— Forum 18 reports:
— “On 18 November the Maldives parliament, the Majlis, unanimously approved in the initial stages a bill banning all non-Muslim places of worship, with proposed penalties for those who violate the Law of large fines and long imprisonment, Forum 18 News Service notes. As some Majlis members pointed out, the Constitution already bans non-Muslims from being Maldivian citizens and any laws contrary to any ‘tenet of Islam’ – as the Maldives’ repressive government understands this – so the proposed Law does not in practice add new restrictions to Maldivians’ freedom of religion or belief. Nevertheless, Majlis members unanimously sent the bill to a committee for further work. President Mohamed Nasheed’s Office has stated that, if the bill is eventually passed, he would probably sign it.”
— see also Forum 18 October 2008: “Maldives: Religious freedom survey, October 2008”

R.E.A.L. Reports on Maldives:

Maldives: Adhaalath calls for sharia law punishments in penal code

Maldives Government Creating New Extremist Sharia Code — Parliament Members Decry Lack of Sharia-Based Death Penalty

Maldives: 150 Muslim women face adultery flogging on Maldives

Maldives: Woman gets 100 lashes in public, house arrest in Sharia punishment — govt says Maldives too “squeamish” for other Sharia penalties