Christians in Mauritania who were arrested for holding a baptism ceremony which caused an outrage among the Muslims, have been released.
About 18 of them, alongside their family members, were arrested by officials in the country after the Muslims demanded that they (Christians) should be punished in November, 2023.
A Christian leader in the community, in a chat with Christian Daily International, said that the Christians were not given any charges.
The leader said, “They (arrested Christians) have been asked to go home and believe what they want, but in private and discreetly. It seems that our brothers have more to fear from the Islamists than from their government. Thank God for this happy ending.”
Though there is no law against evangelism in the country, officials restrict any public display of faith aside from Islam. According to the US State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom Report (IRFR), non-Muslim religious services in the country are only permitted by foreigners, and it is not legal for citizens to attend.
However, the possessions of religious materials that are non-Islamic are not illegal but there are restrictions on the printing and distribution of such materials.
Despite the ban on non-Islamic activities in the country, Mauritania is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which gives everyone the “freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of their choice.”
The report added, “Authorized churches were able to conduct services within their premises but could not proselytize. An unofficial government requirement restricted non-Islamic worship to the few recognized Christian churches.”
On Open Doors 2023 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Mauritania is on number 20.
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