Yemen

The church in Yemen is composed mostly of Christians with a Muslim background. As an Islamic and clan-based society, converting to Christianity in Yemen is viewed as a betrayal of one’s tribe. Tribal law prohibits members from leaving, the punishment being banishment or death. If the convert is a woman, the clan may force her into a marriage, pressuring her to abandon her faith in Jesus.

Due to the civil war that began in 2015, there are critical shortages of food and water. 79% of the Yemeni population lives below the poverty line. Emergency relief is mostly distributed through Islamic organisations and local mosques, which discriminate against non-Muslims. In this environment, persecution is intense and Islamic extremism is flourishing.

Despite the country’s political instability, authorities actively persecute Christians, detaining and interrogating converts if they refuse to return to Islam.

Extremist groups including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have also been known to arrest, harass and violently attack Christians as they seek to implement the strict interpretations of Islam.