25 Islamic countries have anti-apostasy laws that criminalize leaving the religion of Islam, and many more also have anti-blasphemy laws that criminalize speech or actions that are insulting to the religion.

Many Islamic countries outlaw apostasy (abandoning Islam) with the penalty of death

by Edward Ulrich, updated September 13, 2022



View a compilation of videos explaining how the death penalty for apostasy is enforced in Islamic countries.

[Editor’s note: September 13, 2022— YouTube has been continuing its agenda of making videos require an adult login if they contain information that the political Establishment does not want to be know, such as with this video.  I was mostly naive about issues with Islam for many years, where I knew that it had problems, but I thought that such problems were “cultural remnants” that would soon dissipate.  I didn’t realize that its problems are enforced with the death penalty!  I wonder how many Westerners even know that, apparently not many of them do.  Good for Bill Maher for speaking out about that.]










A Pew Research article explains that 25 countries have anti-apostasy laws that criminalize leaving Islam, and many more also have anti-blasphemy laws that criminalize speech or actions that are insulting to the religion.


Following is selected information from this Wikipedia article about the matter:

“As of 2014, only Muslim countries criminalize public apostasy, and their apostasy laws only concern apostasy from Islam, citing Islamic law as justification.  Of these countries, 11 were located in the Middle East.  No country in the Americas or Europe had any law forbidding the renunciation of a religious belief or restricting the freedom to choose one’s religion.  Furthermore, across the globe, no country with Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, agnostic or atheist majority had any criminal or civil laws forbidding or encouraging apostasy, or had laws restricting an individual’s right to convert from one religion to another.”

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The following countries have criminal statutes that forbid apostasy or prosecute it under other laws:

Afghanistan - Illegal (death penalty, though the U.S. and other coalition members have put pressure that has prevented recent executions)

Brunei - Per recently enacted Sharia law, Section 112(1) of the Brunei Penal Code states that a Muslim who declares himself non-Muslim commits a crime that is punishable with death, or with up to 30 year imprisonment, depending on the type of evidence.  However, if the accused has recanted his conversion, he may be acquitted of the crime of apostasy.

Jordan - possibly illegal (fine, jail, child custody loss, marriage annulment) although officials claim otherwise, convictions are recorded for apostasy.

Kuwait - Apostasy is not illegal in Kuwait, although apostasy is penalized in family courts for Muslims.&bsp; For Muslims, apostasy in family court can result in loss of child custody, inheritance rights and normally annulment if married to a Muslim.

Malaysia - Illegal in five of thirteen states (fines) if they do not get conversion permission from Sharia court.

Maldives - Illegal for Muslim nationals (loss of citizenship).  Illegal to proselytize for religions other than Islam.

Mauritania - Illegal (death penalty if still apostate after 3 days)

Morocco - Not illegal, but official Islamic council decreed apostates should be put to death. Illegal to proselytize for religions other than Islam (15 years’ imprisonment)

Oman - Illegal (prison) according to Article 209 of Oman penal code, and denies child custody rights under Article 32 of Personal Status Law.

Pakistan - Not illegal, but apostates vulnerable to charges of blasphemy, a potential capital offense.

Qatar - Illegal (death penalty)

Saudi Arabia - Illegal (death penalty, although there have been no recently reported executions)

Somalia - Illegal (death penalty)

Sudan - Illegal (death penalty)

United Arab Emirates - Illegal (3 years’ imprisonment, flogging, death penalty)

Yemen - Illegal (death penalty)