Is apostasy illegal in the Maldives?
Death penalty possible
Maldives revived death penalty for apostasy under new regulations, though it was abolished in 1953.
The Maldives is one of 11 countries classified “Death penalty possible” for apostasy — 37% of the 30 with data. (Also searched as leaving a religion.)
Source
- Taken from
- Wikipedia: Apostasy in Islam by country
- Last checked
- 7 July 2026
- How it was classified
- Classified by a language model from the source text, then checked against hand-verified reference countries.
Nearby countries
- Sri Lanka
- Criminal offense Rishvin Ismath faced death threats for speaking out against textbooks that claim apostates from Islam should be killed, indicating social and legal pressure against leaving Islam.
- Oman
- Criminal offense Oman's Personal Status Law annuls marriage and denies inheritance rights for Muslim apostates.
- Bangladesh
- Criminal offense While Bangladesh has no formal law against apostasy, there have been instances of persecution and violence against those who leave Islam, including targeted killings.
- Somalia
- Death penalty possible Apostasy is punishable by death in Somalia, with reports of executions by Islamist groups and local mobs, though not through formal court proceedings.
- Pakistan
- Criminal offense Apostasy is illegal in Pakistan and can lead to serious criminal charges under blasphemy laws, with no specific law against apostasy but effective prosecution through existing laws.
- United Arab Emirates
- Death penalty possible Apostasy is punishable by death in the UAE under Sharia law, with hudud crimes including apostasy requiring the death penalty according to their Penal Code.
Other laws in Maldives
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law
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.