A/HRC/4/21/Add.3 page 10 studies at madrassas abroad and some were of the view that the creation of the political party system could result in some parties campaigning on political platforms based on more fundamental ideas about Islam. Additionally, some of her interlocutors expressed their concern about the possibility of foreigners trying to carry out missionary work in the country. 31. The Special Rapporteur is impressed by the desire of the Maldivian people to preserve national unity, but is concerned that the concept of national unity appears to have become inextricably linked to that of religious unity, which some of her interlocutors seemed to equate with religious homogeneity. She recognizes that almost all Maldivians are indeed Muslim. However, she considers that some of the laws and policies that have been implemented to preserve religious unity have the potential to violate freedom of religion or belief, and may in some instances have resulted in actual violations thereof, particularly in the case of certain vulnerable groups including migrant workers and other foreigners and persons in detention. A. Freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief 32. “[T]he freedom ‘to have or to adopt’ a religion or belief necessarily entails the freedom to choose a religion or belief, including the right to replace one’s current religion or belief with another or to adopt atheistic views”, observed the Human Rights Committee in paragraph 5 of its general comment No. 22. It also includes the right to be free from any coercion in matters of religion or belief. The freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief cannot be limited or restricted under any circumstances. In the Maldivian context, the President has been quoted as saying that all Maldivians are born Muslim and although the “Law on the Protection of the Religious Unity of Maldivians” does not expressly require Maldivians to be Muslim, it presumes that all Maldivians are Muslim. Apostasy, or the formal renunciation of Islam, is a criminal offence under applicable, although uncodified, sharia law. 33. The Special Rapporteur received anecdotal information about a relatively small number of Maldivians who had converted away from Islam. She was informed that these individuals had not been able to admit to converting due to the potential social and legal ramifications. She was informed that on the rare occurrences in which Maldivians have been suspected of having converted to another religion, they have not been formally charged with apostasy, but have been detained and subjected to coercion in order to encourage or force them to reaffirm their faith in Islam. She was also informed that individuals suspected of having converted to another religion have been subjected to verbal abuse by members of the population. In theory a Maldivian residing abroad could change religion, but as a result, he or she would be denied a number of important political rights. 34. There is no bar on non-Muslim foreigners converting to Islam. Indeed, the Special Rapporteur received information about a number of foreign prisoners who converted to Islam while in custody. The Special Rapporteur also notes that the Family Law prohibits Maldivian women from marrying non-Muslim foreigners, whereas it allows Maldivian men to marry non-Muslim foreigners, as permitted by the sharia. B. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or belief 35. The right to freedom of religion or belief includes the freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or in private, to manifest one’s religion or belief in