Yemen
(1999)
Section I. Freedom of Religion
The Constitution declares Islam the state religion and
Shari'a (Islamic law) as the source of all legislation. Followers of other
religions are free to worship according to their beliefs and to wear
religiously distinctive ornaments or dress; however, the Government forbids
conversions, requires permission for the construction of new places of
worship, and prohibits non-Muslims from proselytizing.
Virtually all citizens are Muslims, either of the Zaydi
order of Shi'a Islam or the Shafa'i order of Sunni Islam, representing
approximately 25 percent and 75 percent of the total population,
respectively. There are also a few thousand Ismailis in the north. Private
Islamic organizations may maintain ties to pan-Islamic organizations and
operate schools, but the Government monitors their activities.
Almost all Christians are temporary foreign residents,
except for a few families living in Aden that trace their origins to India.
There are a few Hindus in Aden who also trace their origins to India. There
are several churches and Hindu places of worship in Aden, but no non-Muslim
public places of worship exist in the former North Yemen, largely because
northern Yemen does not have a history of a large, resident foreign
community as in the south. However, Christian church services are held
regularly without harassment in private homes or facilities, such as
schools, and these facilities appear adequate to accommodate the small
numbers involved. Some members of the security forces occasionally censor
the mail of Christian clergy who minister to the foreign community,
ostensibly to prevent proselytizing.
Nearly all of the country's once sizable Jewish
population has emigrated. There are no legal restrictions on the few
hundred Jews who remain, although there are traditional restrictions on
places of residence and choice of employment (see Section II).
Approximately 500 Jews are scattered in a handful of villages between
Sana'a and Saada in northern Yemen.
Although the Government does not allow the building of
new non-Muslim public places of worship without permission, in 1998 the
country established diplomatic relations with the Vatican and agreed to the
construction and operation of a "Christian center" in Sana'a.
Public schools provide instruction in Islam but not in
other religions. However, almost all non-Muslims are foreigners who attend
private schools.
Christian missionaries operate in Yemen and most are
dedicated to the provision of medical services; others are employed in
teaching and social services. Invited by the Government, the Sisters of
Charity run homes for the poor and disabled in Sana'a, Taiz, Hodeida, and
Aden. The Government has asked the Vatican to open additional Sisters of
Charity facilities. The Government issues residence visas to priests so
that they may provide for the community's religious needs. There is also a
German Christian charitable mission in Hodeida and a Dutch Christian
medical mission in Saada. An American Baptist congregation has run a
hospital in Jibla for over 30 years. The Anglican Church also runs a
charitable clinic. An American nongovernmental organization (NGO) run by
the Seventh-Day Adventists works in the governorate of Hodeida.
Under Islam, the conversion of a Muslim to another
religion is considered apostasy, a crime punishable by death. There were no
reports of cases in which the crime has been charged or prosecuted by
government authorities. In 1997 the security forces detained for several
months an Ethiopian refugee for actions deemed incompatible with his
refugee status and sought his relocation abroad. There were unconfirmed
reports that those actions included public proselytizing, although such a
formal charge was never made. As soon as the United Nations High Commission
for Refugees (UNHCR) raised its concerns with the Government, he was
released to await relocation abroad.
Following unification of North and South Yemen in 1990,
owners of property previously expropriated by the Communist government of
the former People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, including religious
organizations, were invited to seek restitution of their property. However,
implementation of the process, including for religious institutions, has
been extremely limited, and very few properties have been returned to any
previous owner.
There was no change in the status of respect for
religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
There were no reports of religious detainees or
prisoners.
There were no reports of the forced religious conversion
of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the
United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be
returned to the United States.
Section II. Societal Attitudes
The country is so overwhelmingly Muslim in composition
that societal discrimination is extremely limited due to the very small
numbers of religious minorities. There were no reported incidents of
violence or discrimination between the adherents of the two main orders,
Zaydi and Shafa'i Islam. Religiously motivated violence is neither incited
nor tolerated by the Islamic clergy and leaders.
The tiny number of religious minorities generally live
in harmony with their Muslim neighbors. Apart from a small but undetermined
number of Christians and Hindus of South Asian origin in Aden, Jews are the
only indigenous religious minority. Their numbers have diminished
significantly--from several tens of thousands to a few hundred--due to
voluntary emigration over the last 50 years. Although the law makes no
distinction, Jews traditionally are restricted to living in one section of
a city or village and often are confined to a limited choice of employment,
usually farming or handicrafts (primarily silver working). They are
respected for their craftsmanship and their silver work is highly prized.
Jews may, and do, own land. Traditionally the tribal leaders of the regions
in which the Jews have resided are responsible for protecting the Jews in
their areas. A failure to provide this protection is considered a serious
personal dishonor. There are no longer credible reports of a Baha'i
community in northern Yemen.
Christian clergy who minister to the foreign community
are employed in teaching, social services, and health care.
In July 1998, a gunman murdered three nuns belonging to
the Sisters of Charity order in Hodeidah. The Government took swift action
and immediately arrested the individual, who the Government declared was
deranged. The attack did not appear to be part of an organized campaign
against Christians or foreigners.
A hospital in Jibla operated by the Baptist Church
experienced occasional threats and harassment from local Islamic extremists
who feared that the hospital might be used to spread Christianity. There
have been no reports of threats by extremists in several years, and the
hospital enjoys widespread community support.
Section III. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Embassy maintains an active dialog on human
rights issues with the Government, NGO's, and others, and discusses
religious freedom issues in the overall context of the promotion of human
rights. Embassy officers, including the Ambassador, meet periodically with
representatives of the Jewish and Christian communities.
The Embassy (along with the UNHCR) raised with the
Government its concerns regarding an Ethiopian refugee who was detained for
actions deemed incompatible with his refugee status, reportedly including
proselytizing (see Section I). The refugee was released to await relocation
abroad.
Sources: U.S. State Department - Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor |