Freedom of religion in Maldives
The
As of 2021[update], freedom of religion remained significantly restricted. Individual
Religions demography
The country has an area of 500 square miles (1,300 km2) distributed across 1,200 coral atolls and islands, with a population of around 450,000.
The population is a distinct ethnic group with historical roots in
Non-Muslim foreigners, including more than 500,000 tourists who visit annually (predominantly
The government states that the country is 100% Muslim.
Status of religious freedom
Legal and policy framework
Freedom of religion is significantly restricted. The constitution designates Islam as the state religion and requires citizens to be Muslim;[4] it also stipulates that the President must be Sunni Muslim.
The constitution specifies that judges must use sharia law in deciding matters not otherwise addressed; sharia is not considered applicable to non-Muslims.[4]
Foreigners were not allowed to import any items deemed "contrary to Islam," including alcohol, pork products, or idols for worship. Alcoholic beverages were available to tourists on resort islands, but it remains against the law to offer alcohol to a local citizen.[4]
Men who wish to act as imams must sit for public exams. Certified imams must use government-approved sermons in Friday services.[4]
Islam is a compulsory subject for all primary and secondary school students.[4]
Religious conversions and persecution of individuals
In 2010, Ismail Mohamed Didi, a Maldivian atheist who was being investigated for his "lack of belief" and had sought asylum in Britain, allegedly committed suicide.[6][7]
On 29 May 2010, Mohamed Nazim, a student of philosophy from a devout Muslim family, was at a public meeting in the Maldives discussing the subject of religion. He declared at the meeting that his own comparative studies on philosophy had meant he could not accept Islam, and declared himself to be an atheist. He was immediately arrested, under the pretext of saving him from being attacked for his beliefs by others at the meeting.[8] After three days of intense counseling, he publicly converted back to Islam.[9] Even so, the Maldivian Police submitted his case to their public prosecutors office as of 29 August 2010.[10]
Societal abuses and discrimination
According to the
When the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief visited the Maldives' only prison, she found non-Muslim prisoners "unable to perform their prayers due to the objections of their Maldivian cellmates." There were no accommodations made for
The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief also reported on the issue of women wearing headscarves. She received reports that women were being pressured to cover by relatives, other citizens, self-proclaimed preachers, or newly formed political parties. Furthermore, she was told that women began to cover after state-owned media reported that the 2004 tsunami was the "result of Maldivians failing to live in accordance with Islam." There was one report of a female student who was excluded from school for wearing a headscarf.
On Human Rights Day, 10 December 2011, protesters led by Ismail Khilath Rasheed, calling themselves ‘Silent Solidarity’, gathered at the Artificial Beach to protest religious intolerance in the Maldives. They were attacked and threatened.[12]
The Centre for Civil and Political rights, based in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Human Rights Committee are working to establish new guidelines with the Maldivian government on human rights.
The Committee has welcomed the following legislative and institutional measures taken by the State: The removal by the Parliament, in 2008, of the gender bar on running for presidency; the enactment of the Anti-Domestic Violence Act, in April 2012.
The July 27, 2012, Human Rights Committee report listed more recommendations and principal matters of concern and expressed hope that the Maldivan State Party would continue on its path for equal rights, freedom of religion, and decriminalization of same-sex relationships.
In 2023, the country was scored zero out of 4 for religious freedom;[14] it was also noted that non-Muslim foreigners are only permitted to observe their religions privately.
According to Open Doors, the country was rated as the 15th worst place in the world to be a Christian.[15]
See also
- Buddhism in the Maldives
- Christianity in the Maldives
- Islam in Maldives
- History of the Maldives
- Religion in the Maldives
References
- ^ "Maldives" (PDF).
- ^ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Maldives". 2022.
- ^ "Maldives". 14 September 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f "US State Dept 2022 report - Maldives". 9 August 2023.
- ^ World Religion Database at the ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-08
- ^ "Maldives atheist who felt persecuted 'hangs himself'". BBC News. 15 July 2010.
- ^ "Atheist Kills Himself to Escape "100 percent Muslim" Nation | International Humanist and Ethical Union". Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
- ^ "Haveeru Online - Maldivian renounces Islam, gets attacked by Zakir Naik audience". Archived from the original on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ "Haveeru Online - Maldivian who renounced Islam reverts". Archived from the original on 2010-06-03. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
- ^ "Haveeru Online - Police file case against Nazim, despite reversion". Archived from the original on 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
- ^ "Maldives enacts regulation for death penalty". Al Jazeera English. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ "Protesters calling for religious tolerance attacked with stones, threatened with death". Minivan News. 2011-12-10. Archived from the original on 2012-01-05. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
- ^ http://thebesttropicalvacationspots.com/human-rights-commitee-report-the-maldives-7272012/
- ^ Freedom House website, retrieved 2023-08-08
- ^ Open Doors website, retrieved 2023-08-08
Further reading
- United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. "Maldives: International Religious Freedom Report 2007". This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Maldives, Religious Practices