historical Russian Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic churches can find their Sunday services being monitored.
• Printing or importing Christian materials, holding unofficial meetings, or even downloading Christian songs can result in a fine or a worse punishment.
• Those who convert to Christianity from a Muslim background are at risk of being shamed, harassed, disinherited or even beaten by their family, friends or community.
• Women who choose to become Christians are considered to have challenged the accepted social order and are particularly vulnerable to persecution – unsurprisingly, many choose to keep their faith secret.

• In retribution against those perceived to have opposed Nicaragua’s regime, Christian leaders have been harassed and arrested, Christian properties seized, Christian schools, TV stations and charities closed, and churches monitored and intimidated.
• In light of these pressures, many Christians – particularly church leaders – have felt forced to flee the country. Many more have been expelled or subjected to immigration restrictions.

• Young people, including Christians, are often targeted by criminal gangs – boys are at risk of indoctrination and forced recruitment (and refusal can carry huge consequences), whilst girls can be abducted and forced into sexual slavery.
• Church leaders often face serious threats from armed criminal groups.
• Christians who come from indigenous backgrounds can face ostracism, fines, incarceration and forced displacement, as well as property damage, restriction of access to schools for their children, and threats.
• Given that indigenous leaders are those who administer justice in such areas, believers have no one they can rely on to investigate wrongdoing and protect their religious freedom..

• Omani citizens who convert to Christianity are put under pressure from family and society to recant their faith. They can be expelled from the family home, lose their jobs, be divorced and face problems over child custody and inheritance, so many keep their faith hidden.  
• Since they have little voice in Oman’s ultra-conservative society, women are not expected to have their own religious beliefs. As such, it is extremely difficult for women to convert from Islam to Christianity and any woman who decides to become a Christian is at risk of persecution.
• Female converts can be isolated from other Christians or even kept under house arrest. Unmarried converts may also be put under pressure to marry a Muslim to try to force them to return to Islam.
• Converts to Christianity cannot marry a Christian, as they can’t change their legally registered faith.

• Despite Ethiopia’s rich Christian heritage, persecution comes from both the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EOC) and Islamic extremists. Christians from non-traditional denominations get the harshest treatment from local authorities and the EOC, while new believers and missionaries are hunted by extremists, forcing many to flee their homes.
• In some regions, Christians are attacked by Islamist mobs and often denied community resources, leading to social isolation.
• Converts from Islam, especially in the east and southeast, and those from Orthodox backgrounds face intense family and community pressure.
• Christian women and girls are dealing with a tough mix of religious persecution and gender violence. Bridal abduction, often leading to forced marriages with non-Christians, is still common.
• Sexual violence is also a big threat. Female converts face particularly harsh treatment, including forced marriages and isolation from their families.
• Men are more likely to suffer physical attacks and displacement, with civil unrest exacerbating these issues.
• Church leaders are particularly targeted, weakening their families and the broader Christian community.

• Being known as a Christian affects a Tunisian’s reputation, their job security and, in the worst cases, can result in complete rejection or abuse from their Muslim family and community.
• Men from Muslim families who become Christians face ostracism, intimidation, beatings and death threats. They can also be denied promotion and suffer loss of employment and physical violence. However, the severity of backlash following conversion depends on his social position and his political standing within his community.
• A Christian woman can be physically beaten, expelled from her home, put under house arrest or threatened with rape, forced marriage or death. If already married, she is likely to be divorced, have her children taken away, and her financial support withdrawn. There has been a rollback of women’s rights in Tunisia since President Kais Saied ushered in a new constitution in 2022.
• Church gatherings are also monitored by the authorities; despite this, the church in North Africa is growing.

• Even though most of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is Christian, believers are increasingly vulnerable to persecution. Pastors and Christian leaders are targeted and harassed for their faith, especially in eastern Congo. Their families are also at risk.
• Churches that criticise the government or armed groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) may be shut down, and their leaders arrested or attacked. 
• Converts from Islam and indigenous religions face pressure from their families to return to their old faiths.
• The DRC has no specific laws to protect Christian women and girls, making them vulnerable to domestic violence and forced marriages. Christian women are also at risk of abduction, rape, trafficking and sexual slavery, especially by the ADF.
• Christian men are at risk of being maimed, abducted, forced to join militia groups and killed. Men and boys can also face sexual violence.
• To escape, Christian men may be forced to pay large ransoms, driving their families deeper into poverty. Christian men also face workplace discrimination and may be denied jobs.

• Christian women who convert from Hinduism or Buddhism to Christianity are at the greatest risk of persecution; typically they will be emotionally abused by their families or divorced by their husbands.
• Forced marriage is also a risk for Christian converts. Unmarried converts, especially young women, fear being pressured into marrying a non-Christian. 
• Christian men and boys can experience persecution through being disowned by their family or being asked to leave the family home. They are also likely to experience strong pressure from their peers, local community and work colleagues, compounding a sense of isolation and rejection. 
• Local authorities often refuse to issue Christians with the right paperwork to file loan applications, property registration, job applications and ID card renewal. 

• The rise of Islamist extremism in the north of the country, especially in regions such as Cabo Delgado, has had a devastating impact on the lives of believers. Churches have been burned down, pastors abducted and many killed.
• Pastors have reported being denied exit visas and being incarcerated for up to three years in re-education camps for being critical of the government.
• Christian men and boys have been particularly targeted by Islamist militants. This includes boys being forcibly recruited to militia ranks, while older men are often killed because they are regarded as ‘weak’.
• Converts from Islam or African traditional religions are vulnerable to persecution from within their own families. This can include divorce, forced marriage, loss of custody of children and disinheritance.
• The rising threat of Islamist extremism in Mozambique has made Christian women and girls acutely vulnerable to abduction, sexual violence, forced marriage and domestic slavery. There have been reports of abductions where Christian girls were taken as ‘war trophies’.
• Mozambique also has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, with 53% of girls being married before the age of 18, and due to the ongoing conflict in northern Mozambique, many girls have been forced to abandon their education.
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• Indigenous Christians with a Muslim background suffer the most. They face persecution from both the state and their own families, friends and communities. Some converts are locked up by their families, beaten and eventually expelled from their communities. Local imams also preach against them, further isolating these converts.
• Christian men face pressure from both the state and their communities. State persecution includes travel restrictions and fines. Refusing military service can lead to fines and prison sentences. Church leaders are particularly targeted by authorities.
• Earning a living is challenging for Christian men, especially in rural areas where authorities demand bribes from Protestant business owners. Some keep their faith secret to avoid persecution. Converts and church leaders risk losing their jobs due to their faith.
• In Kazakhstan, traditional Islamic culture places women in a subordinate position, demanding their total submission. This cultural norm makes female converts to Christianity particularly vulnerable. They face physical and verbal abuse, harassment, threats and even house arrest.
• Although no cases have been reported in the past year, the risk of forced marriage to a Muslim remains, sometimes involving abduction practices such as ‘bride kidnapping’. Women and girls in rural areas are most at risk. Christian women also face the threat of sexual assault, which often goes unreported due to stigma.

• Much of the country is Muslim, and believers who come from this background face rejection, humiliation and possible violence from their families and communities.
• Anyone under age 18 is not allowed to attend church services, and Christians are not allowed to share their faith.
• In recent years, church meetings have increasingly been raided by the authorities, with church members being interrogated for hours at a time and pressured to inform on others. They can be detained, fined or imprisoned.
• The authorities target church leaders (who are mostly men) in order to impact the wider church and cause levels of fear to rise within the congregation. As a result, the risk of persecution has driven many Christians underground. 
• Within Tajikistan’s traditional Islamic culture, female converts from Islam are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and violent persecution. If their conversion is discovered, female converts run the risk of being put under house arrest, beaten, rejected, sexually assaulted or forced to marry a Muslim.
• Open Doors sources report a recent story of a woman whose husband forbade her and her son from attending church and kept them locked up.

• Christians often face discrimination in their communities, from harassment on the streets to bullying at school. Christian men are treated like second-class citizens in the workplace, including recruitment, while Christian women face significant violence in public.
• Muslim mobs sometimes force Christians to leave their homes, after accusations of blasphemy. These incidents mostly happen in Upper Egypt, where radical Islamic groups are active.
• Converts from Islam face intense pressure – including death threats – from their own families and communities.
• Some church leaders have even been killed by these groups. In several incidents, Coptic believers have been attacked, unjustly detained and, in one case, killed.

• Qatar is increasingly using advanced technology to monitor both citizens and immigrants. Believers from a Muslim background usually keep their faith secret.
• Anybody suspected of being a Christian, particularly a Qatari or someone from a Muslim-majority country, can face discrimination, harassment and police monitoring.
• A discovered convert is likely to face divorce and loss of custody of their children.
• A woman who converts may face house arrest, sexual violence or, in the most extreme cases, so-called ‘honour killing’. Authorities cannot interfere in what happens in the family home, so there is little chance of legal justice.

• Any foreigner suspected of sharing the gospel can be deported, while local Christians who preach Christianity or worship publicly will be prosecuted.
• Converts from Islam can be denied equal treatment in the family, verbally abused and, in some cases, even denied food. Women are particularly vulnerable to divorce, disinheritance and trafficking.
• Christian men also experience discrimination in the workplace, including being refused work because of their faith.

• Militant Islamic violence continues to be the most obvious source of persecution in Cameroon, particularly in the Far North. Christian communities are attacked and many believers are abducted or murdered.
• Some men and boys have been forcibly recruited into militant groups.
• Many churches have had to close because of the violence, leaving some believers without a place of worship.
• Huge numbers of Christians have been forced to flee their homes and are living as refugees inside or outside Cameroon, contributing to the wider displacement crisis in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Converts from Islam can face rejection by their families, forced marriage or divorce, losing custody of children, house arrest or disinheritance.

• Converts from ethnic-animist religions can have their homes destroyed and face expulsion from their communities. Women and girls can face trafficking, sexual assault and forced marriage or, if married, threats of divorce.
• Local authorities break up church services and detain, threaten, fine and sometimes imprison church leaders, ordering them not to speak about Jesus anymore.
• Christians are also targeted for arrest and abduction, causing many to flee their villages.

• In Türkiye (also known as Turkey), Christians face everyday discrimination for their faith – whether in job applications, legal procedures or when entering/re-entering the country.
• Converts from Islam can face threats, arrest, imprisonment, job loss, disinheritance or expulsion from their family. Violence against women, including murder, has massively increased under the current government.
• Churches struggle with legal obstacles and red tape intended to obstruct the practice of their faith.

• Although most Colombians are Christians, believers – particularly pastors – are still at risk of being physically assaulted, kidnapped, extorted for financial gain, forced to leave their regions, or even murdered.
• Christian men and boys are at risk of abduction, forced recruitment and violence at the hands of criminal armed groups. 
• In gang-controlled territories, young Christian girls can become the targets for seduction or trafficking by cartel leaders.
• Converts from indigenous communities may be beaten, harassed, threatened, or sent away to do forced labour in the territory. 
• Female converts from this communities may be pressured into marriage to a non-Christian or, if already married, can be abandoned by their husbands and separated from their children.

• Some converts are locked up for long periods by their families and even beaten, while others are expelled from their communities altogether.
• Women who choose to leave Islam and follow Jesus can also face forced marriage and sexual violence. In conservative regions, they may be kidnapped and married to a Muslim.
• Christian men risk losing their jobs, having their business boycotted and being disinherited. As men tend to be breadwinners in Kyrgyzstan, this will affect the whole family.
• Church leaders are detained, interrogated and fined during church raids.

• A Christian from a Muslim background is likely to be disowned by their family and forced to leave home.
• Unmarried women who convert face the possibility of forced marriage to a Muslim man.
• Converts also suffer beatings, humiliation and threats of imprisonment from religious authorities.
• Non-traditional Christian communities cannot be registered as churches, but must be registered as companies, societies or family centres – and, since they are treated as secular organisations, they have to submit financial and operational reports to the government every year.
• Young people are particularly affected by the mandatory religious education of children. Under changes announced in October 2023, children as young as three years old now have Islamic religious education incorporated into their general studies.

“If they see my cross necklace, they’ll accuse me of spreading the gospel.” – Lina*