Is apostasy illegal in the Netherlands?
Legal
Apostasy is legal in the Netherlands, protected by freedom of religion laws.
The Netherlands is one of 12 countries classified “Legal” for apostasy — 39% of the 31 with data. (Also searched as leaving a religion.)
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Apostasy in Islam by country
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.
Nearby countries
- Belgium
- Legal There are no legal penalties for apostasy in Belgium, despite social stigma and threats.
- United Kingdom
- Legal There are no legal penalties for apostasy in the UK, and ex-Muslims can freely question their former faith.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Legal No specific apostasy law exists, though ex-Muslims face social discrimination in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Tunisia
- Legal The 2014 Constitution prohibits accusations of apostasy, protecting citizens from prosecution for renouncing Islam.
- Algeria
- Criminal offense Apostasy is a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment or fines in Algeria.
- Libya
- Death penalty possible Atheism is prohibited and can carry the death penalty, with Sharia law serving as the basis for legislation.
Other laws in Netherlands
- Blasphemy Laws
- No blasphemy law
- Holocaust Denial
- Criminal offense
- Flag Desecration
- Legal / protected speech
- Conversion Therapy
- Banned
Every law in the Netherlands → · Where is apostasy illegal? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.