Over 500 million Christians face Bible access restrictions worldwide: report

October 5, 2026

A recently released study by the Bible Access Initiative shows that more than 500 million Christians worldwide face Bible access restrictions, as laws imposed by governments hostile to Christianity prevent many who would like a Bible from having one.

The Christian Post reports that the 2026 Bible Access List examined 106 countries, identifying both places where Bible access is explicitly restricted and countries where people face socioeconomic barriers that prevent them from obtaining Scripture.

The report found that Afghanistan currently has the strongest restrictions on Bible access, followed by Yemen, Somalia, North Korea, Eritrea and Mauritania.

Turkmenistan, Libya, Sudan and Iran round out the top 10 countries with the strongest restrictions.

Countries classified as having “severe restrictions” include Algeria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Niger, Burkina Faso, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Morocco, Syria, Bhutan, Azerbaijan, Mali, Oman, Brunei, Myanmar, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Chad, Iraq, Central African Republic, Malaysia, Laos, India, Kuwait, Ethiopia, Cuba, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

According to the Christian Post, the restrictions extend beyond government bans or censorship to include “persecution through government controls, extremist violence, and family and community pressure,” as well as socioeconomic barriers such as poverty, poor infrastructure, illiteracy, lack of electricity and limited internet access.

The report’s findings challenge the idea that the Bible is universally accessible simply because it can be found online or purchased in many parts of the world.

Bible Access List co-creator Wybo Nicolai, said, “We often hear that the Bible is more accessible than ever, but we must not confuse availability with access,” adding, “Even where Scripture is available digitally, limited internet coverage or unsafe online environments can still prevent people from accessing it.”

The Bible Access Initiative is a partnership between Bible League International, Digital Bible Society, Frontlines International, The Voice of the Martyrs and YouVersion.

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