- List ranks world countries according to amount of violence against Christians and pressure on religious life
- North Korea came out top for the 16th year running followed by Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and Pakistan
- Causes were radical Islam and governments using religious persecution to prop up their power, report said
North Korea, Afghanistan and Somalia are the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian, according to a new report.
The list was put together by Christian organisation Open Doors which ranked world countries by violence against the religion’s followers and pressure put on their daily lives.
Researchers found that 1 in 12 Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution, with repression by radical Islamic regimes being the main driver.
Other causes include weak governments using religious nationalism to prop up their power in places like India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, and the resurgence of Islam in central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
These are the 50 countries in the world where it is most dangerous to be a Christian, according to a study by organisation Open Doors which measured levels of violence against followers and pressures put on their daily lives
North Korea has topped Open Doors’ list since 2002 thanks to the brutal repression of all religions, but especially Christians, by the Kim regime.
Not only are the Kim family leaders of the state, they are also the state religion, and worshipping any deity over them is considered treasonous. Neighbours and family members are encouraged to watch out for suspicious behaviour and report it.
Christians, along with Buddhists, form part of the lowest caste of North Korean society, meaning they are subject to constant observation and actively discriminated against when it comes to receiving jobs, getting into college, and being given supplies by the regime.
