Religious Watchdog Identifies Global Hotspots for Christian Persecution

In a stark contrast to the religious freedoms enjoyed by Christians in America, millions of believers worldwide face severe persecution for their faith, according to the recently released Open Doors’ World Watch List 2026. The comprehensive report documents anti-Christian persecution across 50 nations, highlighting areas where following Christ can lead to imprisonment, torture, or even death.

North Korea remains one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a Christian. Under Kim Jong Un’s autocratic regime, citizens are permitted to worship only the Kim dynasty, not God. The consequences of faith discovery are immediate and severe—execution or permanent imprisonment in notoriously brutal labor camps. Christian gatherings must remain completely clandestine, as even neighbors could report religious activity with devastating consequences.

In Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, Christians face threats from multiple directions. The legal system offers no protection for believers, as converting from Islam to Christianity is explicitly illegal. Beyond legal ramifications, converts face rejection from their families and clans, who may view conversion as a serious dishonor worthy of violent retribution or even honor killings.

The situation in Somalia has deteriorated further with the growing dominance of Al-Shabaab, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. The group has intensified its campaign to eradicate Christianity from the region, openly executing those suspected of being believers. One Somali Christian named Aweis shared his personal story with Open Doors, recounting how his own father threatened, “I cannot stop you from reading your Bible, but if you become a Christian, I’ll be the one to kill you.” Despite this threat, Aweis later converted to Christianity.

Yemen, a Middle Eastern nation mired in protracted conflict, presents similarly grave dangers for Christians. Most believers there are converts from Islam who must practice their faith in absolute secrecy to avoid a death sentence. The report notes that recent Western military interventions have exacerbated anti-Christian sentiment, with Houthi forces framing airstrikes as “Christian aggression,” forcing believers even further underground.

Sudan’s brief experiment with religious freedom has been dramatically reversed amid a devastating civil war. The conflict has created what Open Doors describes as the world’s “largest humanitarian crisis,” with Christians particularly vulnerable. Oppressive “morality policies” have been reinstated, allowing physical punishment for those refusing to convert to Islam. Church leaders face arrest, while many church buildings have been closed, bombed, or seized by militia groups.

In this lawless environment, new Christians confront both familial rejection and violence from Islamic extremist groups without any governmental protection. Many church structures that once stood as symbols of a brief period of religious tolerance now lie in ruins or have been repurposed by militant organizations.

The World Watch List serves as a sobering reminder that while religious freedom is taken for granted in some parts of the world, millions of Christians live under constant threat simply for their beliefs. The persecution ranges from family rejection and social ostracism to systematic government oppression and violent extremism.

Organizations like Open Doors work to document these abuses and provide support to persecuted Christians globally, highlighting stories like Aweis’s to personalize the statistics and remind the international community of the human cost behind religious persecution. Their comprehensive reporting helps raise awareness about the plight of believers in regions where practicing faith can be a life-threatening decision.