abuse, ill-treatment, ill-usage, maltreatment - cruel or inhumane treatment

oppression, subjugation - the act of subjugating by cruelty; "the tyrant's oppression of the people"

pogrom - organized persecution of an ethnic group (especially Jews)

torturing, torture - the act of torturing someone; "it required unnatural torturing to extract a confession"

faith, religion, religious belief - a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality"