Maldives

How are Christians persecuted in the Maldives?

• Those who leave Islam must keep their faith secret. It’s so dangerous that husbands, wives and children may even hide their faith from one another. If discovered, believers may be stripped of their citizenship, isolated from society and lose their state benefits for violating Sharia (Islamic law).
• While foreign Christians – who mostly work in the tourist sector – have slightly more freedom than converts, their gatherings are strictly monitored and controlled by the authorities. Many prefer not to organise meetings, for fear of the repercussions. Foreign Christians (whether tourists or migrant workers) are strictly forbidden from sharing their faith with Maldivians.
• If a Christian woman or girl is discovered to be a Christian, she risks being pressured into marriage and exposed to domestic violence in an attempt to force her to reject her new-found faith.
• If a Maldivian man or boy is found to be a secret Christian, he is likely to face physical violence, harassment, threats and even imprisonment (although there have been no cases of imprisonment in recent years).
• Give the pressure they face, many Christians choose to leave the country and live abroad, if they can afford to do so.

Why are Christians persecuted in the Maldives?

• The Maldives declares itself to be 100% Muslim, so being a citizen of the Maldives means being a Muslim. Within the country’s close-knit communities, any deviation from Islamic values is easily spotted and reported to the authorities or Muslim leaders.
• In September 2023, the country elected a new president who sought a lot of support from conservative Islamic groups. Additionally, in 2024, the president’s party and his allies won a super-majority in Parliament.
• Radical Islam is a concern for the authorities. So far, Christians have not been a particular target for extremists, but this is more due to believers keeping a low profile than for them not being considered a target. 

Who is particularly vulnerable in the Maldives?

• Christians from a Muslim background face by far the most severe persecution as – officially – they do not exist in the country. Every Maldivian is required to be a Muslim and anyone leaving Islam will lose their citizenship.
• Persecution is also particularly prevalent on the islands which are not reserved for international tourists.

What has changed in the Maldives in the past year?

• The Maldives rose two places on this year’s World Watch List; the level of pressure on Christians remains very high. Going to church is impossible, and the Maldives is among the few countries where the World Watch List methodology registers almost maximum points in persecution score for ‘church life’.
• Despite a newly elected government, no improvements for the situation of Christians and other religious minorities are expected in the near future.

How can I help Christians in the Maldives?

Please keep praying for your brothers and sisters in the Maldives. Your prayers make an enormous difference to those following Jesus no matter the cost.

Open Doors raises prayer support for persecuted believers in the Maldives.