Apostasy in Islam by country

This article is about the situation of actual or purported apostates from Islam (ex-Muslims) in each individual country. For a general description of the religious and legal meaning and implications of the concept and process of apostasy from Islam, see Apostasy in Islam. For the sociological perspectives of ex-Muslims, see Ex-Muslims. For organisations by and for ex-Muslims, see List of ex-Muslim organisations.

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Penalties (actual or proposed) for apostasy in some Muslim-majority countries as of 2020

The situation for apostates from Islam varies markedly between Muslim-minority and Muslim-majority regions.[1] In Muslim-minority countries, "any violence against those who abandon Islam is already illegal". But in some Muslim-majority countries, religious violence is "institutionalised", and (at least in 2007) "hundreds and thousands of closet apostates" live in fear of violence and are compelled to live lives of "extreme duplicity and mental stress."[2]

  1. ^ Schirrmacher, Christine (2020). "Chapter 7: Leaving Islam". In Enstedt, Daniel; Larsson, Göran; Mantsinen, Teemu T. (eds.). Handbook of Leaving Religion. Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion. Vol. 18. Leiden: Brill Publishers. pp. 81–95. doi:10.1163/9789004331471_008. ISBN 978-90-04-33092-4. ISSN 1874-6691.
  2. ^ Eteraz, Ali (17 September 2007). "Supporting Islam's apostates". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2007.