Religious persecution has been around for many centuries, probably as long as human beings have existed.

With all of this time, you would think it would be eliminated by now so that people can have the freedom to worship freely.

Sadly, this is still going on. According to the US State Department, almost 80 percent of the world’s population are faced with ‘high’ or ‘very high’ levels of restrictions and/or hostilities toward certain beliefs.”

We take a look at five countries that violate their citizens’ right to religious freedom, in no particular order.

United Kingdom

The increase in the number of anti-Semitic incidents shows that Jewish and Muslim communities in the U.K. are being attacked.

According to the Home Affairs Select Committee, “most legal provisions in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism predate the era of mass social media.”

The U.K. government has been advised to “immediately review the entire legislative framework governing online hate speech, harassment and extremism and ensure it’s up-to-date.”

Egypt

Coptic Christians in Egypt are facing severe terror attacks. Just last year, hundreds were killed.

A report on religious persecution worldwide by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief offers an in-depth explanation.

The report reads, “Despite positive government rhetoric and attendance at Christmas masses, mob violence and Islamist attacks on churches, Copts and their property have increased over the past two years and no licences to build churches have been granted.

“Since 2011, over 550 Coptic girls have allegedly been abducted, converted to Islam and married. Police are reported to have frequently refused to investigate cases against Copts.”

China

This nation demands that religious groups register with the government in order to practice their faith. Hence, unregistered groups like Uighur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists and evangelical Christians are faced with forced conversion, torture and imprisonment.

According to the charity China Aid, in its 2016 Annual Persecution Report, Christians are being persecuted “at a frequency unseen since the Cultural Revolution.”

Christian Today reports that the ruling Chinese Communist Party is officially atheist.

Russia

The case of Jehovah’s Witnesses being labelled an extremist organisation is a clear example of the religious persecution in this country.

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reveals that Tatars, an indigenous Muslim ethnic group are also been treated unfairly by the government.

ALSO READ: How Russia continues to abuse religious freedom of Christians

Saudi Arabia

Islam is the order of the day, leaving no room for the public practice of any other religion. This is why the Qur’an and Sunna (the traditions of the Prophet Mohammad) serve as the constitution. Anyone who dares to criticise Islam faces severe punishment.

Other countries include North Korea, Iran and Nigeria, where International Christian Concern (ICC) notes that Christians face “brutal daily persecution for their faith from the Islamic extremist groups Boko Haram and the Fulani militias.”