![]() Federal regulations designed to reduce COVID-19 transmission continued to prohibit practices affecting Christian churches, such as receiving communion. COVID-19 related restrictions disproportionately impacted unlicensed religious organizations that normally congregated in cinemas and hotels but could no longer do so because of social distancing regulations and closures. According to leaders of some communities, restrictions on the number of attendees per religious service put undue burdens on non-Muslim faiths due to the limited number of houses of worship non-Muslim communities were permitted. Limits on capacity, however, remained stricter on places of worship than on businesses and entertainment venues. Authorities permitted all houses of worship to return to 50 percent capacity in August. Prayer halls were open to Muslim men throughout the year and authorities reopened prayer halls for Muslim women in June. Dubai authorities eased COVID-19 restrictions gradually during the year. In February, the Dubai CDA granted an official license to the Jewish congregation “Gates of the East,” making it the first and only Jewish congregation with CDA recognition. In September, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Church of Jesus Christ) began consultations for official recognition from the Dubai Community Development Authority (CDA) in anticipation of building a temple in Dubai on government-granted land at what will be the former site of the Expo 2020 following that event’s conclusion in 2022. In May, the public prosecutor’s office released a video on social media highlighting the penalties for acts of witchcraft and sorcery. Despite changes to federal laws removing penalties for adultery or consensual extramarital sex, in August the Supreme Federal Court rejected the appeal of a woman from Sharjah convicted of consensual extramarital sex, finding that local prohibitions were still applicable, even in the absence of any federal penalty. The government, having designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization in 2014, in September designated four members of al-Islah, a Muslim Brotherhood affiliate, as terrorists. An antidiscrimination law includes prohibitions on religious discrimination and criminalizes acts the government interprets as provoking religious hatred or insulting religions. The law prohibits blasphemy and proselytizing by non-Muslims. According to the constitution, sharia is the principal source of legislation, although the judicial system applies both sharia and civil law, depending on the case. It states all persons are equal before the law and prohibits discrimination on grounds of religious belief. It guarantees freedom of worship as long as it does not conflict with public policy or morals. The constitution states that Islam is the country’s official religion. Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. ![]()
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