380,000,000 Christians Persecuted for 'Their Faith': Where Is the Outrage?

by Raymond Ibrahim • May 11, 2025 at 5:00 am

The top 13 of the 50 nations on the World Watch List 2025 are characterized by the worst form of persecution: "extreme." They are: 1) North Korea, 2) Somalia, 3) Yemen, 4) Libya, 5) Sudan, 6) Eritrea, 7) Nigeria, 8) Pakistan, 9) Iran, 10) Afghanistan, 11) India, 12) Saudi Arabia, and 13) Myanmar.
[M]ost of the "extreme persecution" meted out to Christians in nine of these 13 worst nations continues to come either from Islamic oppression, or occurs in nations with large Muslim populations. Significantly, this means that approximately 70% of the absolute worst ("extreme") persecution around the globe takes place under the aegis, or in the name, of Islam.
[T]he persecution of Christians by Muslims is perennial, existential, and far transcends this or that ruler or regime. Persecution of the "other" in Islam is part of its history, doctrines and socio-political makeup — hence its tenacity and ubiquity
"More believers are killed for their faith in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world." — World Watch List 2025.
"[R]oughly a quarter of all blasphemy accusations [in Pakistan] target Christians, who make up just 1.8 percent of the population. Blasphemy laws carry a death sentence." — World Watch List 2025.
"In Afghanistan, leaving Islam... and conversion is punishable by death under Islamic law. This has been increasingly enforced since the Taliban took control of the country in 2021." — World Watch List 2025.
Even in nations that would appear to be friendly or at least neutral to Christianity, such as Cuba, Mexico and Nicaragua, Christians are being abused for their faith...

"More believers are killed for their faith in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world," according to World Watch List 2025. Pictured: The Church of Christ in Nations building in Mangu, Nigeria, photographed on February 2, 2024, after it was torched by Islamic terrorists. (Photo by Kola Sulaimon/AFP via Getty Images)

In 2024, around the world, 4,476 Christians — more than 12 a day on average — were "killed for faith related reasons." Another 4,744 Christians were arrested or illegally detained, and 7,679 churches and other Christian institutions were attacked, often destroyed.

Overall, the global persecution of Christians has reached unprecedented levels. "More than 380m Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith," according to the World Watch List 2025 (WWL) published earlier this year by the international human rights organization, Open Doors.

Every year, the WWL ranks the top 50 nations in which Christians are the most persecuted for their faith. The data is compiled by thousands of grassroots workers and external experts. The latest edition of the WWL covers October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.

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Ukraine: The Next Phase of War

by Amir Taheri • May 11, 2025 at 4:00 am

Ukraine has tried to compensate for a manpower shortage, which it shares with Russia, not by hiring North Korean or African mercenaries, but by developing a major industry manufacturing attack drones.
The current year may still witness history repeating itself with new Ukrainian guerrilla attacks on key Russian infrastructure, starting with the bridge Putin built, at a cost of billions of dollars, to connect Crimea to the Russian mainland.
[A]n increase in Ukraine's ability to defend itself should be seen as an argument in favor of a negotiated peace rather than a prolonged war.
Trump should revive his peacemaking bid this time by admitting that while Putin still has more cards to play in this deadly game, Zelenskiy is not as empty-handed as some thought.

An increase in Ukraine's ability to defend itself should be seen as an argument in favor of a negotiated peace rather than a prolonged war. Pictured: Soldiers of Ukraine's 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade take part in a tactical field training exercise in the Donetsk Region, on May 1, 2025. (Photo by Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images)

Students of history know that starting a war is always easy; what is difficult is ending it. The current war in Ukraine is no exception.

The trouble is that Russian President Vladimir Putin, the man who started this war, also believed he knew how to end it.

More than three years later, it is clear that he is as clueless on that score as anyone. That anyone also includes US President Donald Trump, who sincerely believed he could end the war with a few phone calls to the two Vladimirs who spell their names differently.

With the global public opinion more interested in what may come next rather than what is actually happening, the real story, which in this case means the latest twists and turns in the war, go largely unnoticed.

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