The report says that Christian persecution had “multiple drivers and as such it deserves special attention. More specifically it is certainly not limited to Islamic majority contexts. So this review is not a stalking horse for the Islamophobic far right, nor does it give the Islamophobic right a stick to beat Islam with.”

That is true. Not only Muslims persecute Christians. Christians are persecuted in North Korea as well. But eight of the ten worst countries for Christians are Muslim. The fact that other people besides Muslims persecute Christians does not mean that Muslims don’t persecute Christians, or that the Islamic theological reasons why they do so should not be studied. This study is not pursued as a “stick to beat Islam with,” but in order to uncover the root causes of the persecution, so that it can be ended. The UK government report has rendered itself essentially useless by its refusal to examine those root causes and dismissal of those who do so as the “Islamophobic far right.” Why is it “far right” to stand for the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, and the equality of rights of all people before the law?

“UK government urged to take steps to prevent persecution of Christians,” by Harriet Sherwood, Guardian, July 7, 2019 (thanks to D.):