New Reports Warn of Worsening Conditions for Christians Worldwide
Editors of two new religious-freedom yearbooks warned that conditions for Christians and other religious communities remain poor or are deteriorating, presenting their findings at a November 3 press conference in Berlin.
The International Institute for Religious Freedom published its account of the presentation on November 4. The editors highlighted concerns involving Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, China and Cuba, while warning that conflicts and geopolitical priorities are weakening international attention to religious freedom.
Thomas Paul Schirrmacher, president of the institute and the International Society for Human Rights, said religious freedom faces pressure both from persecutors and from declining political willingness to confront abuses. He called for cooperation across religious and political boundaries, supported by independently gathered and carefully checked evidence.
German government religious-freedom commissioner Thomas Rachel highlighted risks facing women from religious minorities. According to the institute’s account, he identified forced marriage, abduction, sexual violence and social exclusion as forms of abuse requiring greater attention alongside direct physical attacks.
Other speakers addressed the use of religion to support political objectives and the limited attention given to some affected communities. These were the contributors’ assessments of international conditions, rather than announcements of a single new attack or a uniform situation in every country.
The event was organized by the Evangelical Alliance in Germany, the International Institute for Religious Freedom and the International Society for Human Rights. It was held at the alliance’s political representative’s office on Behrenstraße in central Berlin, with participation available both in person and online.
The organizers said the presentation would examine antisemitism, threats to churches, persecution involving state institutions and extremist groups, and discrimination against believers. The scope extends beyond the experience of one Christian denomination to wider freedom of religion and belief.
The two German-language publications are titled Religious Freedom 2026 and Persecution and Discrimination against Christians 2026. They are edited by Thomas Schirrmacher, Martin Lessenthin and Martin Warnecke and published by Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft in Bonn as part of its Studies in Religious Freedom series.
The institute has made the yearbooks available for free download and offers printed copies. Organizers said nonprofit groups can also request copies for distribution to decision-makers, seeking to bring the documented concerns into policy discussions.
References
International Institute for Religious Freedom — November 4, 2026.
Presentation held November 3, 2026.
iirf.global/news/iirf-updates/2026-brought-no-improvement-for-persecuted-christians-or-for-religious-freedom/
International Institute for Religious Freedom — November 2, 2026; press-conference announcement.
iirf.global/news/iirf-updates/pressekonferenz-zur-vorstellung-der-jahrbucher-religionsfreiheit-2026-sowie-verfolgung-und-diskriminierung-von-christen-2026/
International Institute for Religious Freedom — October 12, 2026; publication information.
iirf.global/publications/reports/jahrbuch-religionsfreiheit-2026/
