ICC Note: The Arab Gulf countries boast a large percentage of Christians relatively speaking and some point to them as having protected religious freedom. While some permissions are allowed, they are reserved almost exclusively for foreigners and even still there are many restrictions placed on those who would seek to live out their faith. Local Muslims are in almost every case prohibited from even attending a church and those who may convert often face very severe persecution from family, religious community, and government.  

09/22/2015 Middle East (WWM) – A recent article in Christianity Today reports that Christianity is booming in the “heart of Islam”, with the “millions” of Christians there not really facing persecution – just “misunderstanding”, according to Qatar-based Anglican priest, Bill Schwartz.

Can it be true?

Henriette Kats, persecution analyst at Christian charity Open Doors International, says that while expatriate Christians enjoy a “certain level of religious freedom”, the same cannot be said of the “badly treated” migrants or converts.

“Converts from Islam to Christianity do not experience any religious freedom at all,” says Kats. “Leaving Islam is criminalised in all countries of the Arabian Peninsula and carries the death penalty – though not necessarily officially enforced – in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.”

Even expatriates face restrictions in the sense that they are not allowed to evangelise, she adds.

“Those active in evangelising are often arrested and deported,” she says. “In Qatar, proselytism can be punished with up to seven years’ imprisonment.”

As for the migrants – whether or not they have recently converted to Christianity – Kats says churches are often located in remote districts, too far away for them to attend, even were they to be granted permission.

“Migrants from Asia and Africa are treated badly, independent of their religion,” she adds. “If the migrant worker is a Christian, this can add to their vulnerability. They are under strong pressure to become Muslims, especially in Qatar.”

In his article for Christianity Today, Jayson Casper argues that one of the primary reasons Christians and churches are sometimes left alone in the region is public image. Kats agrees, saying it is “of major significance”.

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