--- title: "Humanists UK calls on Mauritania to repeal blasphemy and apostasy laws at UN" date: "2026-07-07T12:18:05+01:00" modified: "2026-07-07T12:24:51+01:00" url: "https://humanists.uk/2026/07/07/humanists-uk-calls-on-mauritania-to-repeal-blasphemy-laws-at-un/" post_id: 193904 categories: ["News"] --- # Humanists UK calls on Mauritania to repeal blasphemy and apostasy laws at UN ![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/Untitled-design-1-5.png?resize=1200%2C628&ssl=1)Speaking at the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, Humanists UK urged Mauritania to repeal its blasphemy and apostasy laws, emphasising that they violate the rights to freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression. Humanists UK also reiterated its particular concern that a death sentence is mandatory for these so-called offences. **The state of human rights in Mauritania** ------------------------------------------- The intervention followed the [Universal Periodic Review](https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-home) (UPR) of Mauritania. UPR is a process where every UN country has its human rights record peer-reviewed by other countries. Each country is reviewed every four and a half years. Other countries can recommend ways it could better meet international human rights standards, and the country under review will state whether or not it accepts them. Mauritania is one of 12 countries that retains the death penalty for blasphemy or apostasy. The other countries are Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and Yemen. Humanists UK expressed disappointment that Mauritania has rejected recommendations to remove the mandatory death penalty that the crimes of blasphemy and apostasy carry, as well as recommendations to decriminalise such offences altogether. This follows a [previous intervention](https://humanists.uk/2021/07/08/humanists-uk-at-un-calls-for-repeal-of-mauritanias-blasphemy-and-apostasy/) by Humanists UK at the UN which similarly urged Mauritania to respect the rights of those who choose to change or leave their religion. Humanists UK noted that Mauritania has accepted recommendations to reform its criminal code to better protect the right to freedom of expression. Humanists UK took the opportunity to call on Mauritania to follow that commitment by repealing its blasphemy laws, which the UN has made clear [are incompatible with the right to freedom of expression](https://docs.un.org/en/CCPR/C/GC/34). ### ****Respect and protect the rights of the non-religious**** The right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is a vital right for the protection of the non-religious. It is provided for in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 18 protects ‘[theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief.](https://docs.un.org/en/CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.4)’ Mauritania, whose constitution designates Islam as the sole religion of both citizenry and state, has a formal reservation against Article 18. This means that Mauritania has only agreed to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief of its citizens insofar as it is consistent with the Mauritanian government’s interpretation of sharia law. However, Humanists UK clarified that reserving against Article 18 does not justify the use of the death penalty for blasphemy and apostasy. This is because Mauritania remains bound by Article 6 of the ICCPR (the right to life), which limits the death penalty to only the [‘most serious crimes’](https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/HRBodies/CCPR/GCArticle6/GCArticle6_EN.pdf). The UN Human Rights Committee has also made clear that states cannot use the death penalty for any crime which itself violates the ICCPR – this includes leaving a religion, sometimes called ‘apostasy’. ********The** [**intervention**](https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026-06-26-LN-UPR-Mauritania.pdf) **was delivered by Humanists UK Policy and Campaigns Manager Laura Newlyn. She said:******** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ‘We would like to remind Mauritania that all rights are indivisible, interdependent and interrelated, and a reservation against Article 18 does not justify the criminalisation of expression that is critical of religion. Nor can it be used to prevent the sharing of humanist or atheist beliefs, ideas, and opinions. The *forum internum* \[what someone thinks and believes privately\] of the right to freedom of religion or belief is absolute, and cannot be subject to state interference.’ This means that authorities cannot punish someone for holding a belief, including humanist beliefs. Humanists UK remains steadfast in its commitment to standing up for international human rights standards, and urges the Mauritanian government to guarantee the rights to freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression for everyone equally. #### Notes For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Head of Press and Campaign Communications Nathan Stilwell at or phone 0203 675 0959 (media only). Read the [full intervention](https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026-06-26-LN-UPR-Mauritania.pdf) Read Humanists International’s [*Freedom of Thought Report: Mauritania*](https://fot.humanists.international/countries/africa-western-africa/mauritania/) Read the UN Human Rights Committee’s General Comments on [the right to life](https://docs.un.org/en/CCPR/C/GC/36), [the right to freedom of religion or belief](https://docs.un.org/en/CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.4) and [the right to freedom of expression](https://docs.un.org/en/CCPR/C/GC/34) Read more about our[ international work](https://humanists.uk/campaigns/global-challenges/) Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. 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