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
A proposed $300 billion investment fund for Iran included in the U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding may face serious legal obstacles under existing U.S. sanctions law, raising questions about whether one of the agreement’s central economic promises can realistically be carried out.
Six Naga Christian men taken hostage in India’s northeastern state of Manipur, including two pastors, were found dead on June 10, with their remains reportedly mutilated, deepening fears that the region’s long-running ethnic conflict is spiraling into another deadly cycle of revenge.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached an agreement with Israel’s ultra-Orthodox parties to advance key Haredi-backed legislation before the Knesset dissolves, clearing the way for a likely national election on October 20.
A Brazilian court has sentenced a mother and father to 50 days in prison for homeschooling their two daughters, a landmark ruling that has intensified concerns over parental rights, religious freedom, and the growing power of the state over family life.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has apologized for what he called the “heartless and dishonorable” treatment of thousands of Moluccan soldiers and their families who were brought to the Netherlands after Indonesia gained independence, seeking to heal a decades-old wound that strained relations between the Dutch government and the Moluccan community.
Iran’s judiciary announced that more than 3,000 citizens have been arrested in recent months on suspicion of cooperating with Israel, marking one of the regime’s broadest internal crackdowns since anti-government protests erupted earlier this year.
Latin America’s political right appeared to score another major victory Sunday as conservative political newcomer Abelardo de la Espriella, backed by President Donald Trump, declared victory in Colombia’s cliffhanger presidential runoff — a result that could mark a sharp rebuke of outgoing leftist President Gustavo Petro and further signal the region’s growing turn toward law-and-order, market-oriented leadership.