Persecution of Christians worldwide has increased significantly in both quantity and intensity, human rights experts in Berlin, Germany, said recently. Thomas Schirrmacher, president of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), said at a press conference announcing the release of the ISHR 2025 yearbooks “Religious Freedom” and “Persecution and Discrimination of Christians” that the situation of Christians in many regions has deteriorated significantly across the globe.
“This takes the form not only of direct violence (murders, kidnappings), but also of legislation, social discrimination, restrictions in public and private life and control of churches and religious services,” Schirrmacher said at the German Evangelical Alliance offices in Berlin. “The rise of authoritarian regimes, religious nationalism, political instability and violent conflicts is increasing the pressure of persecution.”
Schirrmacher, founder and co-editor of the yearbooks and former secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance, said they evaluate contemporary threats to freedom rights, including state persecution, extremist violence, imperialist dominance and anti-religious discrimination. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, but threats against it are increasing worldwide, said Schirrmacher, who just returned from meeting religious minorities in Syria and Iraqi Kurdistan. Highlighting two case studies, he noted that Islamist groups in Nigeria — such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Fulani herdsmen militias — continually target Christian communities. Terrorist attacks, kidnappings, murders and the destruction of church facilities occur regularly, affecting not only individuals but forcing entire communities to live in fear and uncertainty.
Despite laws to combat such abuse, implementation remains weak. While some courts show progress in protecting minors, discrimination continues. International pressure from the European Union and others has brought cautious signs of improvement, but the situation remains serious, Schirrmacher said. “These and numerous other cases the yearbook cover show that the situation for Christians is precarious in many regions,” he said. “As publishers of the Yearbooks on Persecution and Discrimination of Christians, we call on politicians and civil society — also on behalf of our authors and supporters — to defend religious freedom resolutely and not to remain silent about the fate of persecuted Christians.”
Schirrmacher emphasized that politicians must consistently defend religious freedom as a fundamental human right and not treat it as a marginal political issue. He added that history has shown time and again that when freedom of belief ends, the erosion of other fundamental freedom rights begins.
Two factors are the root causes of global persecution of Christians, he said. First, dictatorial, one-party states like China, Cuba and North Korea view Christians as a threat and therefore strictly monitor and oppress them. Second, militant political-religious movements or groups victimize Christians. “They suffer discrimination in professional and social life, violent attacks, kidnappings, expulsions and abuse,” he said. “They remain victims without effective state protection because there is no rule of law.”
Schirrmacher noted that Christians in Egypt, Syria, Nigeria, India and Myanmar suffer particularly under such conditions. He cited other states such as the Islamic republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan that have “tied their social order to a religion in a totalitarian manner and ruthlessly enforce their religious-political coercive order with state resources.” “In all these states, Christians suffer, and with them other religious communities,” he said. “We must not be indifferent to this! We must analyze and publicize the motives of the oppressors. The enemies of freedom fear this most, and it can put a stop to their activities.”
PRAY: Pray this increase in persecution worldwide would lead to a spread of Gospel as it did in the Book of Acts and pray for the believers being persecuted.