Libya

How are Christians persecuted in Libya?

• Converts from Islam face extreme pressure from their family and community to renounce their faith.
• Extremist Islamist groups target Christians for kidnap and even murder.
• Believers are monitored on the internet and increasingly so since the arrest of several Libyan Christians in March 2023.
• In April 2025, ten Libyan Christians and a Pakistani Christian were given prison sentences between three and 15 years for alleged ‘blasphemy’ – that is, leaving Islam for Christianity.
• Women are accorded a lower status in Libyan culture. Some Christian women may be killed to ‘redeem’ the ‘honour’ of their family if their faith is discovered. They also face house arrest, domestic violence and sexual assault – if abuse is reported, social stigma means that there is little justice. The penal code reduces sentences for so-called ‘honour’ crimes, making life for Christian women even harder.
• Libyan Christian men who have converted from Islam face intense pressure to reject Jesus when they are discovered, leading to imprisonment, eviction or even torture. They can also be subjected to forced labour and slavery, crippling the families from which they are taken.

Why are Christians persecuted in Libya?

• There is no single unified government in Libya. This increases instability and the ability of extremist groups to act violently without great consequence or restriction.
• The Libyan Constitution designates Islam as the state religion and Sharia (Islamic law) as the primary source of legislation – so, leaving Islam is a criminal offence and can result in a jail sentence.

Who is particularly vulnerable in Libya?

• Regions of high Islamist extremist activity pose the greatest threat to Christians, especially migrants.
• Foreign Christians who migrate to Libya, largely from other parts of Africa, face ethnic discrimination from extremist and criminal groups. They could be trafficked, kidnapped and abused in detention camps. Many are force into hard labour and those who attempt to flee often die at sea or because of how they are treated in camps.

What has changed in Libya in the past year?

• Libya fell by five spots on this year’s World Watch List ranking, largely because of fewer reported incidents of violence.
• Life continues to be extremely harsh for Christians in Libya, especially for converts from Islam and migrant Christians who are targeted by extremist groups. Such conditions force most believers underground.

How can I help Christians in North Africa? 

• Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Libya. Your prayers make an enormous difference to the lives of Christians counting the cost for Jesus.

In cooperation with local partners and churches, Open Doors supports believers in North Africa through leadership and discipleship training, trauma counselling, prayer and livelihood assistance.