Christianity Under Siege: UK’s Special Envoy Sounds Global Alarm on Religious Persecution
Christianity Under Siege: UK’s Special Envoy Sounds Global Alarm on Religious Persecution
The threat to Christianity is growing rapidly across the globe, the UK’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) has warned. David Smith, a Labour MP and former Christian charity worker, says persecution is rising at alarming levels putting the very survival of Christian communities at risk in some regions.
Speaking at a briefing at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Smith announced a new diplomatic approach. The UK government will now prioritize ten countries where religious oppression is most severe. These include Nigeria, Pakistan, China, India, and Afghanistan. The selected nations were chosen based on the intensity of religious discrimination, the UK’s diplomatic influence, and the potential to drive change.
According to Smith, abuses range from social exclusion and arbitrary arrests to torture and targeted killings. He referenced global data showing over 380 million Christians now face some form of persecution. “Religious repression is not confined to one region,” he noted. “It’s happening everywhere.”
Smith described this new commitment as a turning point in British foreign policy. He emphasized that freedom of religion is closely connected to other core rights such as free speech and peaceful assembly.
Some of the worst countries for religious persecution including North Korea and Somalia were not on the UK’s current priority list. Smith acknowledged this and said the UK will still advocate in those cases, especially for prisoners of conscience and persecuted minority groups like the Baháʼís and Ahmadiyya Muslims.
Religious freedom, he added, is about more than belief. It reflects the health of entire societies. “When religious groups are under threat, peace and stability are usually at risk too,” he said.
The updated strategy outlines a multi-pronged plan: promoting religious freedom through global bodies like the UN, embedding FoRB into bilateral talks, strengthening international coalitions, integrating religious rights into human rights programs, and supporting grassroots interfaith initiatives.
Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Human Rights, said British embassies have been instructed to prioritize human rights including FoRB in all diplomatic efforts. He pointed to recent successes, such as the release of Nigerian atheist Mubarak Bala and Cuban pastor Lorenzo Rosales, as signs that UK advocacy works.
The role of FoRB envoy was created after a 2019 review exposed the Foreign Office’s failure to address global religious discrimination. Since then, calls have grown louder for the UK to take a leading role in defending these freedoms abroad.
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Smith believes that protecting belief isn’t only about helping the persecuted it’s also a path to stronger, freer nations. He vowed to continue pressing for action at the highest levels.
Meanwhile, new research by Jersey Road PR reveals that attacks on Christians rarely make headlines in UK mainstream media. Advocates warn that without public attention, persecuted communities risk being forgotten and silenced.
CONTENT CREDIT: BLESSING DADA
IMAGE CREDIT:Christianpost.Intl
