International Human Rights Association Report on Unprecedented Increase in Persecution of Christians in the World
The International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) warned in its annual report that persecution of Christians around the world has reached a worrying level.
In its latest annual report, the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) warned of a significant increase in persecution and discrimination against Christians in various parts of the world, and stated that governments are fueling the spread of religious discrimination through indifference or even complicity.
According to the association, the situation of religious freedom in 2025 has reached a critical point, especially for Christians in countries such as Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Egypt. “Today’s Christians are not only faced with physical violence such as murder and kidnapping, but also with systematic discrimination in laws, restrictions on education, employment and control over religious and personal life,” said Thomas Schirmacher, president of the association, at a press conference at the office of the Evangelical Union of Germany, referring to the new findings.
The report is based on two comprehensive studies into attacks by Islamist groups in Nigeria and the strict enforcement of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, where Christians are often victims of kidnapping, forced marriages and trumped-up charges.
Schirmacher also reported increasing pressures on Christian communities in countries under authoritarian governments, and considered single-party regimes and militant political-religious movements to be the main factors in violating religious freedom.
Thomas Rauschl, the German Federal Commissioner for Freedom of Religion, responded to the report's findings by emphasizing: "The defense of freedom of belief and religion must remain one of the main pillars of the human rights policies of democratic states."
On the other hand, Johann Matthias, a political representative from the German Evangelical Alliance party, warned of the spread of religious repression in the occupied territories, referring to Russian pressure on independent churches in Ukraine.
According to additional data from international organizations such as Open Doors, in 2025, more than 360 million Christians worldwide faced some form of persecution, threat or discrimination, a statistic that represents the worst state of religious freedom in the last decade. According to the report, freedom of Christian faith is at risk in many parts of the world and the international community must take joint action to prevent the institutionalization of religious discrimination.
While statistics indicate an increase in violence and restrictions against Christians, the silence of many governments and international institutions in the face of this widespread human rights violation has raised serious concerns. Experts believe that if this trend is not curbed, freedom of faith will be threatened not only for Christians, but for all minority religions and beliefs.
