Humanists UK at the UN: Qatar must abolish the death penalty for apostasy

In an intervention during the Universal Periodic Review of Qatar at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Humanists UK urged the Gulf State to abolish the death penalty for apostasy. Humanists UK welcomed calls from member states for Qatar to repeal capital punishment and uphold freedom of religion or belief for all.

The intervention was delivered via video by Humanists UK representative Jed Simister:

‘In Qatar, converting from the state religion of Islam is defined as apostasy and is a criminal offence. While there have been no recorded cases of punishment for apostasy since 1971, the sentence for this so-called ‘crime’, in line with Sharia law, which forms the basis of the Qatari legal system, is death. This punishment is directly opposed to this Council’s resolution 36/17 which urges all states that have not yet abolished the death penalty to ensure it is not imposed for specific forms of conduct, including apostasy.

‘We urge Qatar to immediately abolish the death penalty, especially for apostasy, and to repeal its blasphemy laws in order to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief for the non-religious and for religious minorities.’

The intervention also highlighted the oppressive treatment that non-religious individuals face in the country. While Qatar’s Constitution and other legislation provide for freedom of association, public assembly, and worship, these freedoms are framed within limits based on Sharia law and so-called ‘morality concerns.’ Those who are deemed to have broken the country’s blasphemy laws can face up to seven years in prison, while a 10-year prison sentence can be handed to individuals found to be running an organisation that challenges the state religion of Islam.