United Arab Emirates

Unable to express faith publicly

Christian expatriates are free to worship privately in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but the government does not allow them to evangelize or pray in public. Because Emirati society is conservative, Christians exercise self-restraint in public. Converts from Islam often face pressure from family and community members to renounce their Christian faith. Converts tend not to reveal their conversion, which is why there are few reports of Christians being killed or harmed for their faith.

How Christians are suffering

Conservative Islamic society is the biggest threat to Christians in the United Arab Emirates. All converts risk losing inheritance and parental rights, being forced to marry, being fired or placed under pressure to work for “free.” Many seek asylum in another country. The government will act against any Christians attempting to speak openly about their faith, because evangelism is illegal and punishable under the law.

Examples of persecution

At least one female convert was threatened with forced marriage and some converts were forced to flee to another emirate because of pressure.

There were also some converts who were placed under financial pressure and forced to renounce their faith.

Because Islamic education is compulsory for all students within state schools, the children of converts must participate in Islamic education classes.

Population and number of Christian statistics: Johnson T M and Zurlo G A, eds., World Christian Database (Leiden/Boston: Brill, accessed April 2019).