Name: Libya
Source of Persecution: Islamic Oppression, Clan Oppression, Organized Corruption and Crime
Rank: #9 on the World Watch List
The absence of a single central government to impose law and order has made the situation for Christians precarious. The level of violence against Christians in Libya is categorized as “very high.” Since the arrest of several Libyan Christians in March 2023, different authorities have stepped up their monitoring of Christian activities on the Internet. Libyan Christians who are from a Muslim background face intense pressure from their families and community to renounce their faith. All practice their faith in secret.
Foreign Christians, mostly from other parts of Africa, are targeted by various Islamic extremist groups and organized criminal gangs. These groups traffic and kidnap foreign Christians and demand ransoms, or force believers into hard labor. Their Christian faith makes believers more vulnerable to such abuse. Each year, many migrant Christians are believed to die at sea while trying to reach Europe or die from abuse in detention camps.
Christians are in danger everywhere in Libya, but particularly where violent Islamic extremists are active. The few converts from Islam are also extremely vulnerable and are forced into the shadows. Migrant Christians from sub-Saharan Africa face discrimination for their ethnicity. If their faith is discovered, they are in even greater danger.
Prayer Points
- Violence in May 2025 rocked Libya’s capital, Tripoli, serving as a stark reminder of the country’s instability. Ask God to make a breakthrough – that the rule of law could come to this nation that has been mired in chaos.
- There are very few Christians in Libya, and if they’re discovered, they could be targets. Pray that these believers could follow Jesus in safety and find fellowship.
- Migrant Christians can be targeted both for their faith and their work status. Ask God to protect them.