Persecution of faith groups has drastically increased in more than 95 percent of the world’s worst-offending countries, according to the latest Religious Freedom in the World report.

The report, by international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, shows how the latest technologies are being used to crush religious freedom.

Over the past two years, oppression against vulnerable faith communities has increased in all but one of the 26 countries listed in the survey’s worst or “red” category.

The report, which covers all 196 countries worldwide, traces the rise of transnational Islamist networks, including an online “cyber-caliphate” which is expanding globally is now a tool of online recruitment and radicalisation.

It goes on to describe how Islamist terrorists employ sophisticated digital technologies to recruit, radicalise and attack.

The report also describes how digital technology, cyber networks, surveillance including artificial intelligence and facial recognition technology has increased persecution.

The Chinese Communist Party is keeping religious groups in line with the help of 626 million AI-enhanced surveillance cameras and smartphone scanners.