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More than 1,300 Christians were slaughtered because of their faith last year with millions punished for their beliefs. Christians have been tortured, attacked, kidnapped and sexually abused because of their faith, according to advocacy charity Open Doors. Islamic extremism continues to threaten Christianity, with Islamists fuelling persecution in 14 out of the top 20 countries, and 35 of the top 50.

The speed at which the level of persecution is rising in Asia is extremely worrying Lisa Pearce, CEO Open Doors

For the 15th year running, North Korea has been named the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian with Afghanistan and Syria making the top 10. Kim Jong-un’s regime makes the hermit kingdom the worst place to be a Christian while Somalia has replaced Iraq as the second most dangerous place for people of the faith.

GETTY/ EXPRESS The most dangerous places in the world for Christians have been revealed

Open Doors says tens of thousands of Christians have been sent to labour camps in North Korea, which commands its people worship Kim Jong-un. But despite the punishment, it is thought some 300,000 North Koreans are Christians. In Somalia, at least 12 Christians were killed in 2016 when their faith was discovered. The militant Islamist group al-Shabaab has stated publicly that it "wants Somalia free of all Christians". Afghanistan follows at number three, with Pakistan and Sudan rounding out the top five.

EXPRESS For the 15th year running, North Korea has been named the most dangerous place for Christians

AFP Christians face persecution under Kim Jong-un's regime

It is estimated there are thousands of Christians in Afghanistan’s 34.2million population. Christians have been sent to mental hospitals for their beliefs in the Islamic nation, where baptism is punishable by death. The Taliban remains active and continues to target those who leave Islam. Pakistan climbed the list to number four following a series of atrocities, including the detonation of a bomb in a public park on Easter Sunday in Lahore, which killed at least 69 Christians.

GETTY India has seen persecution levels rise dramatically

Lisa Pearce, CEO of Open Doors, said: “In last year's report we highlighted that despite the horrors unfolding in Iraq and Syria, persecution of Christians was growing most rapidly across sub Sahara Africa thanks to the likes of al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and their many imitators. “This year Asia has leapfrogged Sub-Saharan Africa as the region of the world where persecution of Christians is rising most rapidly. “In fact four out five countries where persecution is rising fastest are in Asia, in India alone last year there was a violent attack at least 15 times every week.“

AFP Iraq's Christian population has been decimated from two million in 2003 to around 230,000 today

PA Christians in Iraq face abduction, secular abuse and attacks by ISIS jihadis

India has seen persecution levels rise dramatically for the fourth year running, rising to number 15 from a ranking of 31 in 2013. A rise of Hindu nationalists attacking churches has made India one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians. For the fourth year in a row, the level of overall persecution has risen, with Asia, particularly, showing a rapid rise. In Laos, Bangladesh, Vietnam and tiny Bhutan, things are getting more difficult for Christians. Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and Eritrea make up the top ten.

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Despite persecution in Iraq falling – the country has gone from the second most dangerous country for Christians to seventh – the church is in danger of being wiped out. The Christian population has been decimated from two million in 2003 to around 230,000 today. Christians in Iraq face abduction, secular abuse and attacks by ISIS jihadis. The Open Doors World Watch List is published every January and lists the 50 countries worldwide where Christians experience the most persecution.

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