Global Christian Relief (GCR) has published its first-ever persecution report, highlighting the five countries where Christians face the most severe persecution across five critical categories.
Released on January 7, the 2025 GCR Red List is described as the first quantifiable, verifiable index covering incidents from 2022 to 2024. The report tracks violence in five key areas: killings, attacks on buildings, arrests, displacement, and kidnappings/assaults.
Nigeria remains the deadliest country for Christians, with 9,814 killings reported during the review period. Boko Haram, Fulani militants, and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) are identified as primary perpetrators. Nigeria also leads in kidnappings and assaults, with 9,311 cases linked to what the report describes as a “destructive industry that plunders Christian communities’ wealth for global criminal networks.”
India saw the highest number of attacks on Christian-owned properties. The report cites violence in Manipur state, where 4,949 Christian households were targeted, along with businesses and places of worship.
China ranks first in arrests, with 1,559 detentions primarily involving members of unregistered churches.
Azerbaijan tops the list for displacement, with 120,001 Christians forced from their homes.
GCR’s interim CEO, Brian Orme, noted that the report sheds light on the severe threats Christians faced over the past two years and helps the organization deploy aid where it is most needed.
“We work closely with partners in high-risk regions to provide emergency relief, safe housing, and trauma counseling to Christians facing violent persecution,” Orme said. “Despite the immense challenges in places like Nigeria, China, and India, we see remarkable resilience in these communities. Even in the darkest circumstances, the church is not only surviving but growing stronger. Millions continue to follow Jesus despite knowing the risks.”
Following Nigeria, the highest death tolls for Christians were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (390), Mozambique (262), Ethiopia (181), and Russia (164). In Russia, killings were concentrated in Muslim-majority Dagestan, where militants target religious and law enforcement sites.
Mexico (138), Haiti (101), Cameroon (83), and Ethiopia (78) followed Nigeria in kidnapping and assault cases. Mozambique reported the second-highest number of attacks on Christian properties (1,607), trailed by Myanmar (1,490), Ukraine (1,270), and Ethiopia (488).
In arrests, Eritrea (475), Nicaragua (226), Russia (224), and North Korea (208) followed China.
After Azerbaijan, the countries with the largest displaced Christian populations were India (60,000), Mozambique (16,000), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (15,703), and Myanmar (1,500).
The Red List data comes from a violence-tracking database launched in January 2024 and includes supplemental data from members of the International Religious Freedom Institute. The report was compiled by GCR’s team of persecution experts led by Ron Boyd-MacMillan, chief of research and global strategy, along with scientists, researchers, and authors.
Global Christian Relief, a worldwide watchdog organization, was formed in 2023 after the U.S. branch of Open Doors restructured.
Find the full report & prayer guide here.
