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

Cuba

World Watch List ranking: 22

How many Christians?

6.9 million (61.3%)

Leader

President Miguel Diaz-Canel

SUMMARY

Monitoring of Christians is becoming tighter, with the state compiling a database of pastors considered ‘counter- revolutionaries’. Christian leaders face harassment or even arrest. The authorities generally refuse to register new places of worship. Believers forced to meet in unregistered house churches can be heavily fined and have their church shut down.

Main threats

  • Dictatorial paranoia
  • Communist and post-Communist oppression

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

GIVE NOW

VIETNAM: THREE CHRISTIANS ARRESTED AND HOMES DESTROYED

Three Christians who serve as church leaders in Vietnam have been falsely arrested in a region which is a hotspot for persecution. Hung*, Long* and Viet* – who are siblings – also saw their homes destroyed, their animals taken away and their harvest confiscated by police

HOW ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED IN CUBA?

Cuba’s communist regime is not tolerant of dissenting voices or any other institutions gaining influence or power. The church falls into both of these camps and, as a result, Christians experience persecution from the authorities.
Christian activists or church leaders speaking out against corruption or political issues can be arrested and imprisoned. Others face smear campaigns against them and harassment or violence from the authorities and their sympathisers. The authorities compile a database of churches and pastors considered ‘counter-revolutionaries’, which these Christians fear will be another way to monitor and control them.
The state does not allow Christians freedom of conscience on social issues. For instance, if the state passes new legislation on marriage, churches will be forced to comply. If they don’t, church leaders are likely to be monitored and threatened by the state security agency. Government measures include arrests, abductions, arbitrary fines, close surveillance, denials of licenses and religious visas and physical and mental abuse.

Meet ‘Pastor Luiz’

“There is not even the possibility of legally registering our church.”

– PASTOR LUIZ, A CUBAN MISSIONARY WHOSE CHURCH IS DENIED AUTHORISATION

HOW ARE CHRISTIANS PERSECUTED IN CUBA?

Cuba’s communist regime is not tolerant of dissenting voices or any other institutions gaining influence or power. The church falls into both of these camps and, as a result, Christians experience persecution from the authorities.
Christian activists or church leaders speaking out against corruption or political issues can be arrested and imprisoned. Others face smear campaigns against them and harassment or violence from the authorities and their sympathisers. The authorities compile a database of churches and pastors considered ‘counter-revolutionaries’, which these Christians fear will be another way to monitor and control them.
The state does not allow Christians freedom of conscience on social issues. For instance, if the state passes new legislation on marriage, churches will be forced to comply. If they don’t, church leaders are likely to be monitored and threatened by the state security agency. Government measures include arrests, abductions, arbitrary fines, close surveillance, denials of licenses and religious visas and physical and mental abuse.

Pray this:

GET A FREE 2024 WORLD WATCH LIST PRAYER MAP!

Get your free interactive map to learn where Christians are counting the cost for their faith in Jesus. This year’s map comes with a temporary tally tattoo to help you count your prayers for your church family around the world!

Order Now

FREE WORLD WATCH LIST YOUTH SESSION OUTLINE

Get a free download of a youth session outline to help you learn more and pray for the places where Christians are counting the cost of following Jesus!

Order Now
pattern

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.

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Somalia

Hundreds (in a population of 16.8 million)

SOMALIA: QUICK FACTS SOMALIA: THE BASICS The dangers of being a Christian in Somalia are extreme. Most, if not all, Christians in the country are converts from Muslim backgrounds. That makes each believer a high-value target for al-Shabaab, a militant group that has repeatedly expressed its desire to eradicate Christians from the country. If discovered, […]

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Libya

35,100 (0.5%)

Libya: QUICK FACTS Libya: The basics Libya continues to be a place with very little political stability. Much of the country is ruled over by militias. But a small number of Libyans have encountered Jesus and chosen to follow Him. It could cost them everything.  Converts from Islam face the most intense and violent pressure […]

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Eritrea

1.7 million (46%)

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

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Yemen

A small number (exact figures are hard to define)

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

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Nigeria

103 million (46.4%)

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

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Pakistan

4.2 million (1.8%)

PAKISTAN: QUICK FACTS PAKISTAN: THE BASICS A devastating attack on the Christian community in Jaranwala in August 2023 was a reminder of the hostile environment facing many believers in Pakistan. The attack on more than 20 churches and almost 100 homes was in response to two believers being accused of desecrating the Quran.  Pakistan’s notorious […]

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Sudan

2 million (4.3%)

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

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Iran

1.2 million (under 1.4% 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…

LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:

Afghanistan

Thousands (in a population of 41 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…

btn-scroll