The persecution charity Open Doors is calling on the oppression of practising Christians around the world to be a problem for everyone not just churchgoers.
CEO Henrietta Blyth has said too often it's considered a 'niche concern'.
She said: "Speaking up for Christians imprisoned for speaking about their faith, or even meeting to worship, has been something seen as best left to churches."
But she said, standing up for millions suffering arrest, violence and oppression creates a more 'humane world' for everyone: "That is surely something that everyone can get behind."
Her comments come as the charity celebrates it's 65th anniversary.
Open Doors began in 1955 after Brother Andrew, a Dutch Christian missionary made a trip across the Iron Curtain into Poland. He felt called to support the persecuted church around the world and began smuggling bibles, writing about it in his book 'God's Smuggler'.
Now the charity's calling on authorities to become better educated on the issue of religions oppression: "Western governments are so often blind to religion. Religious illiteracy has been tolerated in a way that ignorance about other issues would never be."
Today Open Doors operates in over 60 nations, offering support to persecuted Christian communities and advocating on their behalf to western governments.
