The British government should consider sanctions on countries where Christians are persecuted, according an independent review for the Foreign Secretary.

The report, by the Church of England Bishop of Truro Philip Mounstephen, reco-mmends the UK “be prepared to impose sanctions against perpetrators of Freedom of Religious Belief (FoRB) abuses.”

It also recommends the government explore how social media strategies can promote religious freedom and counter religious hate, and that a standard definition of FoRB be established.

Foreign Secretary Jeremys Hunt said that if he becomes prime minister, he would make sure all the recommendations were acted on.

It is estimated 5 that one third of the world’s population suffers from religious persecution in some form, with Christians constituting “by far the most widely per-secuted religion,” the report says.

Examples include the removal of crosses, the destruction of Church buildings and other Church symbols and the killing and abduction of clergy.

The report details how the eradication of Christians and other 33 minorities on pain of “the sword” or other violent means was revealed to be the stated objective of extremist groups in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, north-east Nigeria and the Philippines.

“The main impact of such genocidal acts against Christians is internal displacement and exodus. Christianity now faces the possibility of being wiped-out in parts of the Middle East where its roots go back furthest. In Palestine, Christian numbers are below 1.5 percent; in Syria the Christian population has declined from 1.7 million in 2011 to below 450,000 and in Iraq, largely through the ‘ethnic 37 cleansing’ of ancient Christian communities from the Nineveh Plains, Christian numbers have slumped from 1.5 million before 2003 to below 120,000 today. Christianity is at risk of disappearing, representing a massive setback for plurality in the region. It is that plurality which has been a key for security and stability in the region for hundreds of years.” Christianity is at existential risk in Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries. Since 2003, over 1 million Christians fled the country, reducing the size of the Christian population by nearly 80%.