By: Rebekah Belonga
This summer, I was an intern with International Christian Concern. They are a Christian non-profit that recognizes and acknowledges the reality of religious persecution. Their mission as an organization is to “ease the suffering of Christians in hostile places and aid, support, and empower them as they boldly live out their faith.”
They have several initiatives that carry out this mission. They prepare believers for persecution through counseling and training. They also provide emergency relief to persecuted Christians after they have suffered horrific acts of violence. To broaden their support network, the communications team at ICC publishes news stories and reports on Christian persecution. All of ICC’s projects help believers endure in a world that is actively rebelling against God.
Jesus told his disciples to expect persecution for being his followers and students. In John 15:20, he says: “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” Persecution is a marker that we are living a godly life. Paul teaches in 2 Timothy 3:12: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
During my research for this internship, I found that all persecution stems from the sin of worshipping false gods. False gods aren’t always a physical idol. They could take the form of a totalitarian ruler or government, a culture, or a worldview. Compulsive submission is necessary for these alternative sovereigns to maintain some illusion of legitimacy. The world fears relinquishing power to our true highest authority, and rejects God’s sovereignty.
Because following Christ puts causes enmity with the world, Christians need to stand together and defend the rights of our brothers and sisters in the faith. This calling is clear from Proverbs 31:8-9; “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” International law, though imperfect, is a tool we can use to pursue justice.
In the spring of 2026, The Center for Global Justice partnered with ICC to create a report on religious persecution in Morocco. The team found that although Morocco is considered very tolerant compared to other Muslim-majority countries in the MENA region, the Christian community in Morocco has been stifled by the lack of recognition and protection from the government. Believers have reported forced observance of Ramadan and insufficient alternative options to Islamic, state-sanctioned burial rites.
This summer, I worked with ICC to leverage the CGJ’s report to its greatest effectiveness. Morocco has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). We can hold governments accountable to their commitments by appealing to the proper decision-makers. Morocco may have flown under the radar because their human rights abuses seem comparatively less egregious. However, we must reassert the truth; the fundamental rights of all people include the freedom to choose, change, and express religion peacefully. Anything less is a violation of human dignity. It has been encouraging to see Moroccan leaders interested in reforms, so we can have hope for positive change moving forward. Even if this does not happen, we hold fast to Jesus’ promises in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
This post was written by a student at Regent University School of Law. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.