Pandemic sees rise in Christian persecution, report shows

Governments in Asia and Africa have used an “epidemiological cover” to conceal “a quiet humanitarian catastrophe”, Aid to a Church in Need has said.

“Regimes which are hostile to the presence of Christians within their lands have used Covid-19 as cover for attacks and for using their proxies to either eliminate or exploit Christian communities,” said Dr Michael Kinsella, National Director of ACN Ireland.

His comments come as a report from Evangelical group Open Doors shows Christian persecution rose 19% in 2020, with 340 million Christians facing persecution.

More than 4,700 Christians were killed in 2020 – a 60% rise – with 3,500 of these killed in Nigeria.

The World Watchlist 2021 report shows that authoritarian governments have used the pandemic as cover to increase restrictions on Christians.

“In my view and in the view of ACN, China is the most reprehensible and requires the most urgent intervention,” Dr Kinsella told The Irish Catholic. “Hundreds of millions – nearly 300 million – live in lands where it can mean a death sentence to evangelise the Christian, to profess outwardly the Christian faith. What’s provided by these regimes by the way of an epidemiological cover is actually a quiet humanitarian catastrophe.”