In Chains: Christian Persecution - 2019, Issue 1

Pompeo said. “The United States will not
stand by as spectators in the face of such
oppression.”
Nine countries remained for another year on
the list – China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar,
North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan
and Turkmenistan. They are accused of
having engaged in or tolerated “systematic,
ongoing, [and] egregious violations of
religious freedom.”
Although the U.S. Commission on
International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
has long recommended Pakistan be
designated as a CPC, the U.S. State
Department had never done so.
The USCIRF report this year noted that
religious minorities in Pakistan continued to
face attacks from extremist groups and
society at large. It also noted that “abusive
enforcement of the country’s strict
blasphemy laws result[s] in the suppression
of rights for non-Muslims, Shia and
Ahmedis.”
Pakistan ranked Yifth on Christian support
organization Open Doors 2019 World Watch
list of the 50 countries where it is most
difYicult to be a Christian.