More than 388 million Christians —one in seven worldwide— currently live under high levels of persecution or discrimination because of their faith. This is denounced by the Global Persecution Index 2026, published by the organization International Christian Concern (ICC), which analyzes the situation in more than twenty countries and warns of a deterioration in religious freedom driven by authoritarianism, Islamic extremism, religious nationalism, and increasing state control over religious denominations.
The report, titled Faces of the Persecuted, dedicates specific chapters to countries such as Nigeria, Nicaragua, Syria, India, Eritrea, China, Cuba, or North Korea, and identifies several political leaders whose actions it considers especially relevant in the worsening of persecution against Christians.
Nicaragua, among the main hotspots of persecution
The document pays special attention to Nicaragua, where it denounces that the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo maintains a systematic policy of harassment against the Church and other Christian communities.
According to ICC, hundreds of priests, nuns, and other pastoral agents have been detained, expelled from the country, or forced into exile, while authorities intensify control over homilies, religious media outlets, and the activities of independent ecclesial organizations through surveillance and administrative restrictions.
The report also positions the Nicaraguan government as an example of the advance of authoritarianism against religious freedom and denounces the confiscation of ecclesial assets, the closure of religious educational institutions, and the imprisonment of clergy who denounce state abuses or carry out their ministry outside government control.
In light of this situation, the organization recommends facilitating fast-track asylum pathways for exiled clergy, supporting parishes and civil organizations shut down by the regime, and expanding international sanctions against senior Nicaraguan officials, including Ortega and Murillo.
Nigeria remains one of the most dangerous countries for Christians
The report also places Nigeria among the countries where religious persecution continues to worsen. ICC denounces that Christians continue to be victims of killings, attacks by jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP, and violence carried out by radicalized Fulani militias, while accusing the state of failing to adequately protect Christian communities.
Between July 2024 and July 2025, the organization documented more than 500 Christians killed, 208 kidnappings, and nearly 2,000 people forced to abandon their homes—figures it considers only part of the real problem.
Among its recommendations are opening independent investigations into the reported massacres against Christian communities and reviewing blasphemy laws that, according to the organization, severely restrict religious freedom.
Syria and India, under growing concern
Regarding Syria, the report maintains that the change of government following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime has not ended the difficulties faced by Christian minorities. The organization denounces cases of reprisals, detentions, discrimination, and obstacles to recovering property or fully participating in the new government structures.
For this reason, ICC calls for strengthening protection of displaced Christian communities and holding accountable those responsible for crimes committed both during the Assad regime and by actors after the political change.
In India, the report warns of an increase in attacks against Christians, especially through mob violence and other episodes of aggression. To address this situation, it recommends protecting non-governmental organizations and independent media that document abuses and provide assistance to victims.
Authoritarianism and religious nationalism drive persecution
In addition to analyzing the situation by country, the Global Persecution Index 2026 identifies several trends that are contributing to the deterioration of religious freedom worldwide. Among them, it highlights religious nationalism, jihadist terrorism, transnational repression, state control of religious organizations, restrictions imposed on women, and the use of Western technologies by authoritarian regimes to monitor and persecute religious communities.
Despite this scenario, the report concludes that Christian communities continue to grow even in some of the most hostile environments and emphasizes that, alongside the rise in repression, resistance is also growing among those who continue to demand effective respect for religious freedom.