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Open Doors Youth, PO Box 6, Witney, Oxon, UK, OX29 6WG

+44 (0) 1993 460015 / youth@opendoorsuk.org

We serve Christians around the world whose brave faith in Jesus means they are, beaten, threatened, imprisoned, tortured, falsely accused, disowned and hated.

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Bhutan

World Watch List ranking: 36

SUMMARY

All Bhutanese citizens are expected to follow Buddhism, which means anyone who converts to Christianity is exposed to hostility from their family and community. This can include job loss and disinheritance, and even false accusations of being bribed to convert. Bhutanese culture is very communal and the protection of family is crucial, so ostracism by loved ones can have an enormous impact on a convert’s life. No churches have official state recognition, meaning that gatherings for worship are technically illegal.

EVERY £8

Could provide a young person from Central Asia with a Bible in their own language

EVERY £26

Could provide trauma care for a victim of violent persecution

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LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

North Korea

400,000 (1.5% of the population)

North Korea is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. The leadership are viewed as divine, so those following Jesus pose a real threat to their ruling status. Those suspected of following Jesus will be arrested and interrogated. Up to 70,000 Christians are living in horrific labour camps.

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Somalia

Hundreds (in a population of 19.3 million)

SOMALIA: QUICK FACTS SOMALIA: WHY ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED? Al-Shabaab, a violent Islamic militant group at war with the government, controls large swathes of the country. This group enforces a strict form of Sharia (Islamic law) and is committed to eradicating Christianity from Somalia.  Persecution for Christians also comes from within their own families and communities. […]

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Yemen

A small number (exact figures are hard to define)

A country where Muslims who choose to follow Jesus could face the death penalty…

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Libya

35,500 (0.5%)

Libya: QUICK FACTS Libya: TWHY ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED? Libya has an honour/shame culture, and it is considered deeply shameful for the whole family when a Libyan wants to change their religion from Islam.  Islamic militant groups target Christians for human trafficking, forced labour and sexual enslavement, or kidnap for ransom – particularly those who are […]

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Sudan

2 million (4.1%)

Conflict, targeted persecution, Islamic extremism and instability all mean Christians are counting the cost in Sudan…

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Eritrea

1.7 million (44.2%)

There are 3.7 million people in Eritrea. Of these, 1.7 million are Christian, which is almost half the population.

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Nigeria

106.6 million (46.5%)

More believers are killed for their faith in Nigeria each year than everywhere else in the world, combined…

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Pakistan

4.5 million (1.8%)

PAKISTAN: QUICK FACTS PAKISTAN: THE BASICS In Pakistan’s honour/shame culture, it is considered deeply shameful for a family member to leave Islam – and so converts face intense opposition from their own family and community, including so-called ‘honour’ killing.  All Christians suffer from institutionalised discrimination, and occupations that are deemed low, dirty and degrading – […]

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Iran

800,00 (0.9% of the population)

Converting to Christianity from Islam is illegal in Iran, a place where Christians ca be arrested simply for attending a house church…

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Afghanistan

Thousands (in a population of 43 million)

If an Afghan’s Christian faith is discovered, it can be a death sentence, or they can be detained and tortured into giving information about fellow believers…

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