by Melissa Nordell 
Organizations such as Open Doors International, Voice of the Martyrs and International Christian Concern work to defend the human rights of persecuted Christians around the world, to send financial assistance, to advocate for their rights and release from imprisonment, to create awareness of their plight, and to send Bibles and food to the oppressed and refugees.
As International Christian Concern puts it: “From Indonesia, to India, to the Horn of Africa, believers are economically marginalized, denied education for their children, beaten, tortured, raped, imprisoned and sadly even murdered for their faith. The oppression is limitless, and usually unseen by the world… Jesus has called us to stand up for our hurting brothers and sisters.”
Most people are not aware that there are so many countries that oppress and even kill Christians for their faith as mainstream media does not cover this news. The following is Open Doors International’s 2013 list of countries which most oppress Christians, starting with the most extreme persecution. It comes as no surprise to most that North Korea is listed as the most severe persecutor of Christians in the world.
- North Korea
- Saudi Arabia
- Afghanistan
- Iraq
- Somalia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Iran
- Yemen
- Eritrea
- Syria
- Sudan
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Ethiopia
- Uzbekistan
- Libya
- Laos
- Turkmenistan
- Qatar
- Vietnam
- Oman
- Mauritania
- Tanzania
- Egypt
- United Arab Emirates
- Brunei
- Bhutan
- Algeria
- Tunisia
- India
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Kuwait
- Jordan
- Bahrain
- Palestinian Territories
- China
- Azerbaijan
- Morocco
- Kenya
- Comoros
- Malaysia
- Djibouti
- Tajikistan
- Indonesia
- Colombia
- Uganda
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Niger
There are many ways we can help. Check the websites of the organizations for ideas and ways to help: www.opendoors.org, www.persecution.com, and www.persecution.org . Above all, the persecuted Church around the world needs your continual, fervent prayers.
