EU Discusses Increased Christian Persecution in South Asia

The European Parliament came together in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 4 to discuss the rising violence against Christians in South Asia.

ADF International organized the conference, titled “Targeted Violence against Christians in South Asia.” The organization invited human rights advocates and survivors of persecution to share their experiences with parliament.

Tehmina Arora, director of Advocacy in Asia for ADF International, called on the E.U. to protect religious minorities from discrimination, specifically noting the growing hostility in India.

“Christians in India are punished not for wrongdoing but for simply gathering, praying, or helping their neighbors,” Arora said. “Even the Supreme Court of India recently noted how the anti-conversion laws are misused to wrongly prosecute Christians.”

According to the United Christians Forum, India has seen a 500% increase in Christian persecution in the past 10 years. In 2025 alone, there have been more than 600 reported incidents of mob assaults, public humiliation, church disruption, and attacks on private property between January and October.

The panel turned to discuss Pakistan’s harsh blasphemy laws. According to Human Rights Watch, there were 11 cases of alleged 亵渎 教 in 2020. In 2024, there were at least 475 blasphemy cases.

Many Christians are falsely accused of breaking these laws, which has led to deep isolation and attacks on churches and homes. In one instance, it led to the lynching of 74-year-old Nazir Masih.

One persecution survivor, Shagufta Kausar, shared that she and her husband, Shafqat, were accused of blasphemy and were publicly abused in front of their young children. They sat for seven years on death row before being released in 2021, with help from the European Parliament.

Kausar charged parliament to intervene once more.

“Unless the international community acts, countless innocent people will continue to suffer under laws that are used to silence and destroy the most vulnerable,” she said.

Speakers also remarked on growing tension in places like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh — countries that are seeing disruptions of worship services, intensified surveillance, and harassment.

Christian Slovenian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Matej Tonin shared his surprise at the increasing religious persecution.

“I [had] never heard reports nor seen [on] the Slovenian news that Christians are persecuted,” he said.

Tonin encouraged the E.U. to use its resources to help religious freedom in South Asia.

“Political pressure from the European Parliament is important, but the E.U. also has powerful economic tools in its hands to pressure governments into ensuring religious freedom and stopping persecution,” Tonin said. “Christians are today the most persecuted religious group in the world, and it is vital that we speak about this publicly and loudly.”

作者：Bella Agnello