Abu Dhabi: The US Department of State, in its International Religious Freedom Report for 2012, has praised the efforts of the UAE to protect religious freedom in practice and freedom of religious belief.
The recently-released report noted that the constitution of the UAE guarantees the freedom to exercise religious worship in accordance with established customs, provided that it does not conflict with public policy or violate public morals as Islam is the official religion of the UAE.
It further noted that the constitution of the UAE stipulates that all citizens are equal before the law, without discrimination between citizens on grounds of religious belief.
The UAE government follows a policy of tolerance toward followers of major religions who can exercise religious worship without interference from the government.
The report praised the efforts being made by the UAE government to encourage citizens to avoid tendencies and ideologies considered to be extremist.
An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the UAE is working on improving its human rights record, and on contributing to and positively interacting with the relevant international practices.
The source explained that this interest stems from the values upheld by the UAE and its heritage, which promote justice, tolerance and equality for all.
