persecution
n.unfair or cruel treatment of a group of people over a long time. This usually happens because of their religion, race, or political beliefs.
n.systematic hostility and ill-treatment of a person or group, especially on the grounds of religious or political beliefs, or ethnic identity.
“The family fled their country to escape religious persecution.”
“Historians have documented the systematic persecution of minority groups during the regime's decade in power.”
“The legal framework was specifically designed to protect vulnerable populations from state-sponsored persecution and to ensure the right to peaceful assembly.”
Uncountable when referring to the general concept of ill-treatment; countable when referring to specific historical instances or campaigns.
“In 2017, then UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein condemned the Myanmar military's persecution of the Rohingya who fled in their hundreds of thousands to neighbouring Bangladesh.”
“In her speech, she dismissed criminal cases against her as politically motivated and accused Bangladesh’s new government, led by Tarique Rahman, of economic mismanagement, political repression and persecution of her supporters.”
Equivalent to persecute + -ion. From Middle English persecucioun, from Old French persecucion, from Ecclesiastical Latin persecūtio (“persecution; chase, pursuit”), from Latin persequor (“follow up, pursue”), from per- (“through”) + sequor (“follow”). Displaced native Old English ēhtnes.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.