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In countries like the United States and other Western nations, children are often taught about the infamous Salem witch trials, where 19 people were hanged after being accused of witchcraft. Although these trials faded over time, similar practices still persist in certain parts of the world.
In various regions of sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, witch hunts and purges of individuals accused of practicing witchcraft continue. This issue is not only widespread but has escalated, with thousands of individuals falling prey to baseless accusations of sorcery.
Here are 10 astounding examples of witch hunts that actually took place in recent years.
SEE ALSO: 10 Legendary Witch-Hunters From History
10. Ghana
Similar to the people of 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts, modern-day Ghanaians sometimes resolve disputes by accusing someone of practicing witchcraft. A simple accusation can be enough to eliminate a rival, and such claims occur more frequently in Ghana than might seem reasonable.
Witchcraft is viewed as a significant threat in Ghana, prompting the establishment of eight sanctuaries for those accused or imprisoned due to witch hunts. Many of these sanctuaries date back hundreds of years and are often referred to as witch camps.
In 2014, it was reported that more than 1,100 individuals were confined in these makeshift sanctuaries across the country. Witch hunts in Ghana differ from the north to the south but are often sparked by the so-called 'penis-theft' hysteria, leading to accusations and the capture of suspected witches. While many are killed, some end up in the sanctuaries, where they live as outcasts for the remainder of their lives.
9. The Gambia
Following a decree by President Yahya Jammeh in March 2009, a group of government-backed 'witch hunters' ventured across The Gambia and captured about 1,000 villagers. They were taken to secret government detention facilities where they were forced to consume a mysterious hallucinogenic substance.
As reported by Amnesty International, “many of those forced to ingest these poisonous herbs experienced immediate diarrhea and vomiting while lying helpless.” They were then beaten and coerced into confessing their involvement in witchcraft.
The captures took place over a five-day span, and the victims included both young adults and the elderly. Thankfully, out of the 1,000 individuals detained and tortured, only two died from the violence, though the human rights violations remain a grave concern across the nation.
Amnesty International reported on the incident, but this was not the first time Jammeh made headlines for his controversial actions. In 2007, he claimed to have discovered an herbal cure for HIV and ordered the execution of anyone found guilty of homosexuality in his country.
8. Kenya
The people of Kenya have long been familiar with witch hunts, though they tend to occur sporadically. While the history of witch hunts in Kenya stretches back centuries, violent outbursts seem to happen unpredictably.
In May 2008, reports emerged of a mob in the western Kisii region who rounded up and burned alive as many as 11 individuals accused of witchcraft. Among the victims were eight women and three men, aged between 80 and 96, who were forcibly dragged from their homes and set on fire in the streets.
The mob proceeded to destroy the victims' homes, burning everything they owned inside. The witch hunt was triggered after the discovery of an exercise book at a local school, which contained minutes from a so-called 'witches’ meeting' along with a list of individuals allegedly to be cursed in the near future.
All the families of the victims were forced to flee and go into hiding. This tragic event was not an isolated case. For many years, the people of Kenya have endured the constant threat of witch hunts, with little sign of these practices subsiding.
7. India
You might not expect India to feature on a list like this, but certain parts of the country remain deeply entrenched in fears of mysticism. Between 2001 and 2006, roughly 300 people were rounded up and killed in the northeastern state of Assam.
The majority of the victims were women, which led to a rise in the number of homeless children in the region. The issue of children left behind after witch hunts is always a significant concern, and it is especially exacerbated in India.
Killings continued throughout various regions of India, often with 5 to 35 deaths in each incident. A 2010 report estimated that 150 to 200 women are hunted and killed annually across India. This estimate, covering the years from 1995 to 2009, suggests that over 2,500 women were murdered in India during that time for being suspected of witchcraft.
6. Nepal
Belief in witchcraft is widespread across Nepal, which is why witch hunts remain all too common. Most of those targeted in these hunts are low-caste women who are often dragged out, beaten, tortured, publicly humiliated, and frequently murdered.
When these hunts take place, the victims' families are often accused and subjected to similar treatment. In one instance in 2010, a woman was captured, beaten, and tortured for two days while being forced to ingest human excrement until she 'confessed' to being a witch.
She was targeted by a mob of about 35 people who arrived at her home and took her away. This type of abuse happens regularly to low-caste women across the country. However, unlike other cases, the victim is often released once she confesses.
Murders do occur, but in many instances, the victim is freed after being subjected to prolonged torture. While this doesn't diminish the brutality of the practice or the urgent need for it to end, the death toll in Nepal is considerably lower than in other examples on this list.
5. Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may be one of the wealthiest nations in the world, yet its society remains deeply fearful of sorcery. A majority of Muslims in the country believe in the existence of sorcery and witchcraft, which is why the country considers its practice a legitimate criminal offense.
In Saudi Arabia, not only can someone accuse another individual of practicing witchcraft, but they can also be tried by the government for the alleged crime. If convicted, the punishment is death.
Reports on the total number of such cases rarely make it outside the country. However, several high-profile cases have led to imprisonment and execution by the Saudi government, which Human Rights Watch accused in 2009 of 'sanctioning a literal witch hunt by the religious police.'
Numerous cases suggest that the punishment for witchcraft is beheading. In fact, this sentence was carried out as recently as June 19, 2012, on Muree bin Ali bin Issa al-Asiri, a man accused of practicing witchcraft and sorcery in Saudi Arabia's Najran province.
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Bizarre Witch Burials
4. Indonesia
The people of Indonesia endured 31 years under Suharto's oppressive rule. However, this came to an end in 1998 when the militaristic dictator stepped down.
On the surface, Suharto's resignation appeared to be a positive change for the nation. Yet, his departure sparked widespread chaos, a severe economic collapse, and strangely enough, a vicious witch hunt that led to the deaths of approximately 400 people. These hunts involved a series of brutal killings across the island nation, many of which were likely disguised as witch hunts to conceal actual murders.
In September 2000, a mob in West Java captured a 70-year-old woman accused of casting spells that made local residents sick. She was decapitated, her eyes were gouged out, and her limbs were torn from her body and discarded in the street.
The intense animosity toward those accused of witchcraft in Indonesia often resulted in brutal deaths and dismemberments. This makes the post-Suharto witch purge one of the most horrific examples on this list.
3. Tanzania
Among all the examples on this list, Tanzania stands out as the most horrific. In the 21st century alone, an estimated 20,000 individuals have been rounded up and killed for allegedly practicing witchcraft.
However, these witch hunts aren't solely focused on the practice of the dark arts. In addition to targeting those accused of witchcraft, Tanzania has also singled out and executed homosexuals or individuals suspected of being homosexual.
From January to June 2017, the Legal and Human Rights Center reported 479 deaths from so-called "mob justice" across Tanzania. Most of these victims were elderly women accused of witchcraft, along with government-sanctioned killings of homosexuals.
Many of these murders have been orchestrated by local governors, while others were the result of frenzied mobs. Regardless of the motivation, Tanzania has become the deadliest place for anyone accused of witchcraft in the 21st century.
2. Cameroon
Thankfully, not every witch hunt results in the tragic deaths of those accused. In January 2014, when a mob in Buea, Cameroon, started a witch hunt, their wrath only caused property damage.
In this southern Cameroonian town, residents rioted, destroying the homes and vehicles of people accused of witchcraft. They claimed the victims were part of a cult blamed for a series of recent deaths. Journalist Mathias Mouende Ngamo reported, "16 homes and 10 shops were destroyed. There were also the shells of burned-out cars on the streets."
In another case from the 1970s, a child witchcraft panic spread in parts of the country, leading to several children being rounded up under suspicion of witchcraft. Luckily, the children were not severely harmed. After forced confessions, they were "rewarded" with large amounts of meat meant to induce vomiting for purification and were later released to their families.
1. Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea has an interesting distinction in that it permits a practice known as 'white' magic, which is utilized for faith healing and other harmless activities. In the 1970s, the country enacted the Sorcery Act, which imposed a two-year prison term on anyone found guilty of practicing 'black' magic. Although the law sought to outlaw harmful magic, it unfortunately led to an increase in violence and extrajudicial torture against alleged practitioners of 'black' magic.
In a disturbing incident in 2013, four women were accused of witchcraft simply because their home was built from wood. All four women endured torture, with one tragically beheaded. This horrifying act had nothing to do with any magical practices but was instead driven by the women's relative economic success compared to their accusers.
Such incidents have been repeated across the country, especially targeting young women, who are often subjected to torture and sometimes beaten to death. However, in 2013, the country took a step toward justice by repealing the Sorcery Act and officially classifying the killing of accused witches as murder.
