Qatar, Arabian Peninsula
Population: 863,051
Christians: 9% (expatriates)
Dominant Religion: Sunni Islam
Persecution Ranking: 18th
Political Leader: Amir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Religious Freedom in Constitution: Yes
Qatar is in the process of introducing a new constitution, which establishes a partly elected legislative council. However the Emir has the right to veto new laws but must propose amendments to the council to address his concerns. The constitution includes religious freedom. There is no national church in Qatar. Expatriate churches were granted legal status in 2003, which allows them to apply for religious visas for full-time pastors, rent property, and operate bank accounts in the name of the church. One remaining problem is that they are required to have 1,000 members before their registration is accepted. Smaller fellowships must register as societies or clubs. During 2003, four expatriate pastors and their families were deported.
