A new report by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reveals that approximately 220 million Christians worldwide are directly exposed to religious persecution, while 413 million live in countries experiencing serious violations of religious freedom.
The report, which covered August 2024 to June 2026, examined 18 countries and found that persecution worsened in 10 of them, about 56%, and not a single country registered an overall improvement.
The findings emphasize:
Nigeria: At least one million Christians have been displaced as Islamist militants attack churches and Christian communities.
Burkina Faso and Mali: Islamist groups seized territory, forcing some Christians to obey Islamic dress codes and religious restrictions.
Mozambique: About 1,000 Christians were killed amid an Islamist insurgency that included beheadings, kidnappings and the destruction of churches. Pakistan: Christian girls continue to face forced conversions and marriages, while accusations of blasphemy expose Christians to imprisonment and violence.
India: More than 700 cases of anti-Christian violence recorded in 2025 amid rising religious nationalism.
Iran: Arrests of Christians almost doubled within a 12-month period.
China: Authorities have increased surveillance and restrictions on Christian worship.
Nicaragua: The government continues the arrest and exile of Christian clergy and the seizure of church institutions.
The report identifies jihadist violence, authoritarian repression, religious nationalism and armed conflict as primary drivers of persecution, and warns that entire Christian communities are being dragged from their ancestral lands.