A step forward for religious freedom in Iraq

In a significant mark of progress, Maryam, an Iraqi believer, is one step closer to having her official religious status changed from Muslim to Christian. Please pray for the courts to rule in favour and for greater religious freedom in Iraq for our brothers and sisters.

Maryam* from Iraq has endured a long battle to see her religious status officially changed by the government. Though she was raised in a Christian home, her official religion was changed when her mother separated from her father and was remarried to a Muslim man. According to Iraqi law, children are obliged to follow the religion of the parent who has converted to or already upholds Islam. 

That moment began Maryam’s long journey to restoring her status as a follower of Jesus. 

When she reached a legal age, Maryam filed a claim in January 2025 to have her religious status corrected in the governmental database. God answered her prayer and the court approved her claim! Her status now stands before the Court of Cassation, the highest court regarding matters of registering one’s religion. 

Wide-reaching effects 

Should Maryam’s case be approved by the Court of Cassation, the door may open for other Iraqi believers whose status does not reflect their beliefs – among them, Maryam’s two younger sisters, who remain registered as Muslim and are not yet old enough to begin the legal process. 

According to Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal advocacy group supporting Maryam’s case, her situation is far from unique – numerous believers across the Middle East and parts of Asia are subject to state-assigned religion, for one reason or another. In many countries, incorrect designation of religion is imposed without an individual’s consent, whether through clerical errors, inheritance from a parent’s conversion or coercive government policies. It is even more complex for believers who have themselves converted from Islam. 

• Why are Christians persecuted in Iraq? 

And the consequences for everyday life are far-reaching. Children could be enrolled into religious education programmes not of their faith, barriers to marriage raised, inheritance complicated and non-Muslims subjected to Sharia court jurisdiction. 

The recent approval of Maryam’s case therefore marks an important step towards freedom of religion being available to every individual in Iraq – among them, our brothers and sisters who face constant pressure to give up their faith. Please keep Maryam and the church in Iraq in your prayers. 

*Name changed for security reasons