Morocco: The situation of atheists; discrimination or ill-treatment of these people by the state
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 28 October 2004 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | MAR43087.FE |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Morocco: The situation of atheists; discrimination or ill-treatment of these people by the state, 28 October 2004, MAR43087.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/485ba87013.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Little information on the situation of atheists in Morocco could be found within the time constraints of this Response. However, the following information could be useful.
According to the International Religious Freedom Report 2004, the Moroccan Constitution provides for freedom of religion and for Islam to be the official religion in Morocco (15 Sept. 2004, Sec. 2). Moroccans "who convert to Christianity and other religions generally face social ostracism, and a small number of converts have faced short periods of questioning or detention by authorities for proselytizing and have been denied issuance of passports" (International Religious Freedom Report 2004 15 Sept. 2004, Sec. 2).
The above-mentioned report also indicated that theological discussions about non-Islamic religions are aired on television and radio with the approval of the public, but that public efforts to proselytize are frowned upon (ibid., Sec. 3). In addition, "society expects public respect for the institutions and mores of Islam, although private behaviour and beliefs are unregulated and unmonitored" (ibid.).
A member of the board of directors for the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (Association marocaine des droits humains, AMDH) provided the following information during a 25 October 2004 telephone interview.
The board member said that there are many atheists in Morocco and that some tolerance is shown toward them by the Moroccan population, which is almost exclusively Muslim. However, he said that many atheists agree that it is better not to make one's atheism public. He said that, according to Moroccan law, an atheist can be arrested for making his or her lack of religious faith public, for example, for suggesting that the state should be non-religious. He added, however, that he had never heard of legal action being taken against someone for his or her ideas about a non-religious state.
According to the board member, the reaction of Muslims could be harsher; for example, the defenders of human rights, women's rights and other rights could be threatened, and they are often considered to be atheists by Muslims.
The board member pointed out that Moroccan society is generally tolerant of the practice of Islam. Those who do not attend public prayer during the day are not hassled. However, he said that there is less religious tolerance in Moroccan society than there was in the 1960s and 1970s. For example, during Ramadan, almost everyone-even people who drink regularly or who are prostitutes-makes an effort to respect the spirit of Ramadan and to not eat in public places during the day. Moroccans who are neither Jewish nor Christian do the same; if they do not, they risk being punished for two to three years. The board member referred to the case of two young men who were arrested and incarcerated for three months because they stopped fasting one day before the end of Ramadan; the men were following the schedule of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia, where the fasting had already ended. The board member said that, aside from difficulties relating to disrespect shown to Ramadan, there are no problems concerning individuals who do not practice Islam.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Association marocaine des droits humains (AMDH). 25 October 2004. Telephone interview with a member of the board of directors.
International Religious Freedom Report 2004. 15 September 2004. United States Department of State. Washington, DC.
Additional Sources Consulted
Internet sites, including: Adherents.com, Amnesty International (AI), Apostates of Islam.com, Arabic News, Aujourd'hui le Maroc, Emarrakech, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Freedom House, La Gazette du Maroc, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Institut de recherche sur le Maghreb contemporain, Le Journal de Tanger, Libération, Maghreb Arabe Presse, Maroc Hebdo International, Le Matin, Mouvement des Maghrébiens laïcs en France, L'Opinion, Tel Quel, World News Connection (WNC).
