Alliance , February 19, 2026 https://articleeighteen.com/news/23529/ [accessed 06/01/26] . 91 Ibid. 92 “Conscience Held Captive: The State of Religious Minorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran” Iranwire , April 24, 2025 https://iranwire.com/ en/religious-minorities/140614-conscience-held-captive-the-state-of- religious-minorities-in-the-islamic-republic-of-iran-2/ [accessed 06/01/26] . 93 “Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh suffers stroke in prison," Church in Chains , March 27, 2025 https://www.churchinchains.ie/news-by-country/middle- east/iran/iran-naser-navard-gol-tapeh-suffers-stroke-in-prison/ 94 “Catholic Convert incommunicado two weeks after rearrest” Article18 Alliance , January 27, 2026 https://articleeighteen.com/news/23156/ [accessed 06/01/26] . 95 Tola Mbakwe, “Christian woman sentenced to nearly a decade in prison after authorities seize Bible," Premier Christian News , May 25, 2026 https:// premierchristian.news/en/news/article/christian-woman-sentenced-to- nearly-a-decade-in-prison-after-authorities-seize-bible ; “Catholic convert incommunicado two weeks after rearrest," Article 18 , January 27, 2026 https://articleeighteen.com/news/23485/ [both sites accessed 07/02/26] . 96 “Qavam church, targeted by the Pasdaran, a symbol of repression," Asia News , July 1, 2026 https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Qavam-church,- targeted-by-the-Pasdaran,-a-symbol-of-repression-65761.html [accessed 07/02/26] ; “Please pray: Iranian church under threat of demolition," Open Doors , July 13, 2026 https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/ iran-church-demolition/ [accessed 07/16/26] . 97 Philip Loft, “Iraq: Introductory country profile," House of Commons Library , November 24, 2025, p12 https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/ documents/CBP-10397/CBP-10397.pdf [accessed 06/01/26] . 98 “Iraq” USCIRF , March 2026, p.64-65 https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/ files/2026-03/USCIRF_2026_AR%20(2).pdf [accessed 06/01/26] . 99 Elliott Banks, “ACN helps shape new report of Religious Freedom in Iraq," ACN (UK) News , March 27, 2026 https://acnuk.org/news/2026/03/27/acn- helps-shape-new-report-religious-freedom-iraq [accessed 06/01/26 ]. 100 “Iraq," Religious Freedom in the World Report (ACN, 2025) https:// acninternational.org/religiousfreedomreport/reports/country/2025/iraq [accessed 06/01/26] . 101 Ibid. 102 Kevin Clarke, “Archbishop Warda on Iran War; a refuge for Christians in Iraq now under threat," America , March 12, 2026 https://www. americamagazine.org/politics-society/weekly-dispatch/2026/03/12/ chaldean-archbishop-warda-erbil-drone-iraq-iran/ [accessed 06/01/26] . 103 John Pontifex, “Christian quarter of Erbil hit in drone strike — but nobody hurt," ACN (UK) News , March 5, 2026 https://acnuk.org/news/2026/03/05/ christian-quarter-erbil-hit-drone-strike-nobody-hurt [accessed 06/01/26] . 104 UK Government, “Country policy and information note: religious minorities, Iraq, September 2024” UK Visas and Immigration , updated May 6, 2026 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/iraq-country- policy-and-information-notes/country-policy-and-information-note- religious-minorities-iraq-september-2024-accessible#assessment [accessed 06/01/26] . 105 “UNITAD shares detailed findings of international crimes committed against Christians by ISIL (Daesh)” United Nations , September 16, 2024 https://iraq.un.org/en/278773-unitad-shares-detailed- findings-international-crimes-committed-against-christians-isil-da [accessed 06/01/26] . 106 “Iraq” USCIRF , March 2026, p.64-65 https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/ files/2026-03/USCIRF_2026_AR%20(2).pdf [accessed 06/01/26] . 107 Private meeting with Bishop Felix in Al-Qosh, February 18, 2026. 108 “Christian woman wins legal challenge against Muslim designation in Iraq’s official database," ADF International , May 12, 2026 https:// adfinternational.org/news/christian-woman-wins-legal-challenge-against- muslim-designation-in-iraqs-official-database [accessed 06/01/26] . 109 Global Terrorism Index 2025: Measuring The Impact of Terrorism (Institute for Economics & Peace, 2025), p. 6. https://www.economicsandpeace.org/wp- content/uploads/2025/03/Global-Terrorism-Index-2025.pdf [accessed 07/08/26] . 110 “Mali," Religious Freedom in the World Report (ACN, 2025) https:// acninternational.org/religiousfreedomreport/reports/country/2025/mali [accessed 07/08/26] . 111 Ibid. 112 “Mali," World Watchlist 2026 https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/ persecution/countries/mali/ [accessed 07/08/26] . 113 “Triple threat: Mali Christians caught between government repression, censorship and extremist attacks," June 2, 2025, Christian Today https:// www.christiantoday.com/news/triple-threat-mali-christians-caught- between-government-repression-censorship-and-extremist-attacks [accessed 07/08/26] . 114 ACN source. 115 “Christians killed and threatened in series of incidents in DRC, Nigeria and Mali," Open Doors , August 17, 2024 https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/ latest-news/africa-attacks-christians [accessed 07/08/26] . 116 Amy Balog and Maria Lozano, “Jihadists demand crippling religious tax from Christians," ACN (UK) News , October 31, 2024 https://acnuk.
org/news/2024/10/31/mali-jihadists-demand-crippling-religious-tax- christians [accessed 07/02/26] . 117 Amy Balog, “Catholic education in danger," ACN (UK) News , January 21, 2025 https://acnuk.org/news/2025/01/21/mali-catholic-education-danger [accessed 07/02/26] . 118 “Annual Marian pilgrimage canceled for security reasons," Fides , November 12, 2025 https://www.fides.org/en/news/77025 [accessed 07/08/26] . 119 “Mozambique?," World Watchlist 2026 https://www.opendoorsuk.org/ persecution/world-watch-list/mozambique/ [accessed 07/08/26] . 120 Ibid. 121 Marta Petrosillo, “Sub-Saharan Africa," Religious Freedom in the World Report 2025 Executive Summary (ACN, 2025), [UK edition] p. 12. 122 Lyndsey Koh, “Over 30 Christians Beheaded in Mozambique, Churches Burned," Mission Network News , October 17, 2025 https://www. mnnonline.org/news/over-30-christians-beaheded-in-mozambique- churches-burned/ [accessed 07/08/26] . 123 “Two Christians captured and killed by Islamists in northern Mozambique," Barnabas Aid , March 5, 2026 https://www.barnabasaid.org/ gb/news/two-christians-captured-and-killed-by-islamists-in-northern- mozambique/ [accessed 07/08/26] . 124 “Report Reveals Top Global Christian Persecutors," International Christian Concern , January 30, 2026 https://persecution.org/2026/01/30/report- reveals-top-global-christian-persecutors/ [accessed 07/08/26] . 125 Nathalie Raffray and Paulo Aido, “Children abducted as 60,000 flee wave of terror," ACN (UK) News , August 8, 2025 https://acnuk.org/ news/2025/08/08/mozambique-children-abducted-60000-flee-wave- terror [accessed 07/08/26] . 126 Nathalie Raffray and Paulo Aido, “Christian man beheaded, others killed and thousands flee as violence strikes communities," ACN (UK) News , November 21, 2025 https://acnuk.org/news/2025/11/21/mozambique- christian-man-beheaded-others-killed-and-thousands-flee-violence- strikes [accessed 07/08/26] . 127 “Two Christians captured and killed by Islamists in northern Mozambique," Barnabas Aid , March 5, 2026 https://www.barnabasaid. org/gb/news/two-christians-captured-and-killed-by-islamists-in- northern-mozambique/ [accessed 08/07/26] . 128 Nathalie Raffray, “‘Faith should never justify violence’ say Muslims after church attack," ACN (UK) News , May 12 https://acnuk.org/ news/2026/05/12/faith-should-never-justify-violence-say-muslims-after- church-attack [accessed 07/08/26] . 129 “Religious Freedom in Nicaragua ‘Abysmal’ According to U.S. Government Report," International Christian Concern , March 26, 2025 https:// persecution.org/2025/03/26/religious-freedom-in-nicaragua-abysmal- according-to-u-s-government-report/ [accessed 07/08/26] . 130 USCIRF 2025 Annual Report , p. 35 https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/ files/2026-03/USCIRF_2026_AR_3326_NEW.pdf [accessed 07/08/26] . 131 Ibid., p. 34. 132 Nicaragua: Persecution Beyond Borders Exile and Transnational Human Rights Violations (Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, 2025), p. 7 https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/ hrcouncil/grhe-nicaragua/2025-09-23-ghren-transnational-violations-en. pdf [accessed 07/02/26] . 133 “Al menos 261 religiosos han sido desterrados de Nicaragua," DW.com , September 8, 2025 https://www.dw.com/es/al-menos-261-religiosos-han- sido-desterrados-de-nicaragua/a-73913098 [accessed 07/02/26] . 134 “Denis Martínez García," USCIRF https://www.uscirf.gov/denis-martinez- garcia [accessed 07/08/26] . 135 “Dictatorship in Nicaragua arrests two more priests and two laywomen," EWTN News , August 12, 2024 https://ewtn.co.uk/article-dictatorship- in-nicaragua-arrests-two-more-priests-and-two-laywomen/ [accessed 07/08/26] . 136 “Seminary in Nicaragua’s Diocese of Matagalpa seized," Vatican News , January 23, 2025 https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2025- 01/nicaragua-ortega-government-attack-on-the-catholic-church.html [accessed 04/22/26] . 137 “Pastor and Seven Other Christians Disappear After Arrest," November 4, 2025, Christian Mission International https://www.persecutionsa.org/post/nicaragua- pastor-seven-other-christians-disappear-after-arrest [accessed 07/08/26] . 138 USCIRF, Country Update: Nicaragua , p. 3 https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/ files/2026%20Nicaragua%20Country%20Update.pdf [accessed 07/08/26] . 139 “Ortega's dictatorship prohibits priestly ordinations in four dioceses of Nicaragua," InfoVaticana , March 12, 2026 https://infovaticana.com/ en/2026/03/12/ortegas-dictatorship-prohibits-priestly-ordinations-in- four-dioceses-of-nicaragua/ [accessed 07/08/26] . 140 Walter Sánchez Silva, “Nicaraguan police arrest 80-year-old bishop being treated at a medical clinic," Catholic World Report, June 30, 2026 https:// www.catholicworldreport.com/2026/06/30/nicaraguan-police-arrest-80- year-old-bishop-being-treated-at-a-medical-clinic/ [accessed 07/02/26] . 141 “Nigeria: UN experts warn of rights violations against women and girls from Christian and other religious minority communities," UNHR , June 8, 2026 https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/06/nigeria-
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