New Reports Indicate Global Decline in Religious Freedom

The International Institute for Religious Freedom and the International Society for Human Rights released their 2026 yearbooks in Berlin on November 3, reporting a global deterioration in religious freedom. Editors of the publications stated that conditions for people of faith have worsened or remained persistently poor compared to 2025, with significant declines noted in Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, China, and Cuba.

Thomas Paul Schirrmacher, president of the organizations, identified a twofold threat: direct persecution by extremist groups and a diminishing political commitment to defend religious rights internationally. He highlighted the spread of violence by Islamist extremists in Africa and the use of religious identity as an ideological tool in conflicts, including Russia’s war against Ukraine. Schirrmacher warned that as religious freedom is sidelined by geopolitical interests, oppressive governments face fewer consequences for their actions. He advocated for a broad, interfaith coalition of leaders and journalists to address these challenges through independent documentation and advocacy.