RASC News Agency: A newly released report from the World Watch List 2025, compiled by the Gatestone Institute, reveals that more than 380 million Christians worldwide are subjected to persecution, violence, and systemic discrimination solely on the basis of their faith. The report underscores that the most egregious instances of Christian persecution occur in Muslim-majority countries with Afghanistan ranking among the most oppressive environments globally. Afghanistan is identified as one of the ten worst nations for Christians, trailing only behind countries such as North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan. According to the data, approximately 70 percent of the gravest incidents of Christian persecution take place in Muslim-majority states. Within this context, Afghanistan emerges as particularly perilous for Afghanistani Christians many of whom are converts from Islam who face relentless hostility, social ostracization, and life-threatening danger.
The report highlights that apostasy laws rooted in strict interpretations of Sharia remain central to the persecution. Under these laws, abandoning Islam in favor of another religion is punishable by death. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, the enforcement of these punitive measures has escalated dramatically, triggering a surge in threats, violence, and intimidation against Christian converts. Afghanistani Christians, especially those who have converted from Islam, are often forced into silence, unable to openly practice or even acknowledge their beliefs. Many live in constant fear of retribution, enduring pressure not only from the state but also from their families, tribal authorities, and broader communities. Publicly professing their faith is tantamount to a death sentence in many parts of the country.
The report further underscores the compounded marginalization faced by Christian women and ethnic minority converts, who are subjected to intersecting forms of oppression. These individuals frequently encounter coercion, physical abuse, forced marriages, and sexual violence. For many, survival necessitates either clandestine religious observance or fleeing the country entirely to escape persecution. According to figures released by the Gatestone Institute, over 4,400 Christians were killed worldwide in 2024 due to their religious identity, while more than 4,700 were illegally arrested and imprisoned. In addition, over 7,600 churches and Christian institutions were attacked, vandalized, or destroyed.
Leading human rights watchdogs, including Human Rights Watch, have described the state of religious freedom in Afghanistan as “cataclysmic.” These organizations warn that under Taliban rule, the country has descended into a dystopia for religious minorities, where the right to believe or worship freely has effectively ceased to exist. Global monitoring bodies note that while Afghanistan stands as a particularly grim example, the broader trend across many Muslim-majority nations remains deeply troubling. In these regions, millions continue to face insurmountable barriers to religious freedom, enduring violence, incarceration, and social exclusion merely for practicing their faith.
