United Arab Emirates

Where Persecution Comes From

There is a sharp contrast in the level of persecution faced by different groups of Christians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Emirati society is fairly tolerant towards expatriate Christian communities and allows them to worship relatively freely. Converts to Christianity from Islam face the majority of persecution in the country, and they experience a great deal of pressure to recant their faith, both from their immediate families and society as a whole. While the government technically promotes religious tolerance, its promotion of Islam contributes to Christian persecution.

How Christians are Suffering

Depending on their backgrounds, different Christians in the UAE experience varying degrees of persecution. While expatriate Christian communities are relatively free to practice their faith, they also face restrictions. They are free to worship and practice their faith in private but are prohibited from expressing their faith, worshiping, preaching or praying in public. Proselytization of any sort is illegal, so Christians must exercise caution and self-restraint when interacting with Muslims. Meanwhile, converts from Islam often fear to reveal their conversion. Because most converts keep their faith a secret, we have few reports of Christians being killed or physically harmed for their faith.

Examples

In January 2016, local authorities arrested and deported three non-citizens accused of “preaching a religion other than Islam” in the emirate of Sharjah.

The government forces the country’s two primary internet service providers to block websites that are critical of Islam or dedicated to other religious topics.