Open Doors 2019 World Watch List ranks 50 countries. One in three Christians face high levels of persecution in Asia, with India entering the top 10 for the first time.
President Erdogan declared the building a mosque and said the first prayers would be held there within two weeks [Murad Sezer/Reuters]
Turkey to cover Hagia Sophia's Christian icons during prayers
Governing party's statement comes days after Ankara turned the iconic monument from a museum into a mosque.