Persecution of Christians has been intensifying, according to a new report released by a U.S. advocacy group. Open Doors, a group that documents hostility against Christians around the world, said 2015 was a particularly tough year for Christians.
"The 2016 World Watch List documents an unprecedented escalation of violence against Christians, making this past year the most violent and sustained attack on Christian faith in modern history," Open Doors CEO David Curry said at the rollout of the list.
On the top of the list is North Korea where nearly 70,000 Christians are put into labor camps each year, according to Breitbart. Nigeria was top for the number of Christians killed, according to The Guardian. The report tallied more than 4,000 Christians killed in that country alone. In total, there were 7,100 reported deaths worldwide. In 2014, the number was closer to 4,000, CNN reports.
Curry said he hoped the annual list would show policymakers that some allies of the U.S. do not support religious freedom. "We believe in religious freedom for all," he said, "and that does not happen in countries that we do business with every day."
According to Open Doors, 322 Christians are killed for their faith each month and 214 churches or Christian properties are destroyed.
