UAE clamps down on unofficial churches

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple during his mid-February visit. This was seen as a positive step towards official acceptance of religions other than Islam in the UAE. But not everyone is benefitting from greater tolerance.Since mid-2017 the authorities in Dubai have been clamping down on unofficial Christian gatherings, in a campaign that appears to have been stepped up in recent weeks. Last year, religious services and meetings regularly held in school halls were targeted.