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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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Mauritania

World Watch List ranking: 23

SUMMARY

In Mauritania, it is illegal to leave Islam and follow another faith. Converts face extreme pressure for bringing shame on their families; they are likely to be shunned or abused. They may be accused of apostasy in a religious court, with severe consequences, or prosecuted for ‘undermining national security by insulting Islam and threatening Mauritania’s sacred principles’. It is extremely risky for Christians to meet together - even foreign-born Christians worshipping publicly can be charged with trying to evangelise to Muslims.

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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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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