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1. Nigeria
nlgerla ranks no. 1 ln Lhe 1op 10. Levels of vlolence ln nlgerla remalned exLremely hlgh. nlgerla
conslsLs of Lwo parLs: Lhe predomlnanLly ChrlsLlan SouLh and Lhe Musllm norLh. MosL lncldenLs
are recorded ln Lhe norLhern parL of Lhe counLry where lslamlc Sharla Law has been
lmplemenLed ln many sLaLes, buL fanaLlcal movemenLs, such as 8oko Param, flghL Lo furLher
lslamlze socleLy. 8oko Param conLlnues Lo aLLack ChrlsLlans on a large scale by burnlng down
and bomblng churches and ChrlsLlan properLy, and assaulLlng and kldnapplng ChrlsLlan women
and glrls. AnoLher maln drlver for vlolence agalnsL ChrlsLlans are Lhe Musllm lulanl herdsmen.
1hey come down from norLhern sLaLes Lo areas where ChrlsLlan llve and Lry Lo Lake over land
LhaL belongs Lo ChrlsLlans.

2. Syria
ChrlsLlans are a conslderable mlnorlLy ln Syrla. ln Lhe reporLlng perlod, Lhere have been many
reporLs of ChrlsLlans belng aLLacked, physlcally harmed or kllled. WlLhln Lhe conLexL of Lhe clvll
war, Lhe lnflux of forelgn [lhadlsL flghLers and Lhe rlslng lnfluence of radlcal lslam wlLhln Lhe
opposlLlon forces, many churches are damaged or desLroyed, ln many cases dellberaLely.
ChrlsLlans have been caughL ln Lhe crossflre beLween Lhe decades-old lnLra-lslamlc baLLle
beLween Shla and Sunnl lslam. 1he clvll war has puL ChrlsLlans ln an lncreaslngly vulnerable
poslLlon because several opposlLlon forces conslder Lhem Lo be supporLers of Lhe Assad reglme.
Among oLher Lhlngs, Lhe rlslng lnfluence of radlcal lslam has also accounLed for lncreaslng
aLLacks agalnsL ChrlsLlans Lhemselves, one of Lhe largesL belng Lhe lnvaslon of Lhe ChrlsLlan
vlllage of Sadad ln CcLober 2013. lslamlsL mlllLlas Look over Lhe vlllage, reporLedly leadlng Lo Lhe
kllllng of 43 clLlzens. 1he vlllage was re-Laken by Lhe Syrlan army on CcL. 31. Also, ChrlsLlans
experlence vlolence ln Lhe form of kllllngs and abducLlons from crlmlnal groups who conslder
Lhem easy LargeLs due Lo Lhe cllmaLe of lmpunlLy.

3. Egypt
LgypL ls a counLry ln LranslLlon wlLh a vlslble ChrlsLlan mlnorlLy, conslsLlng malnly of CopLlc
CrLhodox ChrlsLlans. 1he reporLlng perlod has seen a sharp lncrease ln aLLacks on churches and
ChrlsLlan properLy as well as kllllngs. ShorLly afLer Lhe mlllLary coup LhaL ousLed resldenL Morsl
ln !uly 2013, Lhere was an upsurge of secLarlan vlolence - much of lL lnsLlgaLed by members of
Lhe Musllm 8roLherhood or oLher radlcal Musllms - causlng AmnesLy lnLernaLlonal Lo speak of
an "unprecedenLed" rlse ln secLarlan aLLacks on CopLlc ChrlsLlans. ln AugusL 2013, LgypL's
ChrlsLlans were shook by Lhe abrupL aLLack on 80 churches. As an anLecedenL for Lhls vlolence,
ChrlsLlans have been falsely accused of ousLlng resldenL Morsl and have been LargeLed by Lhe
Musllm 8roLherhood, whlle Lhe mlllLary dld noLhlng Lo defend Lhem, maklng Lhe mlllLary an
lmpllclL accompllce of Lhe vlolence. Lven Lhough falLh-relaLed vlolence has lnLenslfled over Lhe
reporLlng perlod, resenLmenL agalnsL ChrlsLlans has been a reallLy for decades. SalaflsLs have
been known Lo rouse Musllm mobs lnLo aLLacklng ChrlsLlan homes and churches, uslng Lhe
conservaLlve lslamlc underLone and deep dlsconLenL ln LgypLlan socleLy. ChrlsLlans are easlly
slngled ouL as scapegoaLs.

4. Central African Republic
lncreaslngly war-Lorn CenLral Afrlcan 8epubllc ls a ChrlsLlan ma[orlLy counLry. neverLheless,
reporLs have shown LhaL Lhe Seleka have dellberaLely LargeLed ChrlsLlan vlllages, kllled
ChrlsLlans and assaulLed women and glrls ln Lhe norLh ln Lhelr quesL Lo lslamlze Lhe counLry.
lorelgn forces have also been sLrongly lnvolved. 1he slLuaLlon ln Lhe counLry can be compared
Lo Mall, when Lhe escalaLlng warllke slLuaLlon creaLed an opporLunlLy for lslamlsL groups Lo Lake
over Lhe counLry. Lven Lhough Seleka has noL succeeded ln lLs quesL, ChrlsLlans are sLlll belng
LargeLed ln Lhe areas where Seleka has power. uue Lo Lhe llmlLed access Lo resources and
lnformaLlon on Lhe slLuaLlon ln parLs of Lhe counLry, Lhe number of falLh-relaLed vlolenL
lncldenLs ln CenLral Afrlcan 8epubllc ls mosL llkely Lo be underreporLed.

5. Mexico
1rlbal anLagonlsm ls Mexlco's maln source of vlolence agalnsL ChrlsLlans, wlLh organlzed
corrupLlon belng anoLher lmporLanL source. Lven Lhough Mexlco ls home Lo a ChrlsLlan
ma[orlLy, local communlLles ln Lhe souLhern sLaLes of Mexlco are led by lndlgenous LradlLlonal
laws of uses and cusLoms" Lo force all communlLy members lnLo a homogenous llfesLyle.
CommunlLy members who do noL wlsh Lo adhere Lo Lhese cusLoms or accepL a dlfferenL falLh -
such as ChrlsLlans - are meL wlLh serlous LhreaLs and aLLacks. 1hey are drlven from Lhelr lands
or are vlcLlms of physlcal vlolence. ChrlsLlans LhaL are aLLacked conslsL malnly of evangellcals
and enLecosLals and Lo a lesser exLenL also resbyLerlans. ln Lhe sLaLes of Pldalgo, Chlapas,
Cuerrero and Caxaca, local governmenL offlclals follow Lhe local laws of uses and cusLoms, and
lgnore Lhe Mexlcan consLlLuLlon. Lspeclally ln rural areas ln souLhern sLaLes of Lhe counLry,
ChrlsLlans have been flned, [alled, beaLen or murdered because of Lhelr falLh. ln speclflc areas,
revoluLlonary and anLl-revoluLlonary paramlllLary groups - lnLlmaLely llnked Lo organlzed crlme
- operaLe wlLhln a conLexL of lmpunlLy and sLrucLural vlolence. WlLhln such a conLexL, ChrlsLlans
are a vulnerable group LhaL consLlLuLes a LhreaL Lo Lhe hegemony of crlmlnal organlzaLlons.

6. Pakistan
lslam ls Lhe norm ln Lhe aklsLanl socleLy - Lhe general vlew ls LhaL everyone devlaLlng from Lhe
rlghL form" of lslam, lncludlng ChrlsLlans, should be Lurned round, by force lf necessary. 1here
ls a hlgh degree of lmpunlLy regardlng acLs of vlolence agalnsL ChrlsLlans. 1he mosL shocklng
evenL ln Lhe reporLlng perlod ln Lerms of vlolence has been Lhe Lwln bomb aLLacks on Lhe
eshawar All SalnLs Church on SepL. 22, 2013. Accordlng Lo Lhe Aslan Puman 8lghLs
Commlsslon, Lhe lslamlc exLremlsL group !undallah clalmed responslblllLy, saylng LhaL Lhey wlll
conLlnue Lo klll ChrlsLlans "as Lhey are enemles of lslam." CLher forms of vlolence lnclude
aLLacks on houses and shops. Moreover, ChrlsLlan women and glrls are experlenclng rape and
sexual abuse ofLen comblned wlLh forced converslon every day - as parL of a non-Musllm
mlnorlLy and belng women ln a Musllm socleLy, Lhey face a double vulnerablllLy. CaLhollc nCCs
esLlmaLe LhaL aL leasL 700 ChrlsLlan glrls are kldnapped and forced Lo converL Lo lslam every
year. neverLheless, sexual assaulLs conLlnue Lo be underreporLed, due Lo shame and fear.

7. Colombia
1he slLuaLlon ln Colombla can be compared wlLh Mexlco, Lhe ma[or dlfference belng LhaL
organlzed corrupLlon ls Lhe maln source of vlolence agalnsL ChrlsLlans, wlLh Lrlbal anLagonlsm
belng Lhe second lmporLanL source. Also ln Colombla, Lhe ma[orlLy of Lhe populaLlon ls
ChrlsLlan. Many ChrlsLlans are LargeLed because of Lhelr lndlvldual acLlvlLles as lnfluenLlal
pasLors (leaders of publlc oplnlon), pollLlcal leaders, [ournallsLs, lawyers, human rlghLs
advocaLes, lndlgenous rlghLs advocaLes or envlronmenLal proLecLlon advocaLes. 1helr ChrlsLlan
convlcLlon leads Lhem Lo acL ln ways LhaL LhreaLen vesLed lnLeresLs of crlmlnal neLworks.
numerous ChrlsLlans are dlsplaced from Lhelr land, and gender-based vlolence LargeLlng
ChrlsLlans ls on Lhe lncrease. vlolence ln Colombla wlll remaln a sLrucLural phenomenon. ln
areas where Lhe governmenL has losL conLrol of publlc securlLy, drug carLels and lllegal armed
groups conLlnue Lo operaLe wlLh lmpunlLy.

ln Colombla, Lenslons regardlng converslon wlLhln Lhe lndlgenous communlLles can be
observed. lndlgenous converLs Lo ChrlsLlanlLy (no rellable numbers avallable) are parLlcularly
vulnerable Lo suffer persecuLlon. ConverLs Lo ChrlsLlanlLy ln Lhe Cauca reglon are regularly
denled access Lo baslc soclal servlces and equal parLlclpaLlon ln declslon-maklng, and are
someLlmes LorLured or dlsplaced.

8. India
vlolence agalnsL ChrlsLlans ln lndla ls rampanL and occurs especlally ln Lhe so-called Mlddle
8elL" and ln Lhe sLaLes where Plndu naLlonallsL 8haraLlya !anaLa arLy (8!) ls rullng. Moreover,
Lhe maln persecuLlon englne fuellng vlolence ls oLher rellglous mlllLancy, speclflcally Plndu
naLlonallsm. lanaLlcal movemenLs, mobs and someLlmes even sLaLe governmenLs commlL acLs
of falLh-relaLed vlolence, Lhe laLLer especlally lf radlcal Plndus wleld much lnfluence. 1here have
been reporLs of pasLors and church members beaLen up because Lhey were accused of
converLlng Plndus Lo ChrlsLlanlLy. ChrlsLlans have been kllled, and church bulldlngs as well as
homes of ChrlsLlans were desLroyed ln Lhe reporLlng perlod, many converLs had Lo flee Lhelr
place of llvlng, lncludlng uallL ChrlsLlans. 1here are weekly reporLs of ChrlsLlan meeLlngs belng
lnLerrupLed and/or ChrlsLlans belng physlcally abused.

9. Kenya
kenya scores hlgh on Lhe vlolence LlsL because of Lhe nalrobl WesLgaLe Mall aLLack. 1he aLLack
on Lhe mall has been counLed as a form of falLh-relaLed vlolence, slnce non-Musllms - mosL of
Lhem ChrlsLlans - were slngled ouL and shoL. Many were kllled or wounded. lrom a rellglous
polnL of vlew, kenya ls prone Lo be dlvlded ln Lwo parLs, wlLh a llne golng from norLhwesL Lo
souLheasL. MosL counLles Lo Lhe easL have a hlgh presence of Musllm populaLlons who are
lncreaslngly prone Lo radlcallzaLlon. lslamlc exLremlsL group al-Shabaab or groups afflllaLed Lo
al-Shabaab are responslble for Lhe ma[orlLy of ChrlsLlans kllled for Lhelr falLh.

10. Iraq
8eporLs from local sources seem Lo lndlcaLe LhaL Lhere has been an lncrease ln lndlvldual
aLLacks agalnsL ChrlsLlans ln lraq. Accordlng Lo a local offlclal ln Mosul, every Lwo or Lhree days
a ChrlsLlan ls kllled, kldnapped or abused. Musllm exLremlsL group !"# %&'()*+ ,-(-# ./ %0(1 ls
reporLed Lo have been Lhe maln lnsLlgaLor of vlolence and murders. 1he securlLy slLuaLlon of
ChrlsLlans ln norLhern lraq conLlnues Lo deLerloraLe. ALLacks on ChrlsLlan vlllages and aLLacks on
ChrlsLlans have glven Lhem a new sense LhaL Lhey are also unsafe ln Lhe norLh. ln ChrlsLlan
vlllages ln Lhe nlneveh plaln, Lhere have been reporLs of groups of lslamlc lnLernally ulsplaced
eople (lus) Laklng over and LhreaLenlng and forclng ChrlsLlans Lo adhere Lo sLrlcL lslamlc
regulaLlons. ln Lhe sprlng of 2013, a ChrlsLlan vlllage was aLLacked by kurds ln llne wlLh Lhelr
lnLenL of lslamlzlng ChrlsLlan areas. ln cenLral and souLh lraq, Lhe slLuaLlon ls as bad as before.
ln 8aghdad, ChrlsLlans are forced Lo sLay lnslde as lL ls Loo dangerous ln Lhe sLreeLs. CLher
lncldenLs of vlolence lnclude aLLacks on Assyrlan owned buslnesses and a church ln 8aghdad ln
!une 2013. Also ln !une, Lhe ChrlsLlan Lown of !aml 8abaLkl ln uohuk provlnce, kurdlsh reglon,
was aLLacked. !uly, Lhe monLh of 8amadan ln 2013, was an exLremely bloody monLh whereas
Lhe Llme of 8amadan ls usually quleL. 1hls has had a very upseLLlng effecL on all ChrlsLlan groups
ln Lhe counLry.