Christian charity Open Doors has released its 2026 World Watch List, and it's North Korea where believers are facing the most extreme persecution.
Worldwide, 4,849 Christians were murdered for their faith in Jesus in the last year; of these, 72 per cent were from Nigeria - that's more than the rest of the world combined.
Syria has jumped 12 places, the biggest riser in this year's list, and is now a place of "extreme persecution" for many of the country's Christians.
North Korea tops the list
It's reported that there are 400,000 Christians in North Korea - 1.5 per cent of the population. Their main threats are dictatorial paranoia (dictator Kim Jong Un's constant fear of losing power) and Communist and post-Communist oppression.
If a North Korean Christian is discovered, they could be killed instantly; if they aren't killed, they'll be arrested and imprisoned, with thousands of believers being held in North Korea's labour camps. Prisoners are forced to carry out hard labour, and many die in the camps. A Christian's entire family is likely to be arrested along with them even if they themselves aren't believers.
"North Korean Christians must keep their faith absolutely secret," says Open Doors. "Christians often won't even tell their partners or children about their faith for fear of discovery. One secret believer shared, 'I decided to gather all my courage and tell [my wife] my deepest secret. She started to cry, because she had been a secret believer all her life.'"
In North Korea, meeting with other Christians is almost impossible, as there is always someone watching; the country has a network of secret police and even neighbours report each other for "suspicious" behaviour.
Owning a Bible is considered a serious crime, leading believers - those who have a Bible in the first place - to keep it hidden. Open Doors shares more from one of its sources, another secret believer: "Each Bible had a paper cover, with images of Kim II-Sung and Kim Jong-II, to keep them from raising suspicion."
Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, and Eritrea
Taking up the next four spots in the 2026 World Watch List's top five are Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, and Eritrea (in that order).
Believers in Somalia, face the main threats of Islamic oppression, and clan oppression (power and resources go to certain "clans", while others are ignored or punished). Open Doors describes the situation for Somalian Christians as "one of the harshest environments in the world." One source of persecution is the extremist group Al-Shabaab, which openly executes anyone they suspect might be a Christian. Believing women are exposed to horrors such as genital mutilation and forced marriage. Christian men could be forcibly recruited into the ranks of Al-Shabaab.
There are reportedly a small number of Christians in Yemen, with believers' main threats also being Islamic oppression, and clan oppression. "Converts from Islam could face the death penalty for apostasy," writes Open Doors. Christian communities in Yemen are often subject to attacks by Islamic extremist groups, meaning if those who gather in secret - as many feel forced to keep their faith hidden - are discovered, they face "grave" consequences.
Life for the 2.2 million believers (4.3 per cent of the population) in Sudan, is becoming increasingly difficult, says Open Doors, with their main threats being Islamic oppression, and dictatorial paranoia: "The government uses old Islamic laws to justify forced conversion and physical punishment, threatening the lives of Christians across the country." Church buildings are often bombed and taken over to be used as bases for militias or extremist groups; many Christians are pushed underground.
In Eritrea, the main threats believers face are dictatorial paranoia and Christian denominational protectionism; there are a reported 1.7 million Christians in the country (44 per cent of the population) but the Eritrean government gives legal status to only four religious groups - which excludes most Evangelical and Pentecostal denominations. "There is zero tolerance for unregistered churches: those caught worshipping illegally can face brutal punishment and indefinite imprisonment in terrible conditions," writes Open Doors. The organisation adds: "The Eritrean Orthodox Church and Islamic groups treat those who convert from its ranks harshly, subjecting Christians to social rejection and exclusion."
Pray, speak out & support persecuted church family
Here is the list of the remaining 45 countries making up the 2026 World Watch List's top 50 (in order): Syria; Nigeria; Pakistan; Libya; Iran; Afghanistan; India; Saudi Arabia; Myanmar; Mali; Burkina Faso; China; Iraq; Maldives; Algeria; Mauritania; Central African Republic; Morocco; Cuba; Uzbekistan; Niger; Tajikistan; Laos; DRC; Mexico; Tunisia; Nicaragua; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Turkmenistan; Ethiopia; Cameroon; Oman; Mozambique; Kyrgyzstan; Türkiye; Egypt; Comoros; Qatar; Kazakhstan; Nepal; Colombia; Chad; Jordan; and Brunei.
Some good news from the 2026 list: there has been a 20 per cent drop in reported incidents of violence in Bangladesh. But the list shows that thousands of our brothers and sisters across the world are facing extreme persecution for their faith in Christ. Open Doors' desire is for the church to use its list to pray, speak out and support persecuted church family across the world.
The full list, with more information, stories and prayers for each of the countries, can be accessed on Open Doors' website: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/world-watch-list/
