Persecution of Christians around the world [ edit ]
The Open Doors Global Christian
Persecution Index is a tool gathering data intended to be representative
of the persecution of Christians. Compiled by the “research department” of
Portes Ouvertes International from field data, it tracks the changes
experienced by Christians in 150 countries, then ranks among them the 50
countries where it is, according to the criteria defined by the Index , the
most difficult and dangerous way to practice the Christian faith. The
classification does not simply reflect the violent acts of persecution (hammer
persecution) but also the “environmental conditions” underlying the persecution
(vice-like persecution).
In 2023, the report analyzes
the persecution over the last thirty years. The number of countries
affected by persecution has increased from 40 in 1993 to 76 today, according to
the NGO 6 . The average score
of the 50 worst countries for Christians has increased by 25% in thirty
years. Thus, the persecution would spread and intensify 7 .
The 2023 ranking shows a
significant increase in persecution, which has been increasing steadily for 10
years 8 . Over the period
studied to develop the Global Christian Persecution Index 2023, 5,621
Christians were killed because of their belief, almost 90% of them in
Nigeria : this represents 15 Christians
killed per day in the world because of their faith 9 . 4,542 Christians
were detained, including 1,750 in India. Of the 5,256 Christians kidnapped
in one year, 4,726 were in Nigeria .
The NGO Portes Ouvertes
estimates that more than 360 million Christians (1 in 7 Christians) are heavily
persecuted in the world 10 . Among them, it is
those who left their old religion to embrace Christianity who are the most
persecuted 11 .
North Korea has regained the top
spot. It records the highest score ever measured since the creation of the
Index in 1993, which is 98 persecution points (the maximum being 100
points) 12 .
The association also reports a
worsening of violence in sub-Saharan Africa over the past 30
years. Islamist extremism, represented by several armed groups, is gaining
ground. Kidnappings, raids on churches and even murders are becoming more
and more frequent, particularly in Nigeria 13 .
