“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – U.S Constitution, First Amendment
The First Amendment.
It’s something we often take for granted. Here in the U.S., we are free to follow Christ without worrying about legal consequences or, even worse, fearing for our lives.
But that’s not true for all regions of the world.
Some of our brothers and sisters around the globe face extreme persecution each day for their faith … and that’s not all. Most countries that prohibit Christianity also experience extreme humanitarian crises.
Here is a list of the top five most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christ-follower:
5. Libya
Countries experiencing spiritual poverty often tend to experience extreme physical poverty too
Located in North Africa, Libya is truly the definition of a lawless land. With no centralized government, Muslim extremists and other terrorist organizations have taken control.
Women and children have next to no rights. Corporal punishment of children is legal. Men can escape the legal consequences of raping a woman by marrying her. If a husband thinks his wife cheated, he can beat or kill her with minimal sentencing.
Refugees from Africa passing through Libya to go to Europe also face unspeakable horrors while detained … many of whom are Christians.
According to Human Rights Watch, “In ‘warehouses’ run by smugglers and traffickers, [they are] subjected to forced labor, torture, and other ill-treatment, extortion, and sexual assault.”
4. Eritrea
It’s only legal for believers in Eritrea to practice specific sects of Christianity
Did you know that almost 50% of the population in Eritrea consider themselves Christians? Yet it still ranks as the fourth most dangerous country in the entire world to be a believer.
Why? Eritrea has a highly oppressive government.
Human Rights Watch shared, “Eritrea’s government continued to severely repress its population, imposing restrictions on freedom of expression, opinion, and faith, and restricting independent scrutiny by international monitors.”
The free press has been all but eliminated. Journalists and government officials who speak against the government are arrested … and often never heard from again by the outside world.
But they aren’t the only ones trapped in the country’s extensive prison system. Countless Christ-followers have also endured long, stays in Eritrea’s harsh and often inhumane jails.
If all that is true, how can such a large portion of the population profess faith in Christ? Well, the government only recognizes three branches of Christianity — Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran. If a believer falls outside one of these practices, they are indefinitely detained in horrible conditions.
3. Yemen
Muslims in Yemen who convert to Christianity risk banishment from their communities
Life for believers in Yemen has taken a turn for the worse as targeted, violent attacks against them continue to increase.
It’s actually illegal to convert to Christianity in Yemen. And if discovered, Christians face imprisonment, torture, or even death.
“A woman who converts to Christianity is considered to bring shame on the whole family. She might be isolated in the home (under house arrest), physically and mentally abused, raped or even killed to ‘restore the honour’ of the tribe or family.” — World Watch List, Open Doors.
But it’s not just persecution that Christians in Yemen need to worry about. The Yemeni civil war has caused one of the largest humanitarian crises of the century.
More than half the population is facing food insecurity. Countless civilians have died with the military’s use of landmines. Children are being conscripted to fight on both sides of the war … and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
2. Somalia
Meeting someone’s physical needs demonstrates the love of Christ to them
Somalia has been in a state of drought for the last five years.
In 2022 alone, over three million livestock died from lack of water. Farmers can no longer produce crops. And to make matters worse, 90% of Somalia’s wheat supply came from Russia and Ukraine.
They are now facing an extreme hunger crisis. Over 50% of Somalia’s children experience acute malnutrition.
But the people of Somalia aren’t just starving physically … they’re spiritually hungry as well.
It’s estimated that only a few hundred Christians live in Somalia — even though the total population is over 16 million.
That’s because Islamic militants are on a mission to eradicate all Christians from Somalia. When a former Muslim converts to Christianity, they’re likely to be shot on sight if discovered.
Because following Christ in Somalia is so dangerous, many believers flee from their homes.
1. North Korea
Bibles translated into someone’s native language help them understand the Gospel better
It’s no secret that North Korea is one of the most dangerous places on Earth to live — and not just for Christ-followers.
Extreme government censorship prevents citizens from having any contact with the outside world. Most people aren’t allowed to leave the country … and risk death if they try to cross the border.
In recent years, COVID-19 and severe droughts have caused extreme food shortages. People are literally starving to death in their homes.
However, Christians face a unique set of dangers in addition to these challenges.
Not only do believers risk life imprisonment in labor camps, torture, and death for their faith … but their families can also be punished.
It’s not uncommon for three generations to be brutally punished for one family member’s “crime.” For that reason, Christian parents don’t often share the Gospel with their children until they’re old enough to understand the importance of the knowledge they carry.
Christian women and young girls, in particular, are also targeted for their faith. They’re subjected to sexual violence to undermine the Bible’s call for purity. Many become victims of human trafficking.
If all of that wasn’t bad enough, North Korean Christians usually face this relentless persecution without even the comfort of God’s Word.
The situation is bleak … but YOU can provide help and hope to persecuted Christians in North Korea. Learn how you can send a week’s worth of food and a Bible to a North Korean Christian in need by clicking the button below.