Christians face persecution in popular tourist spots, warns Open Doors

Open Doors has urged travellers from the UK to be aware of persecution against the Christian community in their favourite tourist destinations, including India.

The organisation stressed the need to raise awareness among Brits of persecution in India and to support fellow believers in the country, recommending that they write letters of concern to MPs.

Eddie Lyle, chief executive of Open Doors UK and Ireland, said: "'Sun, sea, sand and persecution' would be an appropriate adage here. The image many of us have in our minds of these gorgeous locations is one of sandy beaches, palm trees and exotic cultural treasures. But the reality for those people living there wishing to express their faith openly and responsibly is very different from how the brochures portray things."

He added: "Christians commonly experience discrimination in the workplace and in education, are abused physically and emotionally, cannot hold church services, are thrown into jail and - all too often - murdered."

Open Doors is not asking Christians in the UK to boycott holidays to India but instead requests them to be aware of the issues and contribute to the saving and serving of the persecuted in the country.

A spokesman for the charity told The Telegraph that an estimated 200 million Christians around the world were facing varying degrees of persecution.

Steve Gaukroger, chairman of Open Doors' council of reference, said: "These days we routinely make decisions about important ethical issues such as the impact food-miles have on global warming. Given the appalling ways that our Christian brothers and sisters are being treated in many places around the world, we need to apply similar criteria to our holiday destinations, too," he was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

"In the largest democracy in the world, seven states now have anti-conversion laws which are being increasingly used by Hindu ultra-nationalists to harass Christians."

"Reports of threats against pastors, false arrests, beatings and even murder have been increasing, now averaging one incident every three days. Many of the Dalits, the 'untouchable' caste of Hinduism, are converting to Christianity. This is one reason why Hindu nationalists are targeting Christians."

North Korea heads the list of places where Christians face "severe persecution", followed by Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Maldives. India ranks 30 in the list of 50 offenders; Bhutan 7th; Pakistan 17th.