Persecution against Christians around the world, especially in Asian and African countries, has been on the rise (shutterstock.com photo)
By Mark Saludes, Philippines
Jun 30 2023
The report, which was published by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in June, revealed that in 61 countries, discrimination and persecution based on religion are evident, with 49 of them showing government-led persecution or even murder of its own citizens on religious grounds.
Impunity for attackers is also increasing, with 36 countries rarely or never prosecuting them. The report covered the period between January 2021 and December 2022 and analyzed compliance and violations of religious rights in 196 nations.
Regina Lynch, the newly-appointed executive president of ACN International, said the purpose of the report is to “motivate people to get involved and help those suffering from religious persecution through prayer, sharing information, speaking up for victims, engaging politicians, and keeping informed about the reality on the ground in different parts of the world.”
“The ACN Religious Freedom in the World Report seeks only to collate information and provide analysis of the abuse of this fundamental human right worldwide. It is a tool. The tool is only as good as those who take it up, share it with others, and work to effect change,” said Lynch.
Almost 4.9 billion people, equivalent to 62 percent of the world’s population, live in countries where religious freedom is heavily restricted.
Minority religious communities face dire conditions and even the threat of extinction due to terrorism, attacks on cultural heritage, anti-conversion laws, and financial restrictions.
Read full news in LiCAS.news.
