China jumps four spots on annual ranking of religious persecution offenders

NEWS PROVIDED BY
Open Doors
Jan. 15, 2020
 
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today Open Doors announced the 2020 World Watch List at a press conference in Washington, D.C, and revealed that Christians living in China are experiencing unprecedented levels of persecution, and their quality of life is deteriorating at an alarming rate. China jumped four spots, from #27 in 2019 to #23 in 2020, on the annual list which ranks the top 50 most dangerous countries for Christians.

Assistant Secretary of State Robert Destro and U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) provided remarks at the press conference, and three Chinese Christians who have faced persecution for their faith provided personal narrative to support Open Doors' findings.

Christians in China face persecution mostly because of the continuing and intensifying emphasis on ideology and the overarching goal of preserving the rule of the Communist Party in a country where—according to Open Doors--more than 97 million people now identify as Christian.

Based on the World Watch List data, China saw a steep increase in the number of attacks on churches within the last year. Whereas there were 1,847 attacks reported on churches worldwide in 2019, in 2020, this number is conservatively estimated to be at least 5,576 in China alone.

"The Chinese government is nearly single-handedly responsible for the steep increase in churches and Christian buildings attacked in 2019," said David Curry, President and CEO of Open Doors. "Their newest policies are penalizing minority Christians in unprecedented ways. If they continue down this path they will be the single largest violator of human rights worldwide."

Policies enacted by the Communist Party in 2018 aimed to Sinicize the church have been enforced in more and more territories, resulting in the dramatic increase of persecution against Christians. These regulations on religion are strictly applied, increasingly spread throughout the country, and seriously limit freedom. Tighter restrictions forbid children under the age of 18 from attending church. Places of worship are monitored, and pastors are increasingly being asked to register with the government—if they refuse, they risk church closure and arrest. More than 5,500 churches in China have been closed down, and churches in at least 23 provinces have been harassed or shuttered.

China's technologically advanced system of control and surveillance also impacts the church, as registered churches are required to allow cameras in services to monitor congregants.

The pressure to fall in line with the prevailing ideology of praising the achievements of the Communist Party has become much stronger and poses one of the greatest long-term risks for Christians in China. China also landed in the top 10 on charts for other violent behaviors tracked by the 2020 World Watch List, including the number of Christians sentenced to jail or labor camp for faith-related reasons, those detained without trial for faith-related reasons and those physically or mentally abused for faith-related reasons.

Based on the World Watch List data and the trade agreement currently unfolding between China and the U.S., Curry adds, "Phase one of the United States' new trade deal with China doesn't change the fact that China is a massive violator of Human Rights, particularly religious freedom violations against Christians, Muslims and Tibetans. Phase two must address this if we are to see normalized relations."

2020 World Watch List Top 10

1. North Korea
2. Afghanistan
3. Somalia
4. Libya
5. Pakistan
6. Eritrea
7. Sudan
8. Yemen
9. Iran
10. India

Persecution at a Glance
Christians remain one of the most persecuted religious groups in the world. While persecution of Christians takes many forms, it is defined as any hostility experienced as a result of identification with Christ. Christians throughout the world continue to risk imprisonment, loss of home and assets, torture, rape, and even death as a result of their faith.

Media Resources:
Interviews with David Curry, President and CEO of Open Doors USA
Interviews with persecuted Chinese Christians (limited availability)
View the complete 2020 World Watch List starting Wed. Jan. 15

Methodology
The Open Doors World Watch List is the only comprehensive, annual survey of the state of religious liberty for Christians around the world. From Nov. 1, 2018 to Oct. 31, 2019, researchers measured the degree of freedom a Christian has to live out his or her faith in five spheres of life—private, family, community, national and church, plus a sixth category measuring the degree of violence. Points are given for each incident of persecution, and the total points provide the ranking for each country. For more information on the methodology of the Open Doors World Watch List, please visit OpenDoorsUSA.org.

About Open Doors USA
For more than 60 years, Open Doors USA has worked in the world's most oppressive and restrictive countries for Christians. Open Doors works to equip and encourage Christians living in dangerous circumstances with the threat of persecution and equips the Western church to advocate for the persecuted. Christians are one of the most persecuted religious groups in the world and are oppressed in at least 60 countries. For more information, visit OpenDoorsUSA.org.

SOURCE Open Doors USA

CONTACT: Paige Collins, 615-934-4162, paige@iconmediagroup.com