In India, conversion to Christianity to be punishable by up to life sentence

Christians in India. Photo: Christian today

On August 14, 2025, amendments to the "freedom of religion" law were approved in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, significantly tightening the punishment for so-called illegal conversion to another religion. According to the portal Persecution.org, the violation now carries a sentence of 14 to 20 years, and in some cases, life imprisonment.

The law also extended its reach to the digital sphere for the first time: any propaganda of conversion through social networks, messengers, and internet platforms is now banned. Criminal offenses include the use of foreign funding for religious activities, criticism of one religion, and praise of another. District magistrates are granted the authority to arrest without a warrant and confiscate property obtained through "illegal conversions".

The amendment has also redefined “inducement”, which now means and includes offering any of the following for religious conversions: “Gift, gratification, easy money, or material benefit in cash or kind, employment, free education in a school or college run by a religious institution, or a promise to marry or a better lifestyle, divine displeasure or otherwise.” All of this can be grounds for initiating a criminal case.

The state's Chief Minister stated that the changes are aimed at preserving the traditional social structure of the state. "Uttarakhand is Devbhoomi (the land of gods) and a place where holy saints through the ages came and meditated. In the last few years, there have been instances of demographic changes under the guise of illegal conversions. The proposed amendment is a major step on our part to ensure that the social fabric of the Himalayan state is not changed," he said.

Christian organizations and human rights groups opposed the new law, calling it discriminatory and a violation of the right to freedom of religion. According to them, the document will become a tool for pressure on religious minorities and create additional grounds for persecution.

Despite its image as the "world's largest democracy", India regularly appears on the list of countries where the rights of Christians are most severely violated. In the annual index of the organization Open Doors, India ranks 11th, surpassing even Saudi Arabia and Myanmar in terms of persecution levels.

Previously, the UOJ reported that six people died in a stampede near a Hindu temple in India.

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