Country Profiles

Map of oppression & persecution of Christians and Country profiles featured in the Persecution and Forgotten? A report of Christians Persecution and Oppression in the World 2015 - 2017 .

  1. China
    Situation: worsened

    New regulations led to more churches destroyed and crosses pulled down. Threat of more restrictive legislation. Surveillance has grown. House Churches under increased pressure to conform or disband.
  2. Egypt
    Situation: slightly worsened

    More than 100 killed in three major attacks and ongoing instances of individual Christians being killed by extremists.
  3. Eritrea
    Situation: slightly worsened

    Increased government clampdown on Christians, imprisoning those who oppose its increasing control of religious groups.Continuing exodus due to hardships endured by all communities.
  4. India
    Situation: worsened

    Christians have faced a rising wave of violence, with attacks drastically increasing since the March 2017 elections. 316 incidents were reported in the first five months of 2017.
  5. Iran
    Situation: slightly worsened

    Escalation in anti-Christian sentiment in media outlets and proliferation of anti-Christian publications. Church experiences land confiscations, visa refusals, targeted surveillance and intimidation tactics.
  6. Iraq
    Situation: worsened

    Daesh tried to eliminate Chrisitianity in areas under their control, including by destroying churches and forced conversion. Central government legislation prompted fears Christian children could be forced to renounce faith.
  7. Nigeria
    Situation: slightly worsened

    Rising Fulani attacks have seen Christian villages devastated and many killed. Church reports indicate local government and military collusion in the murder of Christians as well as supplying funding and weapons.
  1. North Korea
    Situation: slightly worsened

    Christians convicted are routinely sent to political internment camps where they experienced extra-judicial killing, forced labour, torture, persecution, starvation, rape, forced abortion and sexual violence.
  2. Pakistan
    Situation: worsened

    Rife discrimination is increasing against Christians – evident in the schools including their textbooks, the workplace where many Christianshave menial jobs, and legal treatment.
  3. Saudi Arabia
    Situation: unchanged

    Christianity is illegal in Saudi Arabia. State claims tolerance of private worship by non-Muslims – but death penalty for Christian converts from Islam.
  4. Sudan
    Situation: worsened

    Sudan’s persecution against Christians has increased – with planning laws used as a pretext to destroy churches and Christian-owned buioldings in an attempt to crush Christianity.
  5. Syria
    Situation: worsened

    Horrific accounts of genocidal atrocities by Daesh during this period have emerged. A disproportionately high number of Christians fled Syria – up to half the Christian population.
  6. Turkey
    Situation: worsened

    50 Syriac Orthodox Church properties were among buildings seized by the state. Indications of continuing intolerance seen in Islamification of historic Christian sites, eg Hagia Sophia.