Religious freedom is a human right and belongs to the fundamental dignity of every human person (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) and one of the foundations of democratic society (Council of Europe, 2008). However, religious freedom is declining globally and violations occur in both authoritarian and democratic states. Religious Persecution is one of the greatest human rights crises of our time. Data from different sources (Pew Research Center, World Watch List 2026, Religious Freedom in the World Report 2025, USCIRF Report on International Religious Freedom) shows rising violence, growing state repression and millions of lives affected all over the world. In several contexts, minority religious groups face layered discrimination: legal restrictions, social hostility, and economic exclusion reinforce each other. Persecution is driven mainly by authoritarian governments, religious extremism, organized crime and corruption, nationalism and ideological control. Persecution is not evenly distributed geographically or within religious groups; vulnerability depends on gender, social status, ethnicity, and conversion background. Converts often experience more severe persecution than long-established religious minorities. Women and girls suffer gender-specific persecution, including kidnappings, forced marriage, sexual violence, and denial of education, which is often underreported and inadequately addressed. Although multiple religious communities experience persecution worldwide, the data reveal significant asymmetries: Christians remain the most widely persecuted religious group globally and the most systematically restricted across the largest number of states (World Watch List 2026). Women and minors are particularly vulnerable: 201 million women and girls and 110 million minors under 15 were affected by persecution (WWR, 2024), with Nigeria remaining the deadliest country for believers. Silence allows persecution to continue.