By Luke Booker, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar since a military coup overthrew the government was the focus of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hearing held in late February, according to a leading Christian advocacy group.
Following the February 1, 2021 military coup, Myanmar’s Christian population has endured escalating persecution. Under the control of the State Administration Council (SAC), religious minorities—including Christians—have been targeted through arrests, killings, and the destruction of churches.
In his opening remarks at the hearing, USCIRF Vice Chair Meir Soloveichik noted, “over the past four years, Myanmar has sunk into a human rights and humanitarian abyss.”
Soloveichik highlighted, “on Jan. 7, 2024, the military launched airstrikes in the Sagaing region, killing 17 civilians, including nine children, at Saint Peter Baptist Church in Kanan village.” He noted that this is just one example of many reported incidents where Christians are being persecuted for their faith.
According to the USCIRF, Christian pastor Thian Lian Sang has been detained by authorities since his arrest in September 2021 due to his “leadership role” as a Baptist pastor. In December 2022, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison, the International Christian Concern reported.
At the hearing, Salai Za Uk Ling, executive director of the Chin Human Rights Association, testified about the severe conditions for Christians in the country.
“Since the military coup in Burma (Myanmar) four years ago, we have witnessed a systematic campaign of religious persecution, particularly targeting the Christian population in Chin State,” Ling told the commission.
“These actions include the destruction of churches, the unlawful killing and enforced disappearance of pastors, the arrest of religious leaders, and severe restrictions on free worship and assembly.”
Myanmar is ranked 13th on Open Doors’ World Watch List in 2025, which identifies the 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Sri Lanka’s deadliest prison unrest in years reached its deadliest point Monday, with authorities confirming that at least 25 people were killed and about 100 injured as security forces struggled to contain two days of clashes involving rival groups of inmates.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that some Christian villages in southern Lebanon have asked to be annexed by Israel for protection against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, but local Christian leaders have strongly rejected the claim.
Russia launched one of its largest combined missile and drone assaults on Ukraine’s capital early Monday, killing at least 15 people in Kyiv and wounding 77 others across the country, Ukrainian officials said, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared to urge NATO, the Western military alliance, to provide additional air-defense systems.
Wildfires raged across southern Europe on Monday, forcing mass evacuations as temperatures climbed again following a June heatwave linked to thousands of excess deaths.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Congress will make another push to pass the SAVE America Act after lawmakers return from the July 4 recess, signaling what could be the fourth — and possibly final — attempt to advance President Donald Trump’s top election-integrity measure.
The website for the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, was deactivated after the temporary Trump administration office reached its planned July 4, 2026, self-termination deadline.
Funeral ceremonies for slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei turned into a charged display of rage against the United States, Israel, President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as massive crowds gathered in Tehran and called for revenge.