How are Christians persecuted in Comoros?
- Christians from a Muslim background face pressure and discrimination for leaving Islam.
- For those with children, they are required to send their children to Islamic schools or face social isolation.
- Public worship or even conversing about Christianity in public spaces can be interpreted as proselytising, a punishable offense.
- The workplace can be a place of persecution for many Christian men who are discriminated against and excluded.
Why are Christians persecuted in Comoros?
- In the Comoros islands, Sunni Islam is the dominant religion and religious freedom does not exist – conversion itself is illegal. This creates a climate of fear and uncertainty for Christians when it comes to practising their faith.
- The nation is a small one and so Christians are much more vulnerable to punishment for church activities.
“May the people who live here be kept from darkness.”
Nadia
- Nadia*, who started a business with the help of Open Doors partners, asks: “Brothers and sisters, I am asking you to pray for me so that the Lord keeps on blessing me and my job. Pray also for this country which faces a lot of problems. May the people who live here be kept from darkness.”
Who is particularly vulnerable in Comoros?
- Converts from Islam are most pressurised in Comoros and evangelicals face penalties for any kind of evangelism.
- Church leaders are especially vulnerable to monitoring and restrictions on their work.
- Comoros serves as a transit hub for exploitation abroad, so Christian women are likely to be subject to trafficking. For other female believers, domestic violence is a very present threat.
What has changed in Comoros in the past year?
- Comoros has dropped a place on the World Watch List, but persecution has actually slightly increased. The change is explained by persecution worsening in other countries.
How can I help Christians the region?
Please continue to lift our brothers and sisters in Comoros to the Lord in prayer. Your support makes a huge difference to those choosing to follow Christ in dark places.
Open Doors partners support Christians throughout East Africa with discipleship programmes and economic empowerment initiatives.
*Name changed for security reasons
God, we ask for Your guidance and protection for Christians in Comoros. For those who have converted to follow You, we pray that You will give them the gift of a strong, enduring faith. Please bring hope and peace to believers throughout the country, that they will see You at work even when the situation seems impossible. Thank You for preserving Your people. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
