We serve Christians around the world whose brave faith in Jesus means they are, beaten, threatened, imprisoned, tortured, falsely accused, disowned and hated.
Christians in churches the government refuses to formally approve are considered enemies of the state and have faced beatings, imprisonment and torture. Those who are arrested have been locked in metal shipping containers battling with horrific heat in the day and freezing temperatures at night. Islamic extremism is on the rise, and radical groups seem well connected with country leaders.
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
“Even when we are in suffering, we rejoice. Our happiness is not based on what we have or do not have. When people see that, they accept Jesus.”
Pastor Gideon, who has spent more than six years in prison for his faith
ERITREA: QUICK FACTS
Christians in non approved denominations are considered enemies of the state and have faced beatings, imprisonment, harassment and torture.
Those who are arrested have been locked in metal shipping containers battling with horrific heat in the day and freezing temperatures at night.
Islamic extremism is on the rise, and radical groups seem well connected with country leaders.
Christians from unapproved denominations are looked at suspiciously, and the government encourages people to spy on them.
ERITREA: THE BASICS
Believers in Eritrea continue to suffer extreme persecution, making it still one of the hardest places in the world to follow Jesus. The government recognises only three denominations: Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran. Those not part of these groups are at risk of severe persecution at the hands of the state. This includes intrusive surveillance, raids on gatherings, and arrests.
The conditions facing Christians in prison can be inhumane. Some pastors have been incarcerated for over a decade and have faced solitary confinement. There are believed to be more than 1,000 Christians imprisoned in Eritrea, with none formally charged. While some are released, many of these are moved to military service – which is no freedom at all – or house arrest.
Since most underground church leadership positions are held by men, any arrests among them cause a leadership vacuum, as well as financial distress to families where they are the breadwinner. Detained Christian women are acutely vulnerable to gender-based violence whilst held.
Meanwhile, converts from Islam and the Eritrean Orthodox Church face harsh mistreatment from their families and communities.
In the past year, multiple gatherings have been raided. In June 2022, 150 Christians were arrested during a prayer meeting. “This number is too much in a single home meeting,” the authorities claimed. “We do not support their act.”
Despite this extreme persecution, the church in Eritrea is seeing remarkable growth, particularly among young people.
Eritrea: More Details
Pastor Gideon’s Story
Pastor Gideon (name changed) knows how costly it can be to follow Jesus in Eritrea – he’s spent more than six years in prison for his faith.
During his detention, the pastor experienced mental and physical torture. “There were times when the temptation to deny Christ was very real,” he recalls. “But with God’s help we persevered and said, ‘No’. Had we said yes, they would have freed us earlier.”
Amazingly, inmates and guards became Christians through the bold witness of Pastor Gideon and others. “Some of the happy moments during my time in prison were when I met people who accepted the Lord,” shares the pastor, who has since been released.
“We tell people that being a Christian does not only mean accepting Jesus,” he continues. “Rather, we tell them that there are also prison and challenges.”
Despite the acute risks that come with following Jesus, the church in Eritrea is growing. “What makes us happy is that the gospel is spreading,” says Pastor Gideon. “Now more than ever before. People, especially young people, are coming to Christ. Persecution has not stopped the church.”
Watch Eyal’s Story
In this inspiring video Eyal shares how the courage of Eritrean believers is helping them to stand firm in the face of persecution, imprisonment and even death.
Watch Helen’s Story
If you were to wake up tomorrow, with only the things you thanked God for today, what would you have?
How is Open Doors helping
Open Doors works through local church partners in Eritrea to provide discipleship training, economic empowerment projects and persecution survival training.
PRAY NOW
Heavenly Father, we pray for all our brothers and sisters currently imprisoned for their faith in Eritrea. May they know Your presence with them in every moment. Sustain them and their families spiritually, physically and emotionally. Thank You for those who have witnessed their courage and come to know You for themselves. We pray that all Christians will be able to meet and encourage one another in safety. And we pray with Eritrean believers that You would work in the hearts of those in power so they would allow more religious freedom. Amen.
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Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.
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 Violent attacks by Islamic militants, targeting Christians, remain common in Somalia and have been for more than 25 years. Groups like al-Shabaab operate with seemingly little pushback and control large parts of Somali territory, and they consider Christians ‘high-value’ targets for killing. The small number of believers in Somalia […]
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Yemen
A few thousand
YEMEN: QUICK FACTS YEMEN: THE BASICS There are only a few thousand Christians in Yemen (most of whom would be migrants or workers from other countries). Those that haven’t fled because of the war have become doubly vulnerable during the current conflict which sparked a massive humanitarian crisis. Yemen is a strongly Islamic nation, and all […]
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Libya
35,400 (0.5%)
Libya: QUICK FACTS Libya: The basics Libya is effectively a lawless land where to be a Christian is to live a secret life of faith. Those who leave Islam to follow Jesus face immense pressure from family to renounce their Christian beliefs. Their community excludes them, and they can be left homeless, jobless and alone. […]
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Nigeria
100.4 million (46%)
Nigeria: QUICK FACTS NIGERIA: THE BASICS The persecution facing Christians in Nigeria is extreme and often brutally violent, as Islamic militants and armed bandits attack with increasing impunity. This mostly affects believers living in the Muslim-majority north and Middle Belt, but it’s also spreading to the south. Although all civilians are subject to threats and […]
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Pakistan
4.2 million (1.8%)
PAKISTAN: QUICK FACTS PAKISTAN: THE BASICS In Pakistan, Christians are considered second-class citizens and are discriminated against in every aspect of public and private life. Believers who have converted from Islam are the most vulnerable to persecution. Christian women and girls are particularly vulnerable. Reports indicate there is a silent epidemic of kidnappings, forced marriages […]
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Iran
1.2 million (under 1.4% of the population)
IRAN: QUICK FACTS IRAN: THE BASICS Converts from Islam to Christianity are most at risk of persecution, especially from the government and to a lesser extent from society and their own families. The government sees the growth of the church in Iran as an attempt by Western countries to undermine Islam and the Islamic regime […]
LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Afghanistan
Thousands (in a population of 41 million)
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LEVEL OF PERSECUTION:
Sudan
2 million (4.3%)
SUDAN: QUICK FACTS SUDAN: THE BASICS Despite Sudan making positive strides towards religious freedom in recent years, persecution of Christians remains at a high level in the country, and there are fears this will worsen following the military coup in October 2021. The seizure of power occurred following an escalation in hostilities between conservative Islamists […]
Pastor Gideon (name changed) knows how costly it can be to follow Jesus in Eritrea – he’s spent more than six years in prison for his faith.
