We help secular refugees.

APOSTASY AS REASON FOR FLIGHT

People who have “fallen away from the faith” (so-called apostates) have to fear for their safety – and often even their lives – in some Islam-influenced countries.

It may be sufficient to express themselves critically of religion or to violate the fundamentalist norms of their home countries. Often these people are threatened by their own family, which sees their “honour” in danger or regards the apostasy as a disgrace.

These following states punish apostasy with prison, death or torture:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Bangladesh, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen. The situation is particularly critical for free-thinking women, whose freedoms are often severely restricted.

WHY SECULAR REFUGEES ARE OFTEN NOT SAFE EVEN IN GERMANY

Many religious-free refugees have experienced that the danger from which they fled still exists here. In the refugee shelters there are always fundamentalist Muslims who consider apostasy to be a serious offence. Religious-free people have a particularly hard time here because they attract attention – for example through their clothing, their food or because they do not take part in religious festivals and rituals. If they have to live together with fundamentalist-religious people in a very small space, they are often threatened and in the worst case even have to fear for their lives – just like in their country of origin.

Many refugees continue to be persecuted and threatened by their families, who enter with a tourist visa. Or by state institutions of their countries of origin, which put them under psychological pressure.

The special situation of the atheistic refugees is still little known in Germany, although they are an important part of our pluralistic society. The protection of freedom of religion is anchored in the German Basic Law. German authorities, however, often show little sensitivity and problem awareness for the plight of atheistic fugitives.

WE WANT …

• We want to bring into the public eye problems from religion-free persons seeking protection, that have so far been concealed.

• We make quick decisions for effective aid offers.

• The integration and participation of fugitives is our subject and goal.

• We are working to improve the legal framework for their protection.

We stand for the values of freedom and critical thinking, for an open society in which the rights of the individual are respected.

The people who have had to flee because they have demanded these fundamental values for themselves and their country must be given the protection they need – and which is due to them like everyone else.

In order to establish structures in which individual people can be given concrete help, we still need qualified cooperation. If you are interested, please contact us.

Please send contributions on the topic of secular refugees in Germany to:
redaktion@arr-berlin.de