A major factual report giving hard evidence of the global persecution of Christians for their faith is released today. Researched by the Maranatha Community, a national movement of thousands of Christians of all denominations, it presents hundreds of cases, drawn from 170 sources, of persecution of Christians worldwide over the past 14 years. It has been placed before political and religious leaders worldwide, with a call to action.

The document can be downloaded in full from
www.maranathacommunity.org.uk/download.aspx?file=Global-Persecution-Report-2014.pdf

WIPE OUT

• Christians in many parts of the Middle East now face wipe-out and at this moment many are being given the option of converting to Islam, paying protection money or being killed.

SYSTEMATIC ASSAULT ON CHRISTIANS

• There is now irrefutable evidence that Christians are the most persecuted group of people in the world.
• Christians are being murdered, tortured, imprisoned and assaulted solely because of their faith.

A HUGE SCALE OF ABUSE

• To an ever increasing extent Christians are being severely punished for their faith, facing intimidation, victimisation, harassment and worse.
• Their churches and homes are being vandalised or destroyed.
• False charges are being made against them and innocent believers are being imprisoned and punished for offences they have never committed.

PUNISHED FOR CHANGING THEIR RELIGION

• Even though the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” The fact is that those who choose to change their religion may be beaten, imprisoned or killed.

A CALL TO WORLD LEADERS

• The Maranatha document is this week being placed before world leaders including the Prime Minister and the General Secretary of the United Nations and political and religious leaders worldwide.

A WORLDWIDE CALL

The Maranatha document declares:

• “We all have a moral responsibility to speak out against an intolerable situation.”
• “We must all stand against everything which violates the integrity of the individual”.
• “There can never ever be any justification of people being killed for their faith”.
• “The strongest international pressure must now be brought to bear on those who continue to violate the dignity of innocent people”.

THERE IS MOUNTING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE FOR THIS ISSUE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD’S POLITICAL AGENDA. IT MUST NOT BE IGNORED.

THE EVIDENCE IS BEYOND DISPUTE.
THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION.