Every human being deserves the freedom to practice their faith as they see fit

• U.S. Senator Roger Wicker says as citizens in America we take our first amendment rights for granted, but religious oppression is alive and well around the world.

On the first Sunday of every November, Christians around the world observe the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Members petition God on behalf of these brothers andsisters, whoare mistreated simply for practicing their faith. This year’s vigil was timely, as it coincided with a wave of troubling press reports about religious oppression.

Dictators Persecute Religious Minorities

In October, Chinese government officials arrested Ezra Jin Mingri, a prominent Christian pastor in the country. At the same time, pastors and staff associated with Mr. Jin went missing. These chilling actions are disturbing, but they are nothing new in China. The dictator Xi Jinping has amassed absolute power over that country, and he has restricted any religious activity that does not conform to the agenda of his Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It seems that these Christians were arrested for the “crime” of spreading their faith outside of the CCP’s approved channels.

Xi Jinping has decreed that the CCP will “provide active guidance to religions so that they can adapt to socialist society.” The term “active guidance” is a euphemism for Xi’s violent agenda against many religions. Indeed, Xi does not only harass and imprison Christians. For over ten years, the CCP has abused the Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim group, sending thousands to concentration camps and subjecting them to immense physical and mental abuse.

I would be remiss not to mention Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attacks on Christians. Like all dictators, he fears free thinking, so he allows only limited expressions of faith. He has spread the lie that Protestant Christians are secret American agents, and he has used that falsehood for pure evil. Since the beginning of Putin’s war against Ukraine, his army has killed dozens of pastors and wiped out over 400 Baptist congregations.

Islamic Terrorists Target Christians

In other parts of the world, Christians face persecution not from governments but from rogue terrorist groups. That is particularly true in Nigeria, where Islamic extremists have killed over 7,000 Christians since December 2024. According to persecuted church advocacy group Open Doors, Nigeria is the 5th most dangerous country for Christians. The Nigerian government has failed to contain the terrorist activity, leading President Trump to condemn the attacks. I am grateful that our president is speaking against this atrocity and calling on Nigerian authorities to act.

Advocating for the Voiceless

In the United States, we take our first amendment rights for granted, but these stories remind us that religious oppression is alive and well around the world. Christians in America will continue praying for our brothers and sisters, as many did on November 2nd. In the U.S. Senate, I am joining those prayers by advocating for the persecuted.

My colleagues and I recently asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to use his authority under the Global Magnitsky Act to sanction Chinese officials persecuting Christians. I helped author and pass that Act, which is named for Russian dissident Sergei Magnitsky. He was arrested and killed in prison for daring to expose government corruption. The law builds on Mr. Magnitsky’s legacy by giving American presidents tools to punish human rights abusers.

Several of my colleagues and I also introduced a Senate resolution addressing the CCP’s crackdown on religion. We call for Chinese officials to release Pastor Jin and his associates. We make sure to highlight a key difference between the United States and China. The resolution affirms a core American conviction: Every human being deserves the freedom to practice their faith as they see fit.