Ulster Unionist MPs Tom Elliott and Danny Kinahan have supported steps to combat and raise awareness of religious persecution around the world, whilst committing to challenge religious extremism at home.

Speaking after an event hosted by Open Doors, a charity which highlights the persecution of Christians, Mr Elliott said:

“Theresa Villiers, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, addressed the event and it was very encouraging to see a Cabinet member championing such an important cause, which attracts strong cross-party support from a large number of MPs.

“We heard at first hand some of the horrendous stories of how people are persecuted throughout the world because of their Christian faith. The brutal murder and torture of individuals within many countries is startling. One of the most pressing instances of the persecution of Christians is in Nigeria, where Christians are in many instances treated as second class citizens. We believe building regional security by bringing Nigeria together with its neighbours Cameroon and Chad will help combat this persecution and we have questioned the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what steps he is taking to develop this regional security.”

Mr Kinahan said:

“Whilst Open Doors specifically focuses on the persecution of Christians, it is important to make the point that this is part of the broader struggle for freedom of all faiths. Freedom to practice one’s faith is the canary in the coal mine – when it dies, other freedoms are never far behind.

“The struggle for religious freedom is often closely tied to the struggle against religious extremism, an issue of increasing relevance in the UK. The Ulster Unionist Party welcomes Open Doors’ commitment to challenging extremism head on.”