Persecution of Christians Reaches Historic Levels, Conditions Suggest Worst Is Yet to Come

SANTA ANA, Calif., Jan. 7, 2015 – While the year 2014 will go down in history for having the highest level of global persecution of Christians in the modern era, current conditions suggest the worst is yet to come. Today, Open Doors released its annual World Watch List, which ranks the top 50 countries where it […]

SANTA ANA, Calif., Jan. 7, 2015 – While the year 2014 will go down in history for having the highest level of global persecution of Christians in the modern era, current conditions suggest the worst is yet to come.

Today, Open Doors released its annual World Watch List, which ranks the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous and difficult to be a Christian. This year, the threshold was higher for a country to make the list, indicating that worldwide levels of persecution have increased. Topping the 2015 list for the 13th consecutive year is North Korea. Africa saw the most rapid growth of persecution, while the Middle East saw targeted attacks, resulting in a mass exodus of Christians.

“Even Christian-majority states are experiencing unprecedented levels of exclusion, discrimination and violence,” said David Curry, president and CEO of Open Doors USA. “The 2015 World Watch List reveals that a staggering number of Christians are becoming victims of intolerance and violence because of their faith. They are being forced to be more secretive about their faith.”


TOP-LEVEL ANALYSIS OF OPEN DOORS’ 2015 WORLD WATCH LIST

  • North Korea remains the most dangerous and difficult place to be a Christian for the 13th consecutive year. An estimated 70,000 Christians remain in prison for their faith.
  • For the third year in a row, the majority of African nations on the World Watch List have increased in rank due to Islamic extremism. Kenya made the largest jump, moving up from No. 43 to No. 19.
  • The Middle East remains one of the most violent areas of the world for Christians. Violence against Christians by the Islamic State and other Islamic terrorist groups increased in countries like Iraq and Syria, causing thousands of Christians to flee these areas.

Christian persecution is defined as any hostility experienced as a result of one’s identification with Christ. Recent examples include imprisonment, torture, beheadings, rape, and loss of home and assets. Islamic extremism is the main source of persecution in 40 of the 50 countries on the 2015 World Watch List.

“The goal of the World Watch List is to keep Christian persecution on the radar of those enjoying the privileges of freedom,” said Curry. “The perpetrators of persecution need to know that the world is watching and stands in opposition to persecution. And for the persecuted, we want them to know that they are not forgotten.”

View the complete 2015 World Watch List and learn more about the methodology used to compile the World Watch List by visiting Open Doors USA’s newsroom

About Open Doors USA
For 60 years, Open Doors USA has worked in the world’s most oppressive and restrictive countries for Christians. Open Doors works to equip and encourage Christians living in dangerous circumstances with the threat of persecution and equips the Western church to advocate for the persecuted. For more information, visit OpenDoorsUSA.org.

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