The Salem Witch Trials ended in 1693, but religious witch hunts remain a common global occurrence. Women are the predominant targets, though men and children are also persecuted. The hunts are most prominent in African countries but are also common in parts of Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
As in Salem, modern witch hunts involve the trial and violent punishment of the accused. "Victims are often burned alive," The New York Times said. They can also be "beaten to death" or "stoned or beheaded, as has been reported in Indonesia and sub-Saharan Africa."
In many countries in the developing world, witchcraft is "associated with the power of nature," and the accused are “said to be able to control natural events," said National Geographic. As a result, witchcraft is "sometimes seen as the cause" of illnesses, particularly in places with "poor medical care or few educational opportunities."
In Zambia, where the World Health Organization estimates 25% of pregnant women are infected with HIV/AIDS, people are "accused of spreading HIV/AIDS through witchcraft.” Witch hunters are hired to kill the accused with a "poisonous tea."
In Tanzania, albino people are in danger due to a prevalent belief their "arms, legs, skin and hair" have "special magic in them," National Geographic said.
Action from the authorities can be effective in stopping witch hunts. In South Africa, there has been an "educational campaign in schools and workplaces about science, medicine and HIV/AIDS" to try and deter them, National Geographic said. Still, "more than 1,000" accused witches are killed worldwide each year, said Scientific American. | 
