Ex-Muslims in Iraq who convert to Christianity face consequences that could range from beatings to kidnappings — or even death.
Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), recently joined CBN News’ “Newsmakers” podcast to explore the various levels of persecution believers face in the southwestern Asian country.
“It really depends on the level of fundamentalism,” King said of the persecution a Christian convert might face. “So, that’s really just the broad gauge. … If it’s a very fundamentalist family, it can be very typical that you are going to be kidnapped and beaten. That would probably be the lowest level, the lowest response.”
He continued, “And then you’d be tortured. It would go up to … weeks of torture and even murder. And it’s typically done, this is so hard for Westerners to understand, but it’s typically done by the family.”
Listen to King explain on the “Newsmakers” podcast:
Iraq is the 16th most dangerous country in the world for Christians, according to Open Doors’ World Watch List, which ranks countries by the level of intensity of persecution within their borders.
“Anyone who converts from Islam will likely face intense pressure from their families and communities,” an Open Doors explainer reads. “They can be threatened, abused, lose family members, pressured or even killed. Conversion can have practical consequences as well, including loss of inheritance and lack of opportunity.”
King said ICC was active in Iraq for years and was even present when the Islamic State terror group was attacking the nation. The terror brought about by ISIS was deeply harmful to the Iraqi Christian population.
“ISIS went into the Christian areas and they emptied them all out, and destroyed the towns, destroyed the wells — everything,” he said. “They wanted to end Christianity that has been in Iraq for a thousand years, really, since the very beginning.”
ICC has focused on trying to rebuild Christian areas by helping harmed businesses and creating wells and other forms of assistance. Still, persecution persists.
“The victimization keeps going on and all that legacy of damage is awaiting repair,” King said.
As CBN News previously reported, he also warned about a shocking bill making its way through Iraq’s parliament that he said could “legalize child rape.”
The proposal would lower the age of consent for young girls in the country from 18 to 9, with King blaming “fundamentalist Islam” for seeking the legislative initiative. Read more here.
