Open Doors publishes a new edition of the World Watch List identifying as many as 78 countries with high levels of hostility against Christianity in the world. North Korea and Nigeria stand out among those with “extreme persecution”.
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There is “extreme persecution” in 10 countries in Africa and the Middle East, says Open Doors. Elsewhere, worrying trends are observed in key geopolitical actors such as India, Saudi Arabia and China.
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Even when governments hinder access to certain technologies, TWR is able to reach beyond the barriers.
In Qatar, host of the football World Cup, converts from Islam face physical, psychological and (for women) sexual violence. Globally, over 5,000 attacks on Christian churches have been recorded.
Afghanistan is new at the top of the Open Doors WWL 2022. Discover the full list.
The Islamic country replaces North Korea at the top of the World Watch List after 20 years. One in seven Christians worldwide suffers persecution, says Open Doors.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom annual report denounces that “the pandemic fostered misinformation targeting religious minorities”.
“We thought Covid-19 was going to minimize the effect of persecution, but it has been the opposite. Persecution has increased”, says the director of Open Doors Spain. The organisation releases its annual World Watch List.
A report of the Korea Future Initiative (KFI) presents well-documented violations in North Korea. Investigators conducted 117 interviews with survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators.
The 2020 World Press Freedom Index shows that “China censored their major coronavirus outbreaks extensively”. Norway is at the top and North Korea becomes the most dangerous country for journalists.
Growing pressure on Christians in China, Algeria, Burkina Faso, according to the 2020 Open Doors World Watch List. Christians face severe persecution in 73 countries.
“The government has passed laws that blatantly violate religious freedom”, Swiss Christian NGO HMK says. Christian natives and foreigners have been arrested because of their faith.
The only thing the Kim family has done, says Eunman Jeon, the son of North Korean Christians, is to “change the name of God and put his own. That is the system of government of the country”.
“The Bible, a journey through the languages of the world” shows how “Western civilization is built upon Christianity, and its foundations are the Bible”, collector Pere Roquet says.
The coalition brings together Christian leaders and human rights campaigners. Kenneth Bae, the evangelical pastor who was detained by the regime of Kim Jong-un for two years, is one of its members.
Far East Broadcasting Company radio signal will be “unblockable by North Korean regime and reach the entire country with the message of Jesus Christ”.
Cross-cultural wisdom for a polycentric missions reality.
According to World Watch List, released today by Open Doors International, 4,305 people died in 2018 because of their Christian faith. Christian persecution has drastically increased.
The US commits to provide security guarantees to North Korea. The situation of Christians in North Korea “did come up” during the meeting and “things will be happening”, Donald Trump said in a press conference.
Experts agree that the summit between North Korea and the United States will not bring advances in the religious freedom of the country.
The first ever summit between North Korean and US leaders will take place in Singapore on June 12.
Kim Jong Un crosses the militarised border and holds talks with President Moon Jae In, that could set the foundation for the denuclearisation of the peninsula.
How will we react if God calls us to take a step of faith which could have drastic consequences?
Intolerance against Christians is highest in Central and Southeast Asia, after North Korea. The situation worsens dramatically in Africa. In Europe, two people were murdered bacause of their faith last year.
“Kim Jong Un is begging for war", U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said. China and Russia asked for diplomatic talks with North Korea.
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