In a landmark ruling, the Home Office granted asylum to an Afghan atheist yesterday. This is reportedly the first time non-belief has been the basis for receiving asylum in the UK. The 23-year-old, who had been raised Muslim, had turned to atheism in the seven years he had lived in the UK, and feared persecution if forced to return to Afghanistan.

While the Afghan criminal code does not mention apostasy – the 2004 Constitution actually guarantees that people are free to practice any faith – Sharia law is used to give judgements on matters related to religion. The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) reports that apostasy from Islam is considered a serious offence in the country, and may even result in the death penalty.

Afghanistan, of course, is not the only nation where atheists are in danger. The IHEU’s recently published Freedom of Thought Report states that an overwhelming majority of countries in the world fail to respect the rights of atheists and freethinkers. Besides Afghanistan, atheists and other apostates face a possible death sentence in these countries:

  • Iran: Frequent executions of people found guilty of moharebeh (enmity against God) and anti-Islamic propaganda.
  • Mauritania: Penal code outlaws apostasy, punishable by death if the accused does not repent in three days
  • Maldives: All Maldivian citizens are required by law to be Muslim. Leaving the religion is punishable by death.
  • Nigeria: Under some Islamist controlled areas, apostasy is a capital offence.
  • Saudi Arabia: Apostasy from Wahhabi Sunni Islam punishable by death, as are blasphemy offences. Frequent executions.
  • Somalia: Especially in areas controlled by the Al-Shabaab, apostasy is punishable by death.
  • Sudan: Apostasy punishable by death, however, executions rarely take place
  • UAE: Apostasy from Islam is punishable by death. However, no known prosecutions in court have taken place.
  • Qatar: Converting from Islam is a capital offence. However, there have not been recorded punishments since the country’s independence.
  • Yemen: Apostasy from Islam is punishable by death, but government does not enforce the death penalty.

Many other nations curb basic freedoms of speech and expression, and actively discourage criticising mainstream religions. Offending the feelings of believers can result in prison sentences in countries such as Russia and Poland, and the privilege of a particular religious thought is enshrined in law in many nations, for example Malta. In such cases, the easily offended religious institutions are closely tied in with the government, so punishing freethinkers is a useful tool for both authorities to remain in power and deter dissent. We've been tracking these cases in our World of Blasphemy series.

But, couldn’t atheists just “keep quiet” about their lack of faith? The Afghan atheist’s lawyers argued that because “every aspect of daily life and culture in Afghanistan is permeated by Islam living discreetly would be virtually impossible”. This is not the first case where staying discreet has been ruled an unreasonable option. In 2012, the European Court of Justice stated that Ahmadis were persecuted in Pakistan, and that they couldn't be expected to remain discreet about their beliefs. In the UK in 2010, the Supreme Court granted asylum to two gay men from Cameroon and Iran on the grounds that it would be unreasonable to expect that they could remain discreet about their sexual orientation. The same right to live peacefully in the open should extend also to the godless.

There should be no doubt that the right to not believe ought to be as protected as the right to choose your god. Yesterday's asylum decision therefore is an immensely positive development. As Andrew Copson from the British Humanist Association commented on the BBC: “It is great to see Britain showing a lead in defending the human rights of the non-religious in the same way.”