The UK “should lead the way” in tackling unprece-dented levels of Christian persecution a Conservative MP said on January 17. Teresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet was speaking at the launch of the annu-al World Watch List, a survey of global Christian compiled by the Christian Charity Open Doors.
The report reveals that 3,000 Christians were killed for their faith last year, more than double the number recorded in the previous survey. It also states that more than 200 million Christians in the top 50 countries experience high levels of persecution or worse. Eleven of the countries in the list are now places of extreme persecution, the highest number ever recorded.
Mrs Villiers said more should be done to tackle Christian persecution: “The UK must encourage other countries, particularly those experiencing high levels of persecution, to tackle the problem.”
Citing the Commonwealth Heads of Govern-ment meeting, which will be held in London this April, she said: “The meeting is a chance for the UK to set the agenda on this issue and encourage those countries to do more.” This is particularly pertinent given that nine of the countries attending the meeting are listed on the World Watch List.
The event featured speakers Michael and Hannah from Egypt and Pakistan respectively, talking about the levels of persecution endured by Christians in their native countries.
Michael, an elder in one of Cairo’s local evangelical churches, works for the leadership team of a national ministry and with partners to strengthen the church and teach Christians in Egypt to stand strong through persecution and pressure.
Hannah, from Pakistan, described how the country of her birth is being “violated by extremist ideologies” that “treat Christians as foreign enti-ties” and encourage “the vast majority of Muslims to believe that Pakistan is only for Muslims.”
