Religious Freedom Report 2014: Maldivian government was encouraged to respect right to religious freedom

The US has said in its International Religious Freedom Report 2014, published yesterday, that the US Embassy encouraged the Maldivian government to respect the right to religious freedom.

The report noted that there is no US permanent presence in the Maldives, and all engagement with the government and civil society was conducted by visiting staff of the US Embassy in Sri Lanka, who travelled to Maldives frequently.

The report read: “The embassy also engaged the government on efforts to promote tolerance and reduce violent extremist rhetoric or derogatory statements about other religions, specifically on government efforts to counter the rise of what it characterized as radical Islam. After demonstrations that included anti-Israel messages and those in favor of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, embassy officials engaged the government on strategies to combat intolerance.”

The US State Department said in a Media Note that the report was submitted to the US Congress by John Kerry on 14 October 2015.

The Department highlighted that the congressionally-mandated Report comprises almost 200 distinct reports on countries and territories worldwide and continues to reflect the US commitment to, and advancement of, the right of every person to freedom of religion or belief.