#24 in Christian persecution, Mauritania
SCORE
70.40
REGION
Africa
PERSECUTION TYPE
Islamic oppression
RELIGION
Islam
PERSECUTION LEVEL
Very High
POPULATION
4,908,000
CHRISTIAN
10,900
GOVERNMENT
Presidential Republic
LEADER
President Mohamed Cheikh El Ghazouani
PROFILE OF PERSECUTION
Violence 0.9/16.7
Church Life 14.1/16.7
National Life 14.0/16.7
Community Life 13.1/16.7
Family Life 13.9/16.7
Private Life 14.3/16.7
How the scoring worksDownload country dossier with in-depth research
What does persecution look like in Mauritania?
It is illegal in Mauritania to convert from Islam to another faith. The restrictive environment makes it impossible for Christians (especially converts from Islam) to openly meet and worship together. Any expression of faith by non-Mauritanian Christians (such as migrants or aid workers) also carries the risk of being seen as proselytizing Muslims and can lead to prosecution.
What has changed this year?
Little has changed in Mauritania from the standpoint of persecution. Any deviation from Islamic belief is strongly opposed nationally, in communities and through family pressure.
Who is most vulnerable to persecution?
Pressure on converts from Islam to Christianity can be very high, particularly in rural areas where tribal and family ties are especially strict. Violent Islamic extremist groups, like al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), are particularly active in the country’s eastern border regions.
What does Open Doors do to help?
Open Doors works to support believers in North Africa through distributing Christian literature where possible, providing training and organizing socio-economic development projects and advocacy support.
Population statistic: Johnson T M and Zurlo G A, eds., World Christian Database (Leiden/Boston: Brill, accessed April 2021).
Pray for Mauritania
Pray for the secret believers of Mauritania as they seek to worship God. Their conversion is illegal, and their danger is real. Pray for the secret believers of Mauritania as they seek to worship God. Their conversion is illegal, and their danger is real.
Pray for a new openness toward religious expression among government officials. Ask God to open their hearts.Pray for a new openness toward religious expression among government officials. Ask God to open their hearts.
Pray that God would provide creative ways for believers to find and support each other in their difficult walk of faith.
Stories from Mauritania
January 18, 2021
13 Christians murdered for following Jesus—every day
March 6, 2020
A ‘living death’: How Christian women experience persecution
January 15, 2020
Every day, 8 Christians killed for their decision to follow Jesus