Where freedoms so fundamental as belief are under attack, we often find other basic human rights compromised.
Across the world, many people are suffering obscene and difficult things simply because of their religion or faith.
Freedom of belief is an issue that is close to my heart. In Parliament, I have the privilege of being an officer of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief – but the privilege is often heavy and profound.
In 2023, I represented our all-party group at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Taiwan. The IRF Summit is the biggest annual religious freedom gathering in the world, and we heard harrowing reports of persecution, torture and killings.
I pay tribute, then and now, to the unwavering strength of those who have suffered loss, baseless eviction from their homes, rejection from employment opportunities and imprisonment solely for their faith.
Amidst the wave of persecution, hate crimes and prejudice, a number of organisations are working tirelessly to expose and combat these injustices.
The reports that reach MPs like me comprise hours upon hours of research on difficult topics like religious extremism, political oppression and government overreach.
By gathering – and sharing – this information, these organisations expose violations of the International Declaration of Human Rights and amplify the voices of those who are otherwise silenced.
Their work is instrumental. Without their vigilance, so many cases of abuse would remain unknown, and the people they support would continue to suffer.
Despite the very real threat of persecution, hundreds of millions of Christians remain steadfast in their faith at great personal cost and peril, willingly risking their livelihoods, their lives, and the wellbeing of their loved ones.
This strength should not go unnoticed, and they must not make these sacrifices in vain. We must advocate on their behalf, fighting so they can receive the fundamental freedoms so many of us in democratic societies have taken for granted.
To ignore their plight is to turn our backs on the very principles of justice and dignity at the heart of what it means to be human.
Christianity, the largest religion by population, is also the most persecuted minority faith in parts of the world. This comes from a number of angles, including Islamist extremism, Marxist regimes, and dictatorial governments. In some countries, public celebrations of Christmas are not just discouraged but life-threatening.
Open Doors, an organisation monitoring this persecution, reported alarming figures last year. Last year, almost 5,000 believers worldwide were killed for their faith. Most were from Nigeria.
Other countries in sub-Saharan Africa have seen rising numbers of Christian deaths, too. Last year, in Burkina Faso, 201 believers lost their lives – that is more than a fivefold increase from 2023.
Last year, almost 210,000 Christians were forced to leave their homes, go into hiding, or exile, because of their faith. Almost half of these were from Nigeria.
Since its inaugural publication in 1983, North Korea has topped the World Watch List a shocking 23 times. As in Burkina Faso, the persecution of North Korean Christians intensified in 2024, coinciding with a spate of stricter regulations announced by the authorities at the start of the year.
Across the world, more and more Christians are needing to worship undercover. In Afghanistan, for example, it is effectively impossible for a Christian to publicly express their faith.
In Algeria, all Protestant churches have been forced to close, and the number of Christians awaiting trial is at an all-time high.
In China, an era of relative tolerance is over. Unregistered churches are illegal. Church teaching is informed by ideological pressure and official indoctrination. Religious education for children is banned.
The small Christian community in Libya has had to be extremely careful to avoid a repeat of the 2023 crackdown that saw a wave of arrests. Believers are having to be increasingly creative and courageous in how they gather – if at all.
Mexico – a country where around 90 per cent of its 130 million-strong population is Christian – is the only country in Latin America to climb the latest World Watch List rankings.
In areas where organised crime is rampant, churches and Christians who seek to counter it make themselves targets, and there has been an increase in the number of believers abducted and killed.
From violent attacks to house arrest and forced marriage, Christian women and girls are being shamed and persecuted twice: for their faith and their gender.
All United Nations member states have signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which covers freedom to adopt, change or retain one’s beliefs, and freedom from coercion.
Despite this, there is a lack of accountability for those who fail to uphold these principles, leaving religious minorities around the world vulnerable to lifelong persecution.
The UK has demonstrated great leadership in promoting freedom of religion and belief in recent years and, as long as there are people being denied these rights, must continue to do so.
In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. And what could be more fundamental than the freedom to believe?
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Source: Politics
