The Islamic State – also known as ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh – was among “the most egregious abusers of religious freedom in the world” in 2015, according to the State Department’s International Religious Freedom report. Nearly every country in the Middle East and North Africa had to contend with ISIS's attacks on religious groups. Besides abuses by non-state actors, the report evaluated government institutions around the world and their practices to protect religious freedom. The Syrian government's abuses against Sunnis and religious minorities were among the religious freedom violations cited in the report. The following are excerpts from the report related to the Middle East and North Africa, with references to ISIS in bold.

Executive Summary
 

Non-state actors such as Da’esh and Boko Haram continued to rank amongst the most egregious abusers of religious freedom in the world.

Da’esh continued to pursue a brutal strategy of what Secretary Kerry judged to constitute genocide against Yezidis, Christians, Shia, and other vulnerable groups in the territory it controlled, and was responsible for barbarous acts, including killings, torture, enslavement and trafficking, rape and other sexual abuse against religious and ethnic minorities and Sunnis in areas under its control. In areas not under Da’esh control, the group continued suicide bombings and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks against Shia Muslims. In July, for example, the media reported a Da’esh suicide bomber attacked a crowded marketplace in Diyala, Iraq and killed 115 people. The victims were mostly Shia, who had gathered in the market for the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to Da’esh in an audiotaped message in March 2015, continued to launch indiscriminate, violent attacks targeting both Christians and Muslims who spoke out against or opposed their violent ideology. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for scores of attacks on churches and mosques, often killing worshippers during religious services or immediately afterward.

The Syrian government and its Shia militia allies killed, arrested, and physically abused Sunnis and members of religious minority groups, intentionally destroying their property, according to numerous reports. As the insurgency increasingly became identified with the Sunni majority, according to experts, the government targeted towns and neighborhoods in various parts of the country for siege, mortar shelling, and aerial bombardment on the basis of the religious affiliation of residents. The government reportedly targeted places of worship, resulting in damage and destruction of numerous churches and mosques. Non-state actors, including a number of groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United States, such as Da’esh (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), and the Al-Nusra Front, targeted Shia, Alawites, Christians and other religious minorities, as well as other Sunnis. There were reports of sectarian violence due to tensions among religious groups, exacerbated by government actions, cultural rivalries, and sectarian rhetoric.

The result in the Levant, South Asia and northern Nigeria was continued mass migration of vulnerable communities out of areas controlled and threatened by violent extremism with a concordant loss in cultural richness and diversity.

Algeria
 

The constitution provides for freedom of conscience. It declares Islam to be the state religion and prohibits state institutions from behaving in a manner incompatible with Islam. The law grants all individuals the right to practice their religion as long as they respect public order and regulations. Offending the creed of Islam or its prophets is a criminal offense, as is insulting any religion. Proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims also constitutes a crime, although the government has not enforced this provision of the law in several years. The government sentenced a journalist in absentia for “offending the Prophet Muhammad,” and delayed the journalist’s appeal. There continued to be no developments in the cases of two Christians who had been arrested and tried in prior years for religious offenses. The government issued public statements opposing religious extremism and announced the replacement of volunteer imams at 55 mosques in Algiers for “spreading Salafism.” Christians received government permission in November to import Bibles and other devotional materials, after an 18-month wait. Christians reported continuing delays in obtaining visas for foreign religious workers. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb took responsibility for the killing of nine soldiers in Ain Defla Province in July. Senior government officials issued statements opposing calls for violence in the name of Islam made by the group, and similar calls by Jund al-Khalifa, a group allied with Da’esh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).

Ethno-religious tensions in the Ghardaia region erupted into clashes in July, reportedly resulting in at least 22 deaths. In January across the country hundreds of people demonstrated – mostly peacefully, according to media reports – in support of the Prophet Muhammad following publication of new cartoons depicting the Prophet in the first edition of Charlie Hebdo printed after the killing of its staff members by terrorists. The organizers said the demonstrations were to show participants did not support the Je suis Charlie global movement or the publication of cartoons of the Prophet, even while condemning the killings. There were reports of family members abusing Muslims who converted or expressed an interest in Christianity. Practitioners of non-Sunni-Muslim religions, including Christians and Jews, reported they had experienced threats and intolerance and often kept a low profile as a result.

Bahrain
 

The constitution declares Islam to be the official religion and sharia to be a principal source for legislation. It provides for freedom of conscience, the inviolability of places of worship, and freedom to perform religious rites. The constitution guarantees the right to express and publish opinions provided these do not infringe on the “fundamental beliefs of Islamic doctrine.” The law prohibits anti-Islamic publications and mandates imprisonment for “exposing the state’s official religion to offense and criticism.” The Sunni-led government continued to question, detain, and arrest Shia clerics, community members, and opposition politicians for defaming another religion, inciting hatred against another religious group, engaging in political speech in sermons, and allegedly supporting terrorism. The government also prosecuted Shia political figures on charges, which the international media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported were politically motivated. In June a criminal court sentenced Sheikh Ali Salman, Secretary General of the Shia opposition political society Wifaq, to a total of four years’ imprisonment on two separate charges of inciting hatred and promoting disobedience to the law in political speeches he had given in 2014. In August authorities arrested former Wifaq Member of Parliament (MP) Sheikh Hasan Isa on allegations his distribution of funds to families in his district had helped finance a terrorist bombing. In April the Court of Cassation upheld the dissolution of the Islamic Ulema Council (IUC), the main assembly of Shia clerics in the country, saying the IUC had used religion as a cover for political activity. The government stated it intervened in religious practices when it determined religious authorities were encouraging violence or sectarian hatred. The government investigated terrorist bombings from 2014 in which two persons were killed; 25 Shia were tried and convicted of perpetrating the attacks, with one defendant given the death penalty while the others received prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life. In February the government revoked the citizenship of 72 individuals accused of supporting terrorist organizations, including Sunnis who had left the country to fight on behalf of Da’esh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), as well as Shia clerics and human rights activists. The government allowed Ashura processions to occur, but questioned a number of clerics about politicizing their Ashura speeches. Non-Muslim groups said the government usually did not interfere with religious observances performed by registered non-Muslim institutions. The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) increased its security presence around Shia mosques following attacks on Shia mosques in other countries. The government continued to rebuild Shia mosques damaged in the 2011 unrest and to reinstate Shia workers who had lost their government employment following the unrest. Human rights activists said the Shia population experienced discrimination in access to government employment and educational opportunities.

Representatives of the Shia community reported discrimination against Shia in a variety of sectors, but representatives of non-Muslim religious groups reported continued general acceptance of their presence and activities. Anti-Shia commentary appeared in private broadcasts and publications and on social media, including allegations against leaders of the Wifaq of supporting terrorism. Local newspapers detailed vandalism at Shia mosques and the destruction of the grave of a Sufi leader following calls on social media to destroy it.

Egypt
 

The constitution describes freedom of belief as “absolute” but only provides adherents of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism the right to practice their religion freely and to build houses of worship. The government does not recognize conversion from Islam by citizens born Muslim to any other religion and imposes legal penalties on Muslim-born citizens who convert. While there is no legal ban on efforts to proselytize Muslims, the government uses the penal code’s prohibition of “denigrating religions” to prosecute those who proselytize publicly, often adopting an overly expansive interpretation of denigration, according to human rights groups. The constitution specifies Islam as the state religion and the principles of sharia as the primary source of legislation. It requires parliament to pass a law on the construction and renovation of Christian churches and provides for the establishment of an antidiscrimination commission, both of which had yet to be completed by year’s end. The government failed to respond to or prevent sectarian violence in some cases, in particular outside of major cities, according to rights advocates. Government officials frequently participated in informal “reconciliation sessions” to address incidents of sectarian violence and tension, saying such sessions prevented further violence. Such sessions, however, regularly led to outcomes unfavorable to minority parties, and precluded recourse to the judicial system in most cases, according to human rights groups. Some religious minorities reported an increase in harassment by government entities as compared with last year. Some government entities used anti-Shia, anti-Bahai, and anti-atheist rhetoric, and the government regularly failed to condemn anti-Semitic commentary. Actions of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi – seen by Christian leaders as positive signals that Christians are full members of Egyptian society – included calls for imams and scholars to promote tolerant Islamic teachings, a visit to the main Coptic Orthodox cathedral on Christmas Eve, and initiatives following the beheading of 20 Egyptian Copts in Libya by an affiliate of Da’esh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant). Government and religious institutions responded to Sisi’s call for tolerance with some efforts to limit language promoting sectarianism or violence. At the expense of the government, the military completed the rebuilding of 26 of the 78 churches and other Christian properties burned by Islamist-led mobs following the removal of the Muslim Brotherhood-led government in 2013.

Religious minorities continued to face significant threats of sectarian violence according to religious and human rights groups. One Muslim family reportedly killed a family member for her alleged conversion to Christianity. Individuals accused of denigration of religion often faced social intolerance and, in some cases, violence. Societal resistance to the building and rebuilding of churches occurred, including in El-‘Our where President Sisi had publicly approved the construction of a church in honor of the 20 Egyptian Copts killed in Libya. Societal anti-Semitic actions included desecration of a Jewish cemetery. Hateful speech against minority religious groups continued.

Iraq
 

The constitution declares Islam to be the official religion, and states no law may be enacted contradicting the “established provisions of Islam.” The constitution guarantees freedom of religious belief and practice for Muslims, and for Christians, Yezidis, and Sabaean-Mandeans. The law, however, prohibits the practice of the Bahai faith, and the Wahhabi branch of Sunni Islam. The constitution guarantees freedom from religious coercion and requires the government to maintain the sanctity of religious sites. There were reports of several instances of police or armed groups killing or physically abusing Sunni prisoners while in custody. International and local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) reported the government continued to use the anti-terrorism law as a pretense for detaining Sunnis without access to due process. Yezidi, Christian, and Sunni leaders continued to report harassment and abuses by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Peshmerga and Asayish forces. Media and government officials reported Peshmerga and Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) prevented displaced Sunni Arabs, Turkmen, and others from returning to their homes in some liberated areas. Representatives of minority religious communities reported the government did not generally interfere with religious observances and provided security for places of worship including churches, mosques, shrines, and religious pilgrimage sites and routes, but minority groups stated they also faced harassment and restrictions from the authorities in some regions. The KRG banned five imams for defamation of minority groups, but restricted the activities of some non-Muslim minorities in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR). Sunni Arabs reported some government officials used sectarian profiling in arrests and detentions and used religion as a determining factor in employment decisions. International human rights groups said the government failed to investigate and prosecute ethno-sectarian crimes, including those carried out by armed groups in areas liberated from Da’esh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).

Throughout the year, the government fought numerous battles to regain control of significant terrain lost to Da’esh. At the same time, Da’esh pursued a campaign of violence against members of all faiths, but against non-Sunnis in particular. In areas under its control, Da’esh continued to commit killings and mass executions, and to engage in rape, kidnapping, and detention, including mass abductions and enslavement of women and girls from minority religious communities. Da’esh also continued to engage in harassment, intimidation, robbery, and the destruction of personal property and religious sites. In areas not under Da’esh control, it continued suicide bombings and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attacks against all segments of society. Da’esh also targeted religious pilgrims and pilgrimage sites for attack. The United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) reported Da’esh IEDs caused at least 5,403 casualties (1,167 killed and 4,236 wounded), amounting to half of all verified casualties in the first half of the year.

According to media and human rights organizations, the deterioration of security conditions was accompanied by societal violence, mainly committed by sectarian armed groups, in many parts of the country. Armed groups continued to target Sunnis for execution-style killings and the destruction of homes and businesses. Non-Muslim minorities reported threats, pressure, and harassment to force them to observe Islamic customs. In many regions minority groups, whatever their religious adherence, said they experienced violence and harassment from the majority group in the region.

Palestinian Territories
 

The Occupied Territories, which include the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, are subject to the jurisdiction of Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), with the division of responsibilities overlapping in much of the territory. The PA Basic Law, which serves as an interim constitution, establishes Islam as the official religion, but calls for respect of “all other divine religions.” Visits by Jewish Temple Mount activists to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount during the Jewish High Holidays were preceded and followed by clashes between Israeli police and Muslim youth, in which at least 44 Palestinians and 13 police officers were injured. These clashes were followed in October by a wave of violence in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza in which 127 Palestinians and 16 Israelis were killed in these areas between October 1 and December 31. The violence also spread to Israel beyond West Jerusalem. Observers said political grievances made it hard to attribute the violence solely to religious disputes. The Israeli government, citing security, continued to impose intermittent restrictions on Palestinian access to some religious sites, including the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, and the Israeli National Police (INP) imposed an unprecedented eight-week long restriction on Muslim access beginning in August. The Israeli government, in accordance with the status quo agreement with the Jordanian authorities managing the site, acted to prevent non-Muslim worship at the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, but some Jews conducted religious rituals on the site in violation of the status quo agreement. Travel restrictions such as limited access for Palestinians between the West Bank and Jerusalem for Yom Kippur, along with further construction of the separation barrier, impeded the movements of Muslims and Christians. Israeli authorities permitted Muslims and Christians to pray at the Western Wall. They enforced gender separation for Jewish worshippers there. PA President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and other leaders condemned so-called “price tag” attacks (violence and property crimes by Jewish settler groups, directed against Muslim and Christian Palestinians and their religious sites), but the media reported authorities rarely prosecuted cases successfully. Proselytizing religious groups not recognized by the PA, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and evangelicals, had difficulty gaining acceptance of personal status documents they issued. Anti-Semitic material continued to appear in official PA media. Hamas, a U.S. designated terrorist organization with de facto control of Gaza, enforced restrictions on Gaza’s population based on its interpretation of Islam and sharia.

Apart from the wave of violence between October and December, there were other deaths and incidents of violence which perpetrators justified on religious grounds. In July Jewish settlers attacked a Palestinian home in the West Bank village of Duma killing three people and leaving a four-year child badly burned. Rock-throwing Palestinian youths attacked Jewish visitors to Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and Israeli security forces on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount on several occasions. Palestinians reportedly committed arson and vandalism against the Mount of Olives cemetery, Jerusalem’s Pitchei Olam Synagogue, and Joseph’s Tomb. Ultra-Orthodox Jews or Jews affiliated with Religious Zionism regularly harassed Christian clergy, Messianic Jews, and visitors and Jewish worshippers at religious sites who did not conform to Jewish Orthodox traditions. “Price tag” attacks by suspected Jewish militants included arson at a Greek Orthodox Patriarchate building near Jerusalem’s Old City and damage to a mosque outside Bethlehem in the West Bank.

Jordan
 

The constitution forbids discrimination on the basis of religion. The constitution stipulates that Islam is the “religion of the State,” but provides for freedom to practice one’s religion in accordance with the country’s customs unless this violates public order or morality. The government continued to deny official recognition to some religious groups, and continued to monitor citizens and foreign residents suspected of proselytizing to Muslims. Security officials occasionally interrogated converts to Christianity from Islam about their religious beliefs and practices. Members of unregistered groups faced legal discrimination and administrative hurdles. King Abdullah continued to call on citizens to respect what he termed was the country’s long history of religious tolerance and coexistence and stressed the government’s duty to protect all citizens and the country’s guests, including refugees, regardless of religion.

Converts to Christianity from Islam reported violence, ostracism, and discrimination. Individuals reported interfaith romantic relationships led to ostracism and, in some cases, feuds among family members and violence toward the individuals.

Kuwait
 

The constitution declares Islam to be the religion of the state, while saying the freedom of belief is “absolute.” It guarantees the state will protect the freedom to practice religion, provided such practice accords with established customs, and does not conflict with public policy or morals. Different provisions of the law prohibit the defamation of Islam, the publication or broadcast of material the government deems offensive to religious groups, and practices the government deems inconsistent with Islamic law. Da’esh (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in June, killing 26 people and injuring more than 200 others. The government put 29 individuals on trial in connection with the bombing, ultimately sentencing seven of them to death. Following the bombing, the government ordered the Shia community to commemorate Ashura and other holidays indoors and took other security measures affecting all non-Sunni religious groups. The government arrested and convicted several individuals for insulting Shia doctrine and interrogated several imams for making what it considered to be provocative statements harmful to national unity. Religious groups reported they could worship without government interference provided they did not disturb their neighbors; the government arrested 11 Hindus for conducting religious services following neighborhood complaints. Minority religious groups reported a lack of facilities for worship and difficulties obtaining permission to construct new facilities. Shia continued to report discrimination against them in terms of the training of clergy and employment in the public sector.

Minority religious leaders reported continued societal pressure against conversion from Islam. Self-proclaimed Islamists continued to engage in anti-Israeli rhetoric, which often had anti-Semitic overtones. Observers reported hotels, stores, and other businesses continued their past practice of acknowledging non-Muslim holidays with religious displays, and the media printed information about the religious significance of these holidays.

Lebanon
 

The constitution states there shall be absolute freedom of conscience and guarantees the free exercise of religious rites for all religious groups provided the public order is not disturbed. The constitution states there shall be a “just and equitable balance” in the apportionment of cabinet and high level civil service positions among the major religious groups, a situation reaffirmed by the Taef Agreement, which ended the country’s civil war and mandated equal representation between Christians and Muslims in the parliament. Some minority Christian groups complained they were not granted proportionate representation in the cabinet, high level civil service positions, or the parliament. In October Da’esh (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) killed seven Sunni religious figures in Arsal for cooperating with the government, and in November claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in Beirut, targeted at “heretics.” The bombings killed 43 and injured more than 200 people. The Shia militia Hizballah continued to exercise authority over large parts of the country, limiting access to the area under its control and harassing Sunnis they perceived to be a threat.

In June a special Islamic summit in Beirut publicly condemned violent and discriminatory practices by extremists and the use of coercion in religious matters, while reiterating the principle of pluralism in Muslim-Christian relations and intra-Muslim relations. Religious leaders of Muslim and Christian communities reported places of worship continued to operate in relative peace and security, and that relationships among individual members of different religious groups generally remained amicable.

Libya
 

The interim constitution states that Islam is the state religion and sharia is the principal source of legislation. It accords non‑Muslims the freedom to practice their religion. The government appointed by the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR) was based in the eastern city of Bayda, while competing self‑proclaimed authorities operated from Tripoli. While the constitution bans discrimination based on religion, the government did not prevent violent extremist groups from taking advantage of the country’s security vacuum to attack religious minorities, nor did it investigate crimes against religious minorities or religious sites. The government did not control large areas of the country, including the cities of Darnah and Sirte, where there were numerous reports of violent groups restricting religious practices, enforcing compliance with sharia according to their interpretation, and targeting those viewed as violating their standards.

In February a video on social media depicted the beheading of 21 Christians, 20 of them Egyptian Copts and the other a Ghanaian. Da’esh (the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) claimed responsibility for the killings. The group also claimed responsibility for the killing of 28 Ethiopian and Eritrean Christians in April, and a Sudanese Christian in October. Da’esh reportedly killed imams in Sirte and Ajdabiya for failing to swear allegiance to the organization. Da’esh also vandalized and destroyed Sufi religious sites on several occasions. The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) reported increased hostility towards Shia Muslims and Shia Islam since 2012 at various levels of Libyan society.

Morocco
 

The constitution declares the country to be a sovereign Muslim state and Islam to be the religion of the state. The constitution guarantees freedom of thought, expression, and assembly, and says the state guarantees the free exercise of beliefs to everyone. The constitution states the king is the protector of Islam and the guarantor of freedom of worship. It prohibits political parties, parliamentarians, and constitutional amendments from infringing upon Islam. The criminal code prohibits the use of “enticements” by non-Muslims to try to convert Muslims to another religion. The minister of justice reaffirmed the freedom to change religions as long as no coercion was involved, but said Christian evangelism remained prohibited because missionaries had offered material inducements to the poor to convert them. The government reportedly detained and questioned Moroccan Christians about their beliefs and contacts with other Moroccan Christians, including incidents in Rabat and Fes. The government also continued to deny registration to local Christian, Shia, and Bahai groups. Representatives of minority religious groups said fears of government surveillance led adherents of the Christian, Bahai, and Shia faiths to refrain from public worship and instead to meet discreetly in members’ homes. The government allowed foreign Christian communities to attend worship services in approved locations. The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (MEIA) continued to control the content of sermons in mosques, Islamic religious education, and the dissemination of Islamic religious material by the broadcast media. The government continued to restrict the distribution of non-Islamic religious materials, as well as Islamic materials it deemed inconsistent with the Maliki-Ashari school of Sunni Islam. The government arrested several individuals for eating in public during Ramadan.

Although Jews said they continued to live and worship in safety, participants in a pro-Palestinian rally in Casablanca in October staged a mock execution of individuals dressed as Hasidic Jews. Christians reported pressure to convert from non-Christian family and friends. Two Muslim actors received death threats for appearing in a U.S.-made movie about the life of Jesus. Members of the Shia community said in some areas they were able to practice their faith openly, but most members of the community practiced discreetly. Bahais reportedly practiced their faith discreetly and avoided disclosing their religious affiliation.

Oman
 

The Basic Law declares Islam to be the state religion but prohibits discrimination based on religion and protects the right of individuals to practice religious rites as long as doing so does not “disrupt public order or contradict morals.” According to the law, it is a criminal offense to “defame” any faith. Proselytizing in public places is illegal. The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs (MERA) monitored sermons and distributed approved texts for all Ibadhi and Sunni imams. Non-Muslim groups reported they were able to worship freely in private homes and government-approved houses of worship, although limited space continued to create crowded conditions. The MERA supported construction of a new building for the use of Orthodox Christians. The MERA continued to require religious groups to request approval before publishing or importing religious texts.

The Protestant-run interfaith group Al Amana Center sponsored exchange programs for leaders of religious communities to increase interfaith dialogue.

Qatar
 

The constitution states Islam is the state religion and sharia shall be “a main source” of legislation. It guarantees the freedom to practice religious rites in accordance with “the maintenance of public order and morality.” The law recognizes only Islam, Christianity, and Judaism; non-Abrahamic religious groups had no legal mechanism to register or establish official houses of worship. The law provides for prison sentences for blasphemy against Islam, Christianity, or Judaism and criminalizes proselytizing on behalf of any religion other than Islam. The government allowed members of unregistered religious groups to worship privately and permitted eight registered Christian denominations to worship publicly at the Mesaymir Religious Complex. In October the Evangelical Churches Alliance Qatar (ECAQ) broke ground on the country’s first new church in several years. In February government-owned Qatar TV transmitted a live broadcast of a Friday sermon read by a Saudi cleric which included anti-Semitic remarks; the government subsequently refused further requests by the same cleric to preach in the country. While the government continued to monitor print and social media for religious material it considered objectionable, journalists reportedly practiced self-censorship to remove material the government could consider hostile to Islam.

In May a crowd of Indian nationals at a local mall assaulted another Indian for allegedly posting comments hostile to Islam on a social media site. The government investigated the incident and reportedly took steps to defuse tensions. Members of some noncitizen resident communities harassed other members of those communities for posting anti-Islamic sentiments on the internet. Some privately owned newspapers continued to publish anti-Semitic political cartoons.

Saudi Arabia
 

Sunni Islam is the official religion, and the country’s constitution is the Quran and the Sunna, or traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. The legal system is based on the Hanbali School of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence, and freedom of religion is not addressed in the law. The law criminalizes “calling for atheist thought,” “calling into question the Islamic religion,” and “sowing discord in society.” One citizen was publicly lashed 50 times in accordance with a sentence based on his 2013 conviction for violating Islamic values, violating sharia, committing blasphemy, and mocking religious symbols on the internet. The government imprisoned individuals accused of apostasy and blasphemy, violating Islamic values, insulting Islam, black magic, sorcery, and “immoral activity.” The government sentenced at least two individuals to death for apostasy and blasphemy, and both sentences were pending appeal at year’s end. Citing rules on activities such as gender mixing, noise disturbances, and immigration violations, the government harassed, detained, arrested, and occasionally deported some foreign residents who participated in private non-Islamic religious activities. Instances of prejudice and discrimination against Shia Muslims continued to occur with respect to access to public services and equitable representation in government, educational and public-sector employment opportunities, and judicial matters. Shia clerics and activists who advocated for equal treatment of Shia Muslims were arrested, and at least one Shia cleric awaited execution after being convicted on charges of “violent opposition” to the government. The government continued to censor or block media content it deemed objectionable, and employed religious police to enforce public morality. The government did not recognize the freedom to practice publicly any non-Muslim religions. The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV) continued to receive criticism in both traditional and social media for aggressive policing. The government did not complete its project with the stated aim of removing content disparaging religions other than Islam from textbooks, although it continued to phase in a newly revised curriculum.

Local affiliates of Da’esh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) claimed to have conducted at least five attacks against Shia targets in the country during the year. The government condemned and investigated the attacks, and increased security at Shia places of worship.

Instances of societal prejudice and discrimination against Shia Muslims continued regarding private-sector employment. Social media provided an outlet to discuss current events and religious issues, which sometimes included making disparaging remarks about members of religious groups. Editorial cartoons exhibited anti-Semitism characterized by the use of stereotypical images of Jews along with Jewish symbols, particularly at times of heightened political tension with Israel.

Syria
 

The constitution declares the state shall respect all religions and shall ensure the freedom to perform religious rituals as long as these “do not disturb the public order.” There is no official state religion. Membership in certain types of religiously oriented organizations is illegal and punishable to different degrees, including by imprisonment or death. The government and its Shia militia allies killed, arrested, and physically abused Sunnis and members of targeted religious minority groups as part of its effort to defeat the armed insurrection mounted by opposition groups. As the insurgency increasingly became identified with the Sunni population, the government reportedly targeted towns and neighborhoods for siege, mortar shelling, and aerial bombardment on the basis of the religious affiliation of residents. The government reportedly targeted places of worship, resulting in damage and destruction of numerous churches and mosques. The government continued to monitor sermons, close mosques between prayers, and limit the activities of religious groups. It said the armed resistance comprised “extreme Islamist factions” and terrorists. According to international media reports, a number of minority religious groups viewed the government as their protector against violent Sunni extremists.

Nonstate actors, including a number of groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United States and other governments, such as Da’esh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) and the al-Nusra Front (ANF), targeted Shia, Alawites, Christians, and other religious minorities, as well as other Sunnis, with killings, kidnappings, torture, and arrests in the areas of the country under their control. Da’esh killed more than 60 Christians and other members of religious minorities through public executions, crucifixions and beheadings of men, women, and children on charges of apostasy, blasphemy, and cursing God. In Raqqa Da’esh held thousands of enslaved Yezidi women and girls kidnapped in Iraq and trafficked to Syria to be sold or distributed to Da’esh fighters as “spoils of war” because of their religious beliefs. Da’esh punished individuals with lashing or imprisonment for lesser religious offenses, such as insulting the Prophet or failing to comply with standards of grooming and dress. Da’esh required Christians to convert, flee, pay a special tax, or face execution. It destroyed churches, Shia shrines, and other religious heritage sites. Da’esh used its own police force, court system, and revised school curriculum to enforce and spread its interpretation of Islam. The ANF was responsible for killing more than 20 Druze and Christians as “infidels” in separate incidents. The ANF also continued to indoctrinate children with its interpretation of Salafi-jihadist Islam including through schools and youth training camps.

There were reports of sectarian violence due to tensions among religious groups, exacerbated by government actions, cultural rivalries, and sectarian rhetoric. Alawites reportedly faced attacks because other minority groups believed government policy favored Alawites. Christians reportedly continued to experience decreasing social tolerance and increasing violence including kidnappings as the influence of extremist groups increased. Previously religiously heterogeneous neighborhoods, towns, and villages continued to become segregated by religious group as displaced members of minority religious groups relocated, seeking greater security and safety by living with coreligionists.

Tunisia
 

The constitution declares the country’s religion to be Islam but also declares the country to be a “civil state.” The constitution designates the government as the “guardian of religion” and obligates the state to disseminate the values of “moderation and tolerance.” It prohibits the use of mosques and houses of worship to advance political agendas or objectives, and guarantees freedom of belief, conscience, and exercise of religious practice. Following deadly terrorist attacks in March and June, the government closed 80 mosques, which it said were built without proper authorization or whose imams it accused of preaching extremist theology, as well as 80 Islamic associations it accused of extremism. The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MRA) dismissed 20 imams it accused of preaching radical ideology or conducting inappropriate activities inside mosques. The prime minister’s office issued a warning it might suspend the Hizb al-Tahrir political party (Liberation Party) if the party did not cease its activities aimed at creating an Islamic caliphate ruled by Islamic law. The government continued to allow the Jewish and Christian communities to worship freely.

Terrorist attacks on March 18 at the Bardo Museum in Tunis and on June 26 at two hotels in Sousse resulted in the deaths of 22 and 38 people respectively, many of them foreigners. A terrorist attack on November 24 in Tunis killed 12 members of the presidential guard. Da’esh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) claimed responsibility for the attacks, although reports suggested members of local terrorist groups had perpetrated them.

Christian converts from Islam said threats of violence from members of their families and other persons reflected societal pressure against Muslims leaving the faith. In March unknown individuals damaged the grave of 18th century Jewish author and scholar Rabbi Masseoud Elfassi.

United Arab Emirates
 

The constitution designates Islam as the official religion. It guarantees freedom of worship as long as this does not conflict with public policy or morals, and states all persons are equal before the law. The law prohibits blasphemy, proselytizing by non-Muslims, and conversion from Islam. A new antidiscrimination law includes prohibitions on religious discrimination, but also criminalizes acts the government interprets as provoking religious hatred or insulting religions. The government reportedly arrested and prosecuted citizens it considered extremist. According to media accounts, the government revoked residency permits for more than 100 noncitizen Shia Muslims, mostly of Iranian and Syrian nationality, during the year, primarily out of security concerns. Sources reported at least one case of an expatriate Christian deported for discussing his faith with other persons. Some prison sentences reportedly were reduced if a non-Muslim converted to Islam. The General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) continued to provide guidance for the content of sermons in Sunni mosques. Individuals belonging to non-Islamic faiths said they could worship in private without government interference but faced restrictions on practicing their religion in public. Government-controlled internet service providers blocked access to websites critical of Islam or supportive of views the government considered extremist. The government issued statements to promote religious tolerance and to counter what it termed extremism. Christian churches and Hindu and Sikh temples serving the noncitizen population operated on land donated by the ruling families, who donated additional land to build more churches and a Hindu temple. Noncitizen religious groups said the capacity was still insufficient, however, to meet demand. Other minority religious groups conducted religious ceremonies in private homes.

According to non-Islamic religious groups, there was a high degree of tolerance within society for minority religious beliefs and traditions, although societal attitudes and behavior discouraged conversion from Islam, while encouraging conversion to Islam. Observers reported anti-Semitic materials continued to be available for purchase at some book fairs. There were continued reports of users posting anti-Semitic remarks on some social media sites.

Yemen
 

The constitution declares Islam to be the state religion and sharia the source of all legislation. It provides for freedom of thought and expression “within the limits of the law,” but omits mention of freedom of religion. The law prohibits denunciation of Islam, conversion from Islam to another religion, and proselytizing directed at Muslims. Conflict escalated between the government and the Houthi-led Ansar Allah, a Zaydi Shia movement allied with elements loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, which expanded from its base in the northwest to establish control over large portions of the country, including Sana’a. The government went into exile in March, leaving it unable to exercise effective control over religious affairs inside the country. Attacks by terrorist groups such as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) included bombings of Zaydi mosques, which resulted in deaths and injuries to worshippers. No information was available on whether a Bahai previously taken into custody by the government for apostasy, proselytizing, and allegedly spying for Israel, remained in prison following the rebel takeover of Sana’a. Prior to the outbreak of military conflict in March, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Ethiopian Orthodox Christian religious services continued to take place without government interference.

Zaydi and Sunni religious leaders continued to use charges of apostasy to target opponents. Jewish leaders reported continued social harassment of their community in Amran, including coercion to convert to Islam.