Press Release
10 April 2008

NORTH KOREA AGAIN TOPS LIST OF WORST 50 NATIONS FOR PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS

Bishop of Shrewsbury says we must take responsibility for those suffering for their faith

Eti, in Indonesia, was imprisoned for being a Sunday School teacher

A Christian shop in Gaza, bombed by Islamists

Semse, widow of Turkish martyr Necati Aydin, with her children

For the sixth year running North Korea has again been revealed as the most dangerous place on earth in which to be a Christian, easily keeping its top spot due to the malicious and relentless way it represses those who try to express or even just practice a living faith in Christ. This is the key finding of the 2008 World Watch List of the worst 50 nations for persecuting Christians, which is published today by Open Doors, the international charity serving persecuted Christians worldwide.

Open Doors’ major new report, which is now in its sixth year, places the Wahhabi kingdom of Saudi Arabia in second place, followed closely by another country ruled by Sharia law: Iran. The Maldives, another Islamic country, is in fourth position. New in at five is Bhutan, moving a few places up from seven last year, at the expense of Somalia and Yemen, which became marginally better places in which to be a Christian over the past 12 months.

The Bishop of Shrewsbury, Alan Smith said, “Part of our Christian responsibility to is learn about other parts of the world and to work for truth and justice. We also need to support our fellow Christians in other countries, many of whom are suffering or whose lives are under threat.”

Eddie Lyle, chief executive of Open Doors UK and Ireland, said: “At best Christians living in countries featuring on the World Watch List 2008 can expect discrimination in the workplace, in education, physical and emotional abuse or a ban on holding church services. At worst, and this is a regular occurrence for Christians living in any of the worst ten nations, they may be thrown into jail and – all too often – are murdered.”

Number six is Yemen, whose position did not change in spite of a slight decrease in points. Afghanistan rose, from 10 to seven. Apart from the influence of other countries moving down, the country went up as a result of several incidents against Christians in 2007. There was no big change to the status of religious freedom in Laos. However, the country moves up one place, from nine to eight. Two new countries have entered the top 10: Uzbekistan and Olympic host nation China.

Islam is the majority religion in six of the top 10 countries: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Maldives, Afghanistan, Yemen and Uzbekistan. Three countries have communist governments: North Korea, Laos and China. Bhutan, which has just ceased being an absolute monarchy and whose abysmal human rights record may as a result start to improve at last, is the only Buddhist country in the top ten.

Many of the nations which feature on the World Watch List are signatories to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees freedom of conscience and religious expression. Article 18 says:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance”.

Steve Gaukroger, Chair of Open Doors Council of Reference, commented: "These days we routinely make decisions about important ethical issues such as the impact food-miles have on global warming. Given the appalling ways that our Christian brothers and sisters are being treated in many places around the world, we need to apply similar criteria to our holiday destinations, too".

In many countries, such as North Korea, Libya, Jordan and Belarus, persecution has grown significantly worse over the past 12 months. The position in Afghanistan was also exacerbated, due to incidents such as the abduction of 23 South Korean Christians last July, two of whom were murdered by the Taliban. In Pakistan, which has a sizeable Christian minority, believers are more closely monitored than before as radical Muslim influence grows within the state security forces and the police – a situation which is likely to worsen following the recent election. In the Palestinian Territories, Rami Ayyad, the manager of the Palestian Bible Society bookshop, was murdered by extremists in October last year leaving a widow and three young children. He had been tortured and his body bore a gunshot wound to the head as well as numerous stab wounds.

In Turkey, ranked at 34 on the list, three Christians, Tilmann Geske, Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel, were bound, tortured and their throats slit, before being martyred in April last year. Their attackers justified their actions because they said the three Christians who were killed as they worked in a publisher’s office, were 'attacking' Islam.

In several countries however, in places such as Somalia and Ethiopia, reports of recorded persecution fell, and Nepal dropped off the list altogether.

[The full list is included at Appendix 1 below]

Media Enquiries:                                
Iain Taylor
Taylor Communications
01732 740573 or 01732 461060
www.opendoorsuk.org

Notes to Editors:

Founded in 1955, Open Doors is an international charity serving persecuted Christians in around 45 countries around the world. Its work involves:

• Raising awareness of persecuted Christians and mobilising prayer and support in the UK
• Strengthening the faith of Christians behind closed borders through printing and delivering Bibles, Christian literature and teaching/training materials
• Befriending and caring for persecuted Christians by visiting them, writing letters and praying for them
• Enabling believers at risk to earn a living by providing livelihood and literacy training and self-help opportunities
• Equipping evangelists and pastors through theological and leadership training courses and training seminars and supporting Bible colleges

Appendix 1

2008 World Watch List

Copyright © 2008 Open Doors International