UK commissions independent review of Christian persecution worldwide

Britain has commissioned an independent review into the persecution of Christians. The aim is to find practical steps to support followers of a religion that London says has been subject to a dramatic rise in violence worldwide. Some 215 million Christians worldwide faced persecution for their faith last year, Reuters reported, citing the UK government. It said that Christian women and children are particularly vulnerable and often subject to sexual violence as a result of their beliefs. Last year, on average, 250 Christians were killed very month because of their faith, it said. “So often the persecution of Christians is a telling early warning sign of the persecution of every minority,” Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said on Wednesday. “Today, I have asked the Bishop of Truro to look at how the British government can better respond to the plight of persecuted Christians around the world.” The review will map Christian persecution in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.