Freedom of religion in the Comoros
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Freedom of religion in
Comoros The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. It ...
is addressed in the
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...
which proclaims equality of rights and obligations for everyone. However, there are limitations to this right in practice. The country has an area of and a population of 852,075. In 2023, 98% of the population is
Sunni Muslim Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagree ...
. In 2022, the authorities did not allow non-Sunni religious groups to
proselytize Proselytism () is the policy of attempting to convert people's religious or political beliefs. Proselytism is illegal in some countries. Some draw distinctions between ''evangelism'' or '' Da‘wah'' and proselytism regarding proselytism as invol ...
or assemble for religious activities in public, although foreigners are permitted to worship at three
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
churches in Moroni, Mutsamudu, and Moheli; foreign
Shia Muslims Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, most n ...
can worship at a Shia mosque in Moroni. In 2023, the country was scored 2 out of 4 for religious freedom. The rest of this article in informed by the US State Dept 2009 report on Religious Freedom in Comoros. A later report is available.


Overview

Sunni Muslims make up 98% of the population and government authorities prohibit non-Sunnis from proselytizing. However, there were no known instances where the local authorities and population restricted the right of Christians to practice other aspects of their faith. There was societal discrimination against non-
Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
in some sectors of society; however, accounts of social pressure were anecdotal. Proselytizing for any religion except Islam is illegal, and converts from Islam may be prosecuted under the law. However, such prosecutions are rare and have not resulted in any convictions in recent years. In the past, there were reports of family and community members excluding non-Muslim converts from schools or villages for "evangelizing Muslims". There is no sharp divide between Sunni and Shi'a, and most Muslims respect the doctrinal differences between the two branches of Islam. Foreigners living on the islands number several hundred, and include
Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
,
Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
, and members of other Christian groups including
Roman Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
and
Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
. A few foreign religious groups maintain humanitarian programs, but by agreement with the Government, they did not engage in proselytizing.


Status of religious freedom


Legal and policy framework

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, but the Government continued to limit this right in practice. In 2009, an amendment to the Constitution added that Islam is "the religion of the state." In addition, the Constitution states that Islam is the "permanent inspiration of the principles and rules that govern the Union." The 2002 Constitution reincorporates
Ndzuwani Anjouan (; also known as Ndzuwani or Nzwani, and historically as Johanna or Hinzuan) is an autonomous high island in the Indian Ocean that forms part of the Union of the Comoros. Its chief town is Mutsamudu and, , its population is around 277,500. ...
(
Anjouan Anjouan (; also known as Ndzuwani or Nzwani, and historically as Johanna or Hinzuan) is an autonomous high island in the Indian Ocean that forms part of the Union of the Comoros. Its chief town is Mutsamudu and, , its population is around 277,500. ...
), Ngazidja (
Grande Comore Grande Comore () is an island in Comoros off the coast of Africa. It is the largest island in the Comoros nation. Most of its population is of the Comorian ethnic group. Its population is about 316,600. The island's capital is Moroni, Comoros, ...
), and Moheli into a new federation that grants the islands greater autonomy. There are no legal restrictions that prevent Christians from attending church, and non-citizen Christians are allowed to practice their faith without government intervention as long as they do not attempt to convert citizens. Foreigners caught proselytizing for religions other than Islam are subject to deportation. While the law allows non-Muslims to practice their religion, it prohibits citizens from converting from Islam. The 2002 amended Constitution upholds religious freedom; however, the pre-existing
Penal Code A criminal code (or penal code) is a document that compiles all, or a significant amount of a particular jurisdiction's criminal law. Typically a criminal code will contain offences that are recognised in the jurisdiction, penalties that might ...
prohibits conversion from Islam and has yet to be modified to reflect this standard. Although enforceable, this law is rarely applied. Government authorities continue to prohibit non-Muslims from proselytizing. A law dating from the early 1980s states "whoever divulges, promotes, or teaches Muslims a religion other than Islam will be punished with a three-month prison sentence and a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 Comoran Francs." However, in practice the government does not impose this fine. The Grand Mufti is part of the Government and manages a department that handles issues concerning religion and religious administration. The Grand Mufti's position is attached to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, and he counsels the Government on matters of Islamic faith and ensures that Islamic laws are respected. He is nominated by the President. The Grand Mufti periodically consults with a group of elders to assess whether the principles of Islam are respected, and he regularly addresses the nation on the radio regarding social and religious issues such as marriage, divorce, and education. While the study of Islam is not compulsory in public schools, the tenets of Islam are sometimes taught in conjunction with the
Arabic language Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
in
public schools Public school may refer to: *State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government *Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England and ...
at the
middle school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
level. There are no separate provisions made for religious minorities in public schools; however, foreigners can request that their children not receive Islamic instruction or Arabic language training. Almost all children between the ages of 4 and 7 also attend schools to learn to recite and understand the
Qur'an The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing. ...
, although attendance is not compulsory for religious minorities. There are more than 10 private schools on the island of Ngazidja (Grande Comore), none of which are specifically non-Muslim. Several Islamic holy days, including the
Islamic New Year The Islamic New Year ( ar, رأس السنة الهجرية, '), also called the Hijri New Year, is the day that marks the beginning of a new lunar Hijri year, and is the day on which the year count is incremented. The first day of the Islamic y ...
, the Birth of the Prophet Muhammad, and
Eid al-Fitr , nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast , observedby = Muslims , type = Islamic , longtype = Islamic , significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan , dat ...
, are national holidays. The flag of Comoros contains Muslim symbols: crescents and stars on a green background. The Government does not require religious groups to be licensed, registered, or officially recognized.


Restrictions on religious freedom

The Government does not ban specific religions or religious factions. The Government allows organized religious groups to establish places of worship, train clergy to serve believers, and assemble for peaceful religious activities. However, proselytizing for any religion except Islam is illegal and foreigners caught proselytizing for religions other than Islam were subject to deportation under the law. In 2013, a law was passed establishing the Sunni Shafi'i doctrine as the only allowable religious practice in the country and placing sanctions on all other religious practice on the grounds of avoiding social unrest and the undermining of national cohesion and unity. The government states it ratified the law due to fears of religious radicalization. There were no reports of government sponsorship of speech or materials that foster intolerance or hatred toward any religious groups. The Government does not prohibit, restrict, or punish parents for raising their children in accordance with religious teachings and practices of their choice. There are no specific religious requirements for membership in the ruling party. The Government did not designate religion on passports or national identity documents, either explicitly or in code. The Government prohibited the distribution of religious literature, clothing, and symbols. The International Church of Moroni was allowed to import 10,000 gift boxes in April 2007 provided the boxes did not contain religious literature, symbols, or clothing. In 2006 the organization was prohibited from distributing gift boxes of toys for local children containing cross necklaces. In 2006 authorities on Grande Comores barred the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Who Will Follow Me?, created by the Protestant Church in Moroni, from distributing imported T-shirts emblazoned with the NGO's name in Comoran. Bans on alcohol and immodest dress are enforced sporadically, usually during religious months, such as
Ramadan , type = islam , longtype = Religious , image = Ramadan montage.jpg , caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
. Alcohol can be imported and sold with a permit from the Government.


Abuses of religious freedom

On July 6, 2006, in a general amnesty decreed by President
Ahmed Abdallah Sambi Sayyid Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi ( ar, أحمد عبدالله محمد سامبي, born 5 June 1958) is a Comorian Islamic leader and politician, and former President of Comoros. He is popularly known as 'Ayatollah'. After easily winning the ...
in celebration of
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...
, prisoners were released who had been arrested in the preceding 6 months. Among them were four citizens who were convicted of "evangelizing Muslims" for hosting Christian religious debates in a private residence. There are rarely cases of religious detainees or prisoners. This was the only reported instance where the Government imposed fines, later waived, for unauthorized religious activity. Local police supported the village of Ndruani's decision to chase out the "evangelizers."


Forced religious conversion

There were no reports of
forced religious conversion ''Forced'' is a single-player and co-op action role-playing game developed by BetaDwarf, released in October 2013 for Windows, OS X and Linux through the Steam platform as well as Wii U. It is about gladiators fighting for their freedom in a fan ...
, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.


Societal abuses and discrimination

There is societal discrimination against non-Muslims, particularly Christians, in some sectors of society. All citizens face societal pressure to practice elements of Islam, particularly during the month of Ramadan. Most societal pressure and discrimination occurs behind closed doors at the village level, far from the eyes of the Government or media. The extent of de facto discrimination typically depends on the level of involvement of local Islamic teachers. Most non-Muslim citizens did not openly practice their faith for fear of societal rejection. Persons who raise their children with non-Muslim religious teachings face societal discrimination. Societal pressure and
intimidation Intimidation is to "make timid or make fearful"; or to induce fear. This includes intentional behaviors of forcing another person to experience general discomfort such as humiliation, embarrassment, inferiority, limited freedom, etc and the victi ...
continued to restrict the use of the country's three churches to non-citizens. There is concern that Islamic fundamentalism is increasing as young citizens return to the country following Islamic theological studies abroad and seek to impose a stricter adherence to Islamic religious law on their family members and associates; in response, the
Union Government The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
has established a university to give young citizens the option of pursuing university studies in the country.


See also

* Religion in Comoros *
Human rights in Comoros Historically, Comoros has had a relatively poor human rights record. In early 1979, Comorian authorities arrested some 300 supporters of the Soilih's regime and imprisoned them without trial in Moroni. Four of Soilih's former ministers also disap ...
*
Islam in the Comoros Islam is the largest religion in the Comoros. According to the 2006 estimate by the U.S. Department of State, roughly 98% of the population in the Comoros is Muslim. Virtually all Muslims in the Comoros are Sunni belonging to Shafi'i schoo ...
*
Christianity in the Comoros Christianity in the Comoros is a minority religion. Roman Catholics in the Comoros number about 4,300 persons (0.5% of the population); Protestants number about 1,678 (0.25% of the population). The constitution guarantees religious liberty but Chr ...
*
Roman Catholicism in Comoros The Catholic Church in the Comoros is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. There are very few Catholics in this overwhelmingly Islamic country - around 4,300 in total representing about 0.5% ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freedom Of Religion In Comoros
Comoros The Comoros,, ' officially the Union of the Comoros,; ar, الاتحاد القمري ' is an independent country made up of three islands in southeastern Africa, located at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean. It ...
Human rights in the Comoros Religion in the Comoros