"Religious tranquility is essential for global harmony"
In a significant development, the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), along with the German, Swiss, Austrian Evangelical Alliances, and the International Institute for Religious Freedom, have launched the Yearbook on Persecution and Discrimination of Christians 2024 and the Yearbook on Religious Freedom 2024. These publications highlight a growing concern about the escalating persecution and discrimination of Christians worldwide.
Frank Heinrich, head of the German Evangelical Alliance, has warned about the misuse of religion for political and geostrategic goals. He cited Turkish President Erdogan's anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli hatred as an example, noting that such hostility has been evident since 2010, particularly in connection with the Gaza flotilla that left Istanbul for Gaza.
Martin Lessenthin, human rights expert and co-editor of the yearbooks, stated that dictators learn from each other and are updating their methods to intimidate critics or cover up human rights violations. This is a worrying trend that affects religious freedom globally.
The yearbooks pay particular attention to "hotspots" such as Russia, Africa, India, and China, where Christians face significant persecution. In the Middle East, including Syria and other conflict zones, Christians suffer terror attacks, church bombings, and targeted killings. For instance, a terror attack in Syria killed at least 22 Christians in one incident recently.
In Turkey, persecution includes arbitrary arrests, church closures, and denial of religious freedoms amidst a Muslim-majority context. While not among the places most noted for violent persecution, there have been reports of discrimination and challenges faced by Christian minorities in some contexts in Germany.
In Russia, there are reports of increasing pressure on non-Orthodox Christian groups, including administrative harassment and restrictions. Africa, particularly Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have seen severe attacks by extremist groups, leading to hundreds of Christian deaths recently.
In India, there have been documented incidents of mob violence, social exclusion, and severe attacks on Christians, often leading to excommunication and persecution by extremist groups. In China, Christians face government restrictions such as church closures, surveillance, and harassment, particularly affecting underground or non-state-sanctioned churches.
Many Muslim-majority countries report systematic persecution encompassing mass church closures, forced conversions, arbitrary arrests, and targeted killings. This is evident in countries like Nigeria (though not an Islamic state, but with significant Muslim populations and Islamist militancy), Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, and others.
The U.S. Congress has introduced a resolution condemning persecution in many Muslim-majority countries and calling for stronger international protections for religious freedom, highlighting the global scale of this issue. In 2024 alone, over 4,476 Christians were killed for their faith, with many more harassed or driven from their homes, illustrating the rising violence against Christians globally.
Volker Kauder, chairman of the CDU/CSU group in the German parliament, denounces that the Russian Orthodox Church is undermining Christian morality by advocating war. Thomas Rachel, federal chairman of the Protestant working group of the CDU German party, agrees, stating that in times of numerous violent conflicts, there can be no world peace without religious peace.
Religious beliefs should be treated with respect and consideration. Blasphemy laws in India and Islamic states, as well as anti-conversion laws, are concerns in the yearbooks. Felix Böllmann, director of European advocacy at ADF International, agreed that in Europe, so-called 'hate speech' laws are increasingly leading to restrictions on the expression of faith. China's role in the repression of believers has become a major threat to the human right to religious self-determination.
In conclusion, evidence points to a worsening trend of both violent and systemic persecution of Christians, particularly in the Middle East, parts of Africa, India, and Muslim-majority countries, with varying degrees of pressure also noted in Turkey, Russia, and China. It is crucial that efforts are made to address this global crisis and ensure that religious freedom is respected and protected.
Politics and general news often discuss the escalating persecution and discrimination of Christians worldwide, as highlighted in the Yearbook on Persecution and Discrimination of Christians 2024 and the Yearbook on Religious Freedom 2024. Consequently, policy-and-legislation, such as the U.S. Congress resolution condemning persecution in many Muslim-majority countries, have emerged to offer stronger international protections for religious freedom.
