source: http://www.inspiremagazine.org.uk/news.aspx?action=view&id=1938
The Maldivian constitutional assembly has passed an amendment stating
that "none, except Muslims can be Maldivian citizens".
According to the Barnabas Fund, an organisation that supports the
persecuted Church, the implementation of this amendment to the
constitution means that a number of Maldivians will lose their
citizenship and become stateless. In the Maldives it is illegal to
practise any other religion than Islam.
While there are a few Christians in the country among the expatriates,
there are also some Maldivian Christians, converts from Islam, who
would lose their citizenship. Although the current constitution does
not specifically mention this, any person who follows, preaches or
simply reads texts of other religions is punished until he or she
turns to Islam.
Under President Gayoom, whose autocratic regime has recently come
under attack, militant Islamism has become more widespread. After a
bomb explosion earlier this year, which injured a number of tourists
and was attributed to an Islamic militant group, the president
promised to take measures to combat Islamic extremism. This seems to
contradict this latest amendment to the constitution.
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