For the third straight year, the isolated communist nation of North Korea remains atop an annual list of countries where Christians are persecuted most.
Over the past few years, the Open Doors International "World Watch List" has listed the top 50 countries where Christians suffer the most according to the intensity of persecution Christians face for actively pursuing their faith. The list is compiled using a specially designed questionnaire covering various aspects of religious freedom.
This year, of the countries holding the top 10 positions, five are Islamic-dominated countries, four have communist regimes in power, and one country — Bhutan — is dominated by Buddhism. And at the top of that list is once again North Korea — "observed as one of the greatest threats to the regime’s power," according to the 2005 World Watch List.
"North Korea is the most repressive nation in the world," said Open Doors USA President Dr. Carl Moeller. "It certainly deserves its shameful ranking on the World Watch List."
"It breaks my heart to hear some of the atrocities against our brothers and sisters there."
Although exact figures are difficult to obtain, it is believed that tens of thousands of Christians are currently suffering in North Korean prison camps, and at least 20 Christians were shot or beaten to death in 2004 while in detention.
"The government will arrest not only a suspected dissident but also three generations of his family to root out the ‘bad’ influence," Moeller said. "North Korea is suspected to detain more political and religious prisoners than any other country in the world."
Yet, according to reports received by Open Doors, the church in North Korea continues to grow. "Let’s continue to lift up the needs of our fellow believers in North Korea and in all the countries on the World Watch List," Moeller added.
Right below North Korea on the World Watch List was again Saudi Arabia, where all citizens are required to be Muslims and where apostasy - conversion to anther religion - is punishable by death. "Even foreign Christian guest workers have been imprisoned and deported for quietly practicing their faith, despite government assurances that foreigners can worship privately," according to Open Doors. In 2004, Indian citizen Brian O’Connor was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment and 300 lashes for "spreading Christianity" in the Islamic kingdom. After seven months in prison, he was released and deported.
Rising one position into third place this year was Vietnam. One of the few communist nations in the world, Vietnam considers Christians to be a hidden enemy, Open Doors reported. "Authorities fear that Evangelical Christianity - suspected to be connected to the United States - is being used in a peaceful revolution against the communist system," the ministry stated. Although the constitution provides for religious freedom, the government considerably restricts unrecognised religious activities. During the past year, a new law on religion was introduced banning any religious activity deemed to threaten national security, public order or national unity. The new ordinance prohibits unregistered church services in private houses.
