The persecution of Christians from 1989 to the present is part of a global pattern of religious persecution. In this era, the persecution of Christians takes place in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Prevalence
A July 2019 speech, in support of persecuted Christians, released by the UK's Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, claims that the number of countries where Christians suffer because of their faith, rose from 125 in 2015 to 144 in 2016. The review prepared by the Bishop of Truro, states that in some regions the level and nature of persecution, is arguably coming close to meeting the International definition of genocide, according to the Genocide Convention, adopted by the United Nations.
Between 2007 and 2017, the PEW organization found that "Christians experienced harassment by governments or social groups in 144 countries". The United States submits an annual report on religious freedom to Congress, also containing data on religious persecution, that it has collected from U.S. embassies around the world in collaboration with the Office of International Religious Freedom and other relevant U.S. government and non-governmental institutions. The data is listed by country and is available online.
Americas
Bolivia
The Bolivian government has been criticized for not adequately protecting the rights of religious minorities, including Christians, and for failing to prosecute those responsible for attacks. There have been incidents of property damage and theft directed towards Christian organizations and individuals. The country also has a history of religious tolerance and diversity, and many Christians live and worship freely without incident.
Canada
In 2021, Christian churches in Canada were subject to numerous acts of arson and vandalism that resulted in the damage and destruction of 68 churches across the country.
Harsha Walia, the executive director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association, responded to reports of fires at indigenous Catholic parishes with a tweet on June30 that read "burn it all down". The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs expressed support for her without mentioning the controversial tweet.
Chile
Since 2015, twelve churches have been burned in southern Chile, 10 Catholic ones and two Protestant ones. Attacks were supposedly from the Mapuche indigenous people, who are campaigning to reclaim ancestral lands, according to authorities.
A note declaring "We are going to burn all churches" was found at the ruins of the Christian Union Evangelical church in Ercilla, Chile, after an arson attack on 31 March 2016.
Cuba
In Cuba, government regulations are aimed at curbing the growth of Christian house churches. retrieved 21 January 2019
Mexico
Mexico is 83% Catholic, 5% Protestant, with some indigenous persons adhering to indigenous beliefs, 0.5% Jewish and an even smaller number of Muslims and others. In March, authorities in San Miguel Chiptic, Chiapas State, threatened three indigenous families for converting from Catholicism to the Seventh-day Adventist Church and did significant damage to their properties. On 23 May, local police in San Miguel Chiptic arrested two Seventh-day Adventist men for preaching beliefs other than Catholicism. Evangelical Protestant leaders in the states of Chiapas and Oaxaca said local indigenous leaders pressured them to financially support and/or participate in Catholic events, convert or return to Catholicism. In September Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported representatives from Rancheria Yocnajab, located in the Comitan de Dominguez municipality of Chiapas, did not allow the burial of an evangelical Protestant in the community public cemetery because she had not done so. The Catholic Multimedia Center reported that unidentified individuals killed seven priests and kidnapped another.
In most cases, attacks on and killings of Catholic priests generally reflect criminal activity rather than religious persecution. In August, the CMC asserted that Mexico was the most violent country for priests in Latin America for the 10th year in a row. In March unidentified individuals detonated two homemade bombs in two Catholic churches in Matamoros, Tamaulipas. Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported unidentified individuals killed four non-Catholic clergy.
United States
Africa
There are 54 countries in Africa, with many, but not all, experiencing some type of religious persecution.
Algeria
In Algeria, the official religion is Sunni Islam, and "those engaged in religious practice other than Sunni Islam, including Ahmadi Muslims, reported that they had experienced threats and intolerance. The police charged five Christians from Bouira Province with 'inciting a Muslim to change his religion' and 'performing religious worship in an unauthorized place.' In March 2018 a court in Tiaret convicted and fined two Christian brothers for carrying more than 50 Bibles in their car. In May another court convicted a church leader and another Christian of proselytizing, sentenced them to three months in prison, and fined them 100,000 dinars. Authorities closed eight churches and a nursery associated with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA). Media outlets reported vandalism of two Christian cemeteries".
Angola
In Angola, about two-fifths of the population is Roman Catholic, two-fifths is Protestant, and some one-tenth adheres to traditional beliefs or other religions. All religious groups are required to register with the government in order to operate legally. In October 2018, the government required all unregistered religious groups to submit registration documents, 94 submitted their files. On 6 November, the government launched a nationwide law enforcement campaign against which included closing down unlicensed associations. The operation closed more than 900 houses of worship, including eight mosques.
Burkina Faso
In Burkina Faso society is religiously diverse with a 60.5% Muslim majority. A number of terrorist groups operated in the country throughout the year of 2018. In April they kidnapped a public schoolteacher in the Sahel Region, because "French is the language of infidels and all education should be conducted in Arabic." In September they burned and vandalized several schools and teachers' houses in the East Region, warning against secular teaching. They kidnapped a Catholic catechist and a Christian pastor in the Sahel Region in May and June. In September unidentified individuals vandalized a Catholic church, removing the heads of religious statues in the southwest area of the country.
Burundi
Burundi 2018 "laws regulating nonprofit organizations and religious denominations require them to register with the Ministry of the Interior. Religious groups that do not seek or receive registration may face scrutiny, and at times harassment or prosecution, by government officials and ruling party members".
Cameroon
In Cameroon, Islam, Christianity, and Traditionalist are the three main religions. Religious groups must register with the government but the government has not allowed registrations for eight years. In 2018, religious leaders said security forces killed three clerics, interrupted church services, and prevented people from getting to their places of worship. On 18 January, soldiers reportedly burned down the presbytery of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Kwa-Kwa, Southwest Region. During the year, the government suspended church executives who had been elected by their churches and closed places of worship. Boko Haram attacked civilians, invaded churches, burned churches, killed and kidnapped both Muslims and Christians, and stole and destroyed property including private homes. Unidentified gunmen in the Southwest Region killed a local chief in a church and assassinated a priest. Separatists threatened pastors, kidnapped priests, and sometimes limited Christians' ability to attend services. There were reports that more than 90 students were kidnapped from Presbyterian schools in two incidents in October and November.
Central African Republic
In 2018, the Central African Republic is a majority Christian country that is also religiously diverse. In 2018, the government has limited control as the country is mostly controlled by the Christian anti-Balaka and the Muslim ex-Séléka militia forces who occupy territories in the western and northern parts of the country. The police and the gendarmerie (military police) failed to stop or punish killings, physical abuse, religion-based and gender-based violence committed by these militias. Sectarian clashes between the militias and the rest of the population included attacks on churches and mosques and the deaths at those places of worship.
In April and May, a joint government and UN operation to disarm a militia group in Bangui's predominantly Muslim PK5 neighborhood sparked violence. On 1 May, militia gunmen attacked and killed one priest, 26 worshipers, and injured more than 100 civilians. The following day, anti-Balaka elements burned two mosques in Bangui. On 15 November, a suspected ex-Seleka militia group set fire to the Catholic cathedral and an adjoining internally displaced person (IDP) camp in the city of Alindao, killing Bishop Blaise Mada and Reverend Delestin Ngouambango and more than 40 civilians.
Chad
Chad in 2018 is 51–58% Muslim, 40–45% Christian, with small populations of animists and unaffiliated individuals. During the inauguration of the new government, two Christian ministers refused to swear the required oath of office in the name of Allah; one minister who refused to take any oath in the name of Allah was immediately fired by President Idriss Déby.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is approximately 45 percent Roman Catholic, 40 percent Protestant (including evangelicals), 5 percent Church of Jesus Christ on Earth through the Prophet Simon Kimbangu (Kimbanguist), and 5 percent Muslim. International NGOs, media, and religious organizations have reported that the government subjected religious organizations and leaders, most prominently Catholic, to intimidation, arbitrary arrest, and in some cases violence. Due to the political nature of many of the Catholic Lay Association's activities and practices; however, it is difficult to establish the government's response as being solely based on religious identity.
Egypt
About 90% of Egypt's population is Muslim, predominantly Sunni, while approximately 10% are Christian, predominantly Coptic Orthodox. Although Islam is the state religion, the government officially recognizes Christianity and Judaism, permitting their followers to practice publicly. Nevertheless, religious freedom in Egypt faces significant challenges. The Egyptian government does not legally recognize conversions from Islam to Christianity, and missionary activities by foreigners are limited to social services rather than proselytizing. Historically, the community experienced significant tension during the presidency of Anwar Sadat, who internally exiled Coptic Pope Shenouda III in 1981 over accusations of stirring sectarian tensions. Shenouda was restored in 1985 by President Hosni Mubarak. Extremist Islamist groups, notably Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya, heightened violence against Christians during the 1980s and 1990s, often with accusations of police complicity.