Report finds that one in four countries restrict a person’s right to change faiths

blog, Culture, Islam, Persecution, Religious, z504

Report finds that one in four countries restrict a person’s right to change faiths

According to a recent report released by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), 46 countries around the world restrict a person’s ability to convert to a different faith, Christianity Today reports. This means that one in four countries hinders a person’s ability to change their religion. These restrictions fall under four basic categories:

Dean Smith

December 13, 2023

1–2 minutes

anti-conversion laws, blog, conversion laws, converting to a different faith, one in four countries hinder faith conversion

Cross on a hill at sunset — Credit Cdoncel, unsplash.com

This means that one in four countries hinders a person’s ability to change their religion.

These restrictions fall under four basic categories:

Using apostasy laws to implement severe penalties for anyone deciding to change their faith (seven countries). In Yemen, as an example, a person can face the death penalty for converting from Islam to another faith;
Restricting a person’s ability to change their faith (seven countries). In these instances, individuals changing their faith must make a formal application to the government to do so. In some cases, they may be required to face a tribunal to determine if the conversion is legitimate;
Banning interfaith marriages (25 countries); and
Restricting people from sharing their faith with others (29 countries). Recently, a Nepalese pastor was sentenced to one year in prison for sharing his faith with a Hindu.