Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

April 2018 – On January 4, the U.S. State Department identified 10 countries of particular concern for violations of religious freedom: Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Of the 10 nations, four are also in the top 10 for persecution of Christians on the 2018 Open Doors World Watch List: North Korea, Sudan, Eritrea, and Iran. Open Doors reports that 215 million Christians worldwide experience intense persecution because of their faith. Of the total 50 countries currently ranked on the World Watch List, 30 saw an increase in persecution during the reporting period.

opendoorsusa.org, 1/10/18; christianheadlines.com, 1/26/18