Global Persecution: The Rise of Violence Against Christians in 2025–2026

Persecution against Christians worldwide reached alarming levels between October 2024 and September 2025, according to the World Watch List 2026 report by the organization Open Doors. More than 388 million believers (approximately one in seven Christians worldwide) live in countries where they face discrimination, violence, or severe restrictions because of their faith, a figure that increased by about 8 million compared to the previous year.

The report also reveals that 4,849 Christians were killed for reasons related to their faith during that period, 373 more than the previous year, representing an average of almost 13 deaths per day. The vast majority of these crimes occurred in Nigeria, which accounted for nearly 70% of the recorded cases, reaffirming its status as the most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian.

It is not only the deaths that are cause for alarm: the violence includes attacks on churches, kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, and structural discrimination in numerous countries. For example, some governments employ measures ranging from imprisonment to the demolition of churches, while in places like North Korea, the Christian faith can lead to imprisonment or even execution.

The most affected regions include sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, where fragile states, armed conflicts, and religious extremism contribute to this situation. In addition to murders, thousands of Christians are detained without trial, forced to flee their homes, or face violence based on religious beliefs.

In this context, various organizations and initiatives, such as the SIT (Secretariat of International Relations), seek to raise awareness of the situation and promote religious freedom as a fundamental right, emphasizing that persecution affects not only individuals but also entire communities and social cohesion in vulnerable regions of the world.