More than 360 million Christians are persecuted in the world, according to an NGO

The Open Doors Association denounces that the persecution of Christians has spread throughout the world, with 76 countries in which the faithful are severely persecuted because of their faith. Arrests in North Korea and killings in Nigeria are on the rise, according to the annual report.

One in seven Christians suffers persecution in the world, according to this NGO that has been publishing this report for 30 years. Between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022, “more than 360 million” Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Baptists, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, etc. were “heavily persecuted in the world, that is, one Christian in seven,” said Patrick Victor, director of Open Doors Francein a press conference.

In 2022, 5,621 Christians were murdered, compared to 5,898 the previous year. The NGO also recorded “4,542 detained Christians”, compared to 4,277 in 2021, and “5,259 kidnapped Christians”, compared to 3,829. The total number of churches closed, attacked or destroyed was 2,110, up from 5,110 last year.

For this anniversary, they have analyzed the evolution of these three decades and the data is dizzying. They note an increase in the persecution of Christians worldwide. Strong or extreme persecution has spread from 40 countries in 1993 to 76 in 2023.

Nigeria is the country that concentrates the most murders

“Nigeria is on the edge of the precipice”, denounces the NGO. It leads the world rankings in violence against Christians, with 89% of Christians killed and 90% of Christians kidnapped worldwide. It also ranks second in terms of churches attacked.

The report highlights that half of the churches attacked are registered in China. In that country there is also a high number of Christians detained for their faith: 1,750.

Puertas Abiertas highlights that in these 30 yearsseveral countries “have positioned themselves on an authoritarian slope with a strong leader and a religious or ideological nationalism that leaves no room for religious minorities, including Christians.”

North Korea is the only country with extreme persecution every year for 30 years, Eritrea, India, with extreme persecution since 2016, China, where persecution has not stopped increasing since 2018, Turkey and Central Asian countries (except Kyrgyzstan), the report underlines.

Finally, the organization regrets the “Christian exodus” in the Middle East: “The abuses of the Islamic State group have caused Christians to flee Iraq and Syria,” they denounce.

But they also affirm that some authorities such as those of Bahrain or United Arab Emirates They have launched a “narrative of national unity” or “tolerance” that opposes the speeches of Islamic extremists and helps create a less hostile environment towards Christians.