
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
France’s Parliament has approved a sweeping ban preventing children under the age of 15 from using social media, making the country the first member of the European Union to adopt a blanket nationwide prohibition.
President Donald Trump has formally approved a sweeping civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia that could eventually permit uranium enrichment inside the kingdom, according to an exclusive report by The Wall Street Journal.
President Donald Trump warned Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels that the United States is prepared to take military action if the terrorist group follows through on its threat to blockade Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.
Hungarian authorities on Tuesday raided a data center used by former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in a major corruption investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds during his 16 years in office.
President Donald Trump’s senior political advisers gathered in Washington on Tuesday to review polling, messaging, and campaign strategy ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, according to an exclusive report by Axios.
The U.S. Treasury Department has blocked approximately $99 million in federal payments intended for people who were already dead, officials announced Tuesday.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun pledged Tuesday that his country would work to permanently end hostilities with Israel, appealing to President Donald Trump for political and military support as Beirut seeks to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization.