International Christian Concern’s 2026 Global Persecution Index
More than 388 million Christians around the world are persecuted because of their faith in Jesus, according to International Christian Concern (ICC)’s 2026 Global Persecution Index (GPI).
[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS ]
From China’s pressure on diaspora communities to Turkey’s targeting of exiled critics and religious minorities, persecution is a global threat that reaches far beyond national borders. The 2026 GPI emphasizes the rise of transnational repression, as regimes increasingly surveil, intimidate, kidnap, or pressure religious minorities and dissidents living abroad.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Hostility Spreading Against Religious People: Pew Research ]
The 124-page free report provides in-depth analysis of the persecution Christians suffer in more than 20 countries grouped by the regions of Africa, Latin America, Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, including personal testimonies from believers (titled Faces of the Persecuted), and profiles of four notorious heads of state who incite persecution in their countries: Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, Staggering Increase of Violence Against Christians: World Watch List ]
It also includes specific examples of hindrances to religious freedom that countries in the West are guilty of.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, US Dept. of Justice Updates USA Religious Liberty Guidance ]
“This year’s Global Persecution Index is a sobering reminder that millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ continue to pay a high price for their faith,” says ICC President Shawn Wright. “Behind every statistic is a real person: someone who has chosen faithfulness to Jesus over safety, comfort, or even life itself. Our hope is that this report not only informs decision-makers and stakeholders, but moves readers to act with urgency, conviction, prayer, and compassion.”
[ Read the SemperVerus article, 100 Million Christians Lack Access to the Bible ]
The GPI examines ongoing trends constricting religious freedom, including:
- The dramatic rise of religious nationalism
- Transnational repression
- State control over religious organizations
- Terrorism
- Authoritarianism
- Restrictions on women
- Growth of the church despite persecution
- Popular discontent with repression.
The GPI’s purpose is to help Christians in the West understand what their brothers and sisters around the world experience, so they can pray and act on their behalf.
[ Read the SemperVerus article, A Prayer for Church Security Team Members ]
“At ICC, we are committed to ensuring the persecuted church is not forgotten, and more importantly, that their voices are heard,” Wright said. “As violence against Christians increases, we want to ensure that the GPI reflects both the gravity of crises and the courage of believers who refuse to be silenced. We invite policymakers, supporters, and Christians around the world to stand with them through prayer, advocacy, and tangible support, so that religious freedom is defended and the Gospel continues to advance in even the hardest places.”
Also read these SemperVerus articles:
• Report: US Government “Weaponized Its Full Weight Against Christians” 2021–2024
• US Federal Workers Are Now Allowed to Express Their Religious Beliefs
• US Dept. of War Elevating Chaplaincy Corps Back to Spiritual Significance
• 2025 Edition of Hostility Against Churches Report Shows 415 US Attacks in 2024
• US Agency Reports 35 Countries Continue to Repress Religious Freedom
• Nigeria, Rwanda, China, Mozambique, and Mexico Are the Top Persecutors of Christians: GCR Red List
• Violent Attacks Against Christians Spike in Europe
• Terrorists Call for Attacks on Christians
• A List of Active Killer Incidents at Houses of Worship and Religious Schools
• Self-Defense In Spiritual Warfare: Know Your Enemies
• Self-Defense Body Armor for Spiritual Warfare
• Situational Awareness: Spiritual Self-Defense
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