U.S. calls on Maldivian government to allow religious freedom

The United States has encouraged the Maldivian government to respect the right to freedom of religion in the Maldives.

This came in the International Religious Freedom Report published by the U.S. State Department Bureau of Democracy and Human Rights and Labour yesterday.

The report says, “In the Maldives, the government restricted religious freedom and pressured citizens to conform to a stricter interpretation of Islamic practice, particularly following the change of government in February.”

The report also notes that the law of the Maldives prohibits citizens’ practice of any religion other than Islam.

The U.S.-Maldives bilateral relations have recently been strengthened, and there have been reports of preparations to sign the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the two countries. Several training programs have also been conducted by the Maldivian military in collaboration with U.S. counterparts.