A new study has shown a correlation between increased persecution of Christian communities across several nations and high levels of government corruption. Stressing the need for a concerted international response, the report points to a direct association between corrupt practices within government bodies and discriminatory policies against Christians.
The report which was released this month by the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern, titled “Corruption and Christian Persecution”, shows that corrupt governments often fail to protect minority rights, leading to environments where Christian persecution is either ignored or tacitly supported.
The report corroborates various studies, including reports by Transparency International, which seeks to combat global corruption and defines it as the misuse of public power for private gain. ICC suggests that the fact that countries with high levels of corruption also experience significant Christian persecution is not merely coincidental.
In the report, the group cites examples from countries recognized as the worst persecutors of Christians.
In Afghanistan, corruption permeates multiple sectors, including government and law enforcement, severely undermining legal and social protections for minorities, the report says, noting that pervasive corruption has allowed extremist interpretations of Islamic law to flourish, putting Christian converts at grave risk. They face dire consequences, including death threats and social exclusion, with corrupt officials often turning a blind eye or even condoning such acts.
In Nigeria, corruption not only hampers economic development but also directly impacts the safety of Christian populations. Corruption has facilitated a lack of accountability for acts of violence against Christians, who constitute nearly 70% of religious killings in the country, according to the report, which suggests that this neglect is often due to corrupt relationships between local officials and extremist groups.
The situation in Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country, where the militarily seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh — a region predominantly inhabited by 120,000 ethnic Armenian Christians — last year, reflects a similar pattern.
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In Azerbaijan, a high tolerance for corruption among the populace affects all layers of society, including the treatment of religious minorities. “The country’s economy, particularly its oil and gas industry, is susceptible to corrupt practices, with reports of widespread cronyism among government officials and business elites,” says the report.
It adds that “tolerance of corruption” is also high among the population in Azerbaijan, with everyday citizens using bribes to bend the laws in their favor. Like many countries, the constitution of Azerbaijan guarantees freedom of religion, but Christians face restrictions, violence and intimidation.
In Pakistan, empirical evidence suggests that corruption and religious persecution have detrimental effects on the country’s economic growth, says the study. The economic ramifications are profound, as corruption and Christian persecution jointly degrade economic stability, discouraging foreign investment and stunting national growth through a cycle of instability and distrust.
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