Maldives 2015 International Religious freedom report

Abstract

Executive Summary The constitution designates Islam as the state religion, requires citizens to be Muslims, and requires public office holders, including the president, to be followers of the Sunni school of Islam. The constitution provides for limitations on rights and freedoms “to protect and maintain the tenets of Islam.” The law states both the government and the people must protect religious unity. Propagation of any religion other than Islam is a criminal offense. New antiterror legislation bans promoting “unlawful” religious ideologies. A new penal code permits the administration of certain sharia punishments, such as stoning and amputation of hands. In October for the first time in the country’s history, a magistrate court sentenced a woman to death by stoning for adultery, although the Supreme Court overturned the verdict. The government rejected recommendations by the UN Human Rights Council to change its laws, saying it would not grant freedoms it felt violated the tenets of Islam. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs (MIA) continued efforts to curb what it described as “un-Islamic” practices and required imams to use government-approved sermons in Friday prayers. The government did not enforce restrictions on practicing other religions on foreign tourists visiting resort islands, but it did apply them to foreigners outside the resort areas. Local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) stated women reported community pressure to conform to Islamic dress standards. Some observers saw a rise in Islamic radicalism and fundamentalism among the populace. A religious freedom advocate reportedly ceased his internet blog out of concern his social media accounts had been used by hackers to spread anti-Islamic messages. There was no permanent U.S. diplomatic presence in the country, but the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka maintained an American Center in country, set up as a partnership with the National Library of Maldives. Embassy personnel based in Sri Lanka traveled to the country monthly and embassy personnel also spoke with Colombo-based Maldivian government officials about the importance of religious tolerance and advocated for the right of all residents of the country to practice the religion of their choice