Syria has joined the top 10 in the World Watch List 2026 (WWL) annual ranking of the 50 most dangerous nations to be a Christian.
Released January 14, the Open Doors report states that North Korea remains at the top of the list and Nigeria is still the deadliest place for Christians.
Iran, forefront in the news these days, is ranked number 10; here are some of the comments in the WWL report:
Christians in Iran are heavily and systemically repressed, as the authorities seek to root out what they see as a threat from the West to undermine their Islamic rule.
Converts are most in the firing line. House churches are commonly raided, often followed by arrests, interrogations, pressure to inform on other believers and long-term imprisonment. This is typically under charges of breaching ‘national security.’
The conditions in prison are dire and bail sums can be extortionately high, financially paralysing families. For believers who are released, that typically comes with strict conditions, such as exile to another part of Iran, or self-censorship. They can also face hostility from families and local communities. Each year, thousands of converts flee Iran to escape persecution.
The World Watch List states: “More than 388 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.” One of every seven Christians is persecuted worldwide, and the rate is higher in Africa (one in five) and Asia (two in five).
Top 10
The top 10 most dangerous nations for Christians are:
Go here for a map of the 50 most dangerous states (pictured here), with links to profiles of each.
Trends
Several trends are given particular attention, including:
- Syria enters top 10:
The biggest rise on this year’s World Watch List is Syria, jumping from No. 18 last year to No. 6, the largest leap on the list by far. The main driver was violence against Christians – attacks on churches and killing of Christians – particularly the June 2025 church attack in Damascus that killed 22 people, and wounded 63. Pressure also rose across all spheres of life for Christians. Freedom of worship is being systematically suffocated under the new regime.
Throughout Syria’s brutal civil war, Christians suffered disproportionately from the fighting and displacement. Even the safe places in the country are not as safe for them anymore. The Christian population continues to dwindle, leaving those left behind even more exposed, with nowhere to run to.
- North Korea remains worst offender:
North Korea remains the worst offender.
North Korea retains its hold at the top of the World Watch List. The country remains one of the most brutal dictatorships in the world, with no change to the general persecution situation.
Christianity still has no place in North Korea, and even the slightest hint of worshipping Jesus can have devastating consequences.
In 2025, North Korea strengthened its military capabilities, engaged in selective diplomatic interactions and made moves in tourism, yet everyday life for citizens remains extremely harsh. For followers of Jesus, that means continued repression and ongoing extreme danger.
- Sub-Saharan nations suffer:
There are now 14 sub-Saharan African countries on the World Watch List. The combined population of these countries is more than 721 million people, nearly half of whom identify as Christian. Over the past decade, violence scores have more than doubled, with four of these countries now in the top 10.
In 2026, there are only three countries on the World Watch List with the maximum score for violence. All three of them are sub-Saharan: Sudan, Nigeria and Mali.
Multiple complex co-factors in the region, ranging from instability and insurgency to weak governance, have left Christians vulnerable and subject to violent attacks from extremists.
Signs of hope
The report pointed to several encouraging signs:
- Malaysia: Pastor Koh verdict
Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted in 2017.
In November, a Malaysian court ordered the Malaysian government to pay Susanna Koh an amount equivalent to U.S. $2,400 for every day her husband has been missing – a fine that amounted to more than $7.4 million at the time of the ruling.
They were also ordered to reopen the investigation into his abduction.
[The Malaysian High Court found in November 2025 that the Royal Malaysia Police had abducted the activist pastor. Local Islamic authorities had alleged that he was trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.]
- Broader attention to Latin America
In Mexico and Colombia, there is growing recognition of the specific risks faced by religious leaders in areas affected by organized crime and armed groups. This has elevated the visibility of Christian vulnerability among the public. In Nicaragua and Cuba, religious freedom concerns are so overt that they have remained on the global agenda.
Across all four countries, churches continue to show remarkable resilience and creativity in adapting their ministries and community work so they can keep serving vulnerable populations despite a very restrictive environment.
- Violence drops in Bangladesh
There was relative calm in Bangladesh over the past year, after the unrest that led to the overthrow of the Prime Minister in August 2024. This meant the violence score, which was almost maximum a year ago, dropped by 20 percent on the 2026 World Watch List.
Following the unrest in which the Christian minority was significantly affected, the leader of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, has made a number of public statements about the importance of religious freedom. His advocacy, however, faces a test in next month’s scheduled elections, which may reveal a growing Islamic influence and potentially lead to further restrictions and persecution.
IIRF audit
The International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF) released an audit statement of Open Doors’ World Watch List 2026:
The audit of the 2026 World Watch List (WWL), conducted by the IIRF for the 12th consecutive year, confirms that the World Watch research team of Open Doors International has broadly maintained its adherence to quality standards in the execution of the 2026 WWL exercise.
The audit, conducted in two parts, first examined the correct application of the WWL methodology. . . . The second part of the audit evaluated whether the scores and write-ups accurately reflected the country situations based on the auditors’ knowledge and expertise.
(I wrote about several IIRF reports on Nigeria last week.)
Go here for World Watch List 2026, including a 20-page Advocacy Report and here for Open Doors Canada, which will present the WWL 2026 on YouTube January 18, 4 pm.