MALDIVES

Freedom of religion is restricted significantly. The 1997 Constitution designates Islam as the official state religion and the practice of other religions is prohibited by law.

There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.

The President is the "supreme authority to propagate the tenets of Islam." The Government observes Shari'a (Islamic law), and in 1998 expelled 24 foreigners suspected of proselytizing non-Islamic faiths. Citizens regard Islam as one of their society's most distinctive characteristics and believe that it promotes harmony and national identity.

The U.S. Government does not maintain a resident Embassy in the Maldives; the U.S. Ambassador in Colombo, Sri Lanka is also accredited to the Government in Male. The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework

Freedom of religion is restricted significantly. The 1997 Constitution designates Islam as the official state religion, and the Government interprets this provision to impose a requirement that citizens be Muslims. The practice of any religion other than Islam is prohibited by law. However, foreign residents are allowed to practice their religion if they do so privately.

Religious Demography

It is believed that the entire indigenous population is Muslim and is overwhelmingly Sunni. Foreigners in the Maldives--more than 300,000 tourists annually (predominantly Europeans and Japanese) and about 20,000 foreign workers (predominantly Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indian, and Bangladeshi)--are allowed to practice their religion if they do so in private and do not encourage citizens to participate.

Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom

The Government has established a Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs to provide guidance on religious matters. The Government also has set standards for individuals who conduct Friday services at mosques to ensure adequate theological qualifications.

The President must be a Sunni Muslim and under the Constitution is the "supreme authority to propagate the tenets of Islam." Cabinet ministers also are required to be Sunni Muslims. Members of the People's Majlis (Parliament) must be Muslim. The Government observes Shari'a (Islamic law).

There are no places of worship for adherents of other religions. The Government prohibits the importation of icons and religious statues but generally permits the importation of religious tracts, such as Bibles, for personal use.

The Government prohibits non-Muslim clergy and missionaries from proselytizing and conducting public worship services. Conversion of a Muslim to another faith is a violation of Shari'a and may result in a loss of the convert's citizenship.

Islamic instruction is a mandatory part of the school curriculum, and the Government funds the salaries of instructors of Islam.

Governmental Abuses of Religious Freedom

The law can limit a citizen's right to freedom of expression in order to protect "the basic tenets of Islam."

In April 1998, the Government asked the Seychelles Government to stop the radio broadcast of Christian programming in the local language, Dhivehi. However, the broadcasts continue, albeit irregularly.

There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners during the period covered by this report.

Government officials appear to be as concerned about extremes in Muslim religious beliefs as they are about other religions; the law used to expel 24 foreign nationals accused of proselytizing during June 1998 originally was enacted to restrict the influence of Islamic fundamentalists.

There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.

Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens

There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Section II. Societal Attitudes

Most citizens regard Islam as one of their society's most distinctive characteristics and believe that it promotes harmony and national identity.

Section III. U.S. Government Policy

The U.S. Government does not maintain a resident Embassy in the Maldives; the U.S. Ambassador in Colombo, Sri Lanka is also accredited to the Government in Male. The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.

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