Persecution of Christians in the year 2025? And yet it exists, awakening memories of the darkest periods of humanity, which it even rivals in savagery and violence.
Revealing in this regard is the report of the Gatestone Institute, an American think tank based in New York, founded in 2012 and active in research, analysis, and public information on issues of international politics, security, human rights, and democratic institutions.
The American think tank publishes articles and reports with an emphasis, among other things, on Islamist extremism as well as issues of migration and social cohesion.
In the text by Raymond Ibrahim, posted on December 21, incidents of violence and persecution against Christians attributed to Islamist organizations or state/local practices are recorded, during or in connection with events of October 2025, in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the United States.
The text, titled “The Victims Are Sold in Catalogs Like Property”: The Persecution of Christians, October 2025, presents a series of incidents that, as stated, concern abuse, attacks, and murders of Christians by Muslim extremists or groups acting with religious motives in various countries.
Beheadings and Arson in Mozambique
According to, for example, an excerpt attributed to the Daily Express (October 8, 2025), the attacks in Mozambique resulted in the beheading of 30 Christians, extensive arson, and the destruction of at least five churches and 100 homes, while many other Christians — including women and their daughters — were reportedly forcibly taken to an unknown destination.
Churches Burned in Nigeria
At the same time, in a report attributed to the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (August 10, 2025) regarding Nigeria, it is claimed that since the start of the Boko Haram terrorist insurgency in 2009, jihadist groups have burned and destroyed 19,100 churches — on average almost 100 per month — while during the same period 125,009 Christians have been killed, as well as “60,000 liberal Muslims.” The same excerpt includes a warning that, if urgent measures are not taken, Christianity in Nigeria risks disappearing within the next 50 years.
Underage Girls as Sex Slaves in Occupied Cyprus
Special reference is also made to Cyprus, via a post on X attributed to Turkish Cypriot politician Derya Doğuş, on September 28. As stated, following the passage of a law on nightclubs and entertainment venues in 2000, human trafficking and sexual slavery are allegedly practiced with state tolerance — including by the police and other institutions — in the area of the pseudo-state. The same excerpt refers to women and girls under 18 who are trafficked and abused as sex slaves, while their passports are reportedly confiscated by the regime’s “authorities.” The description concludes that “the victims are sold in catalogs like property, like animals.”
Rapes and Imprisonments in Pakistan
In Pakistan, the text cites the case of a 14-year-old Christian girl, Kinza Bibi, who, according to a report by the British Asian Christian Association (October 16, 2025), was “brutally raped” by a Muslim neighbor, Muhammad Haroon. It is described that the perpetrator entered the house through the roof, dragged her into a room, and raped her, while her mother, Rukhsana, upon returning home, found her crying on the bed.
According to the same excerpt, the family reported the rape, the police “collected evidence,” and a medical report confirmed the assault; however, Haroon allegedly secured pre-arrest bail, a fact which — as stated — left the family exposed to threats. The mother also reportedly complained that she received threats from the perpetrator’s brothers, who warned her that they would kill the family if she did not withdraw the complaint.
In the same country, reference is also made to the death of Pastor Zafar Bhatti, who reportedly died of a heart attack on October 5, two days after his release from prison. Bhatti, 62, is said to have spent 13 years in prison under blasphemy laws, following an accusation by a Muslim cleric that he sent messages deemed insulting to Muhammad.
It is described that he was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017, was given the death penalty in 2022, and that the Lahore High Court overturned the conviction on October 2, while in prison he had faced serious heart problems.
Another incident in Pakistan concerns 49-year-old blind Christian Nadeem Masih, who, according to a report by Morning Star News (October 31, 2025), was arrested following a complaint by a Muslim that he insulted the prophet of Islam — an offense which, as noted, is punishable by death under Article 295-C of the blasphemy laws.
His mother, Martha Yousaf, reportedly describes thefts of money from his pocket due to his disability, loans that were not repaid, and that when he protested, he was abused and taken to the police station. According to the same account, in prison he was beaten and forced to confess to a false charge, while organizations and lawyers cite “inconsistencies” in the police report and call for intervention by senior officials.
Vandalism in the United States
In the United States, the text refers to a case of vandalism at Uncommon Church in Euless, Texas, on October 3, where three Muslims were accused of spray-painting a slogan (“F**k Israel”) and placing pro-Palestinian/pro-Hamas stickers, because the church had reportedly displayed an Israeli flag after the attacks of October 7, 2023.
It is also reported that the organization CAIR, described as linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, called for the charges to be dropped, arguing that “graffiti is the language of the unheard” and that vandalizing the church constituted a right protected by the First Amendment.
Separately, reference is made to an incident on October 2 at the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Andrew in Kendall, Florida, where a 27-year-old allegedly triggered a false alarm during Sunday service, claiming he had a bomb in his backpack and shouting “Allahu akbar.”
In Mozambique, the text returns with a detailed description of the October 8 attacks by the “Islamic State Province of Mozambique” (ISMP) in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula, referring to beheadings, arson, destruction of churches and homes, as well as propaganda material allegedly published by the perpetrators with photos of beheadings and executions of civilians.
Incidents in Congo, Nigeria, Syria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Uganda, Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Sudan, and Egypt
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is reported that on October 4 the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) — an Islamist organization described as allied with ISIS — killed three Christians in Ituri Province and, on October 7, attacked Christian villages, killing five more. An eyewitness account is cited, describing a surprise attack “as they had woken early to care for their families,” gunfire, screams, panic, and an appeal to security services to act immediately.
In Nigeria, the text compiles multiple incidents. In a report dated October 2, reference is made to a nighttime raid by Boko Haram on a Christian community in Adamawa State, with four dead, many injured, destruction of homes and shops, and the burning of a local church, causing the displacement of hundreds of people.
On October 14, it is reported that armed Fulani militias launched coordinated attacks on Christian villages in Plateau State, killing at least 13 and wounding dozens.
Also described is the case of Pastor James Odu Isa, who was found dead on October 2 after his abduction on August 28. According to the account, the kidnappers initially demanded 100 million naira, the family negotiated down to 5 million and paid it, but then the kidnappers allegedly demanded an additional 45 million naira and, before further negotiations were completed, the pastor was killed. Statements by local figures are cited, speaking of “targeted attacks” against Christians and their pastors.
The text then moves to a section titled “Muslim Rapes and Abductions of Christian Women,” where, beyond the case of the 14-year-old in Pakistan, an incident in Nigeria is also mentioned involving the abduction of a pastor’s wife and another woman from the church.
Pastor Samuel Nasamu is described as receiving a phone call and hearing “only the sound of prayer” from his wife, Patience, while the perpetrators allegedly tried to break down the door with a hammer, opened fire, and forced her to unlock it. The two women were reportedly seized as they tried to flee, leaving behind a three-month-old baby. The kidnappers, according to the text, demanded a ransom of 50 million naira, while an excerpt is cited in which Patience is heard crying for her child and asking for help “from the forest.”
In the section “Attacks on Christian Churches,” beyond the incidents in the United States, reference is also made to Syria, where on October 3 Christian cemeteries in Sweida were reportedly desecrated. Published images are said to show broken coffins, opened graves, and bodies thrown on the ground, with Father Tony Boutros asking, “What lesson is there in disturbing the dead?” The Greek Catholic Archdiocese of Bosra, Hauran, and Jabal al-Arab condemns the act as a blatant violation of the sanctity of the dead and an attack on human and religious values.
In Indonesia, it is reported that on October 14 hundreds of Muslims demonstrated against the construction of a church, with opposition from community figures, preachers, and the Indonesian Ulema Council. Statements by organizers are cited, threatening a “large-scale demonstration” to cancel the project if the government ignores the reaction, along with a comment that church construction procedures in the country “systematically face problems” from extremist groups.
In Azerbaijan, the text reports that authorities denied official registration to the Peace Church in Sumgayit, blocking its legal ability to hold worship gatherings. Although the country’s Constitution guarantees religious freedom, it is emphasized that legislation requires state approval and provides penalties for unapproved activity.
Statements by a pastor are cited about open and transparent meetings and a complaint that the “constitutional right to peaceful worship” is being restricted, noting that at least five Protestant communities are still awaiting approval, some for more than two years, while in the past a Baptist community reportedly waited 25 years.
In a section on attacks against Christians who left Islam or are accused of blasphemy, reference is made to an incident in Uganda on October 13, where a Muslim husband allegedly violently attacked his family because they converted to Christianity, and subsequently reportedly demolished the church they attended.
It is described that 41-year-old Kulusumu and her two children went to an evangelical church and that her 44-year-old husband, Soitsa, began threatening and insulting her, calling her a “shame” to the family. An account by one of the children is cited describing the beating of the mother, threats that she “must die” because she “disobeys and renounces the religion of Allah,” as well as an attack on the child who tried to help her, resulting in a fracture of his right arm. The incident reportedly led to three days of hospitalization, and a few days later the husband allegedly gathered a mob and demolished the church.
For Iran, a report dated October 10 is cited, describing that a court upheld on September 17 prison sentences for five Christian converts, who will serve more than eight years, for activities related to their faith. It is reported that the charges are based on articles of the Islamic Penal Code and relate to participation in seminars in Turkey, meetings in house churches, online meetings, and other online activities.
The text notes that in Iran it is illegal for Muslims to convert to Christianity, and also reports that Bibles in Farsi are banned. An excerpt attributed to the U.S. State Department is also cited, stating that Iranian law prohibits Muslims from changing or renouncing their religious beliefs.
The text further includes “general” references to Pakistan, Iraq, the UN, India, Indonesia, Sudan, and Egypt. In Pakistan, reference is made to an attempted assassination of Pastor Kamran Naz in Islamabad on October 2, when — as reported — two armed men on a motorcycle ambushed him as he was heading with his elderly mother to Sunday worship, wounding him in the leg, while a second bullet reportedly passed “just barely” by his head.
In Iraq, it is reported that Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako revealed that the Christian population of Mosul collapsed from more than 50,000 to fewer than 70 Christian families, attributing the development to “religious extremism and systematic discrimination,” with references to ISIS, al-Qaeda, militia violence, and a personal status law which, as noted, is based on Islamic law and allows the “Islamization of minors.”
In a reference to the UN, it is noted that Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, spoke at the General Assembly in New York, warning that Christians face intensifying persecution worldwide and accusing the international community of “turning a blind eye.” A statement of his is cited saying that “the data show that Christians are the most persecuted religious group globally,” with references to physical violence, imprisonment, forced displacement, and “martyrdom.”
In India, reference is made to the temporary closure of a school run by the Catholic Church, following an escalation of a dispute over the hijab and dress codes, while in Indonesia reference is made to a public service job advertisement that set as a requirement that applicants be Muslim and able to recite the Qur’an, prompting reactions about state discrimination.
In Sudan, the text cites testimony regarding arrests during a Christian funeral in Khartoum (October 20), reporting that a woman was asked to pay nearly $1,000 or remain in prison. In a separate incident on October 28, it reports the arrest of a Christian pastor, Dawoud Fundul Kachu, following pressure from a Muslim businessman seeking to usurp church property.
It is stated that police allegedly demanded that he sign a document abandoning his objection, which he refused, while the text refers to a “battle over church property” that began years earlier, with the state favoring Muslim business interests.
In Egypt, reference is made to the case of 18-year-old Christian student Bola Adel Nagib Attia, who was reportedly arrested on October 22 and, according to a related report, held for more than ten days without his whereabouts being known, before appearing on November 2 before the Supreme State Security Prosecution. It is described that he faces charges such as joining an illegal organization, disturbing public peace, misuse of social networks, and contempt of religion, while he reportedly said he was tortured during the first three days of detention.
At the end of the text, it is emphasized that, although “not all, or even most, Muslims are involved,” the persecution of Christians by extremists “is increasing and appears systematic, regardless of language, nationality, or geography.”
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