Christian Solidarity Worldwide has published a new report on religious freedom violations in Mexico revealing that “more Roman Catholic priests and lay leaders were killed in Mexico in 2014 than in any other country in the world.”

According to the report, leaders from other Christian denominations face similar threats from criminal groups, but their cases are often under-reported.

A primary reason is due to the rise of powerful criminal groups, of which CSW says: “They often consider churches an attractive target for extortion and as fronts for money laundering, and believe that church leaders pose a threat to their influence and aims.”