''Among Nonbelievers'' (Dutch title: ''Onder Ongelovigen'') is a 2015 bilingual English–Dutch documentary on the situation of endangered nonbelievers, especially

ex-Muslims Ex-Muslims are individuals who were raised as Muslims or converted to Islam and later chose to leave the religion. These individuals may encounter challenges related to the conditions and history of Islam, Islamic culture and Islamic jurispruden ...

, around the world. Set in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

, the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

and

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, the film is directed by Dorothée Forma and produced by

HUMAN Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

with the support of the

Dutch Humanist Association The Humanistisch Verbond (HV, sometimes translated as ''Humanistic Association Netherlands'', ''Dutch Humanist Association'' or ''Dutch Humanist League'') is a Dutch association based on Secular humanism, secular humanist principles. Basics The ...

. In 2016, it was succeeded by '' Non-believers: Freethinkers on the Run'', which dealt with the fate of apostates and

freethinkers Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an unorthodox attitude or belief. A freethinker holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority Authority is commonly understood as the legitimate power of a person or ...

in Dutch refugee camps.

Synopsis

Boris van der Ham Boris van der Ham (born 29 August 1973) is a Dutch writer, humanist, former politician, and actor. On 23 May 2002, he became a member of the House of Representatives for the Democrats 66 (D66), a social liberal party. From 24 November 2012 to 21 ...

, president of the

, meets up with ex-Muslims in different countries, listens to their stories and discusses with them what should be done about their situation. First, he visits the

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

-based office of Ateizm Derneği, an association that serves the interests of

atheists Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

, who are regularly threatened, harassed and discriminated in Turkey. Religion is also exploited by president

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician who is the 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister of Turkey, prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Jus ...

's AKP government as an economic power tool, some activists explain in Istanbul. Next, Van der Ham attends the Secular Conference 2014 in London, organised by the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain led by Maryam Namazie, where 'secular thinkers, filmmakers and experts convene to raise awareness about the problems experienced by nonbelievers.' There, regular calls are made on Western and European humanists to show more solidarity and dedicated to the rights of nonbelievers outside the Western world. Sudanese ex-Muslim Nahla Mahmoud was targeted by an Islamist hate campaign after she criticised British sharia courts. Van der Ham also goes to

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

for conversations with the Ex-Muslims of Scotland, who are threatened and discriminated against by members of their own family, and cannot return to their country of birth, where they face the death penalty for apostasy or

blasphemy Blasphemy refers to an insult that shows contempt, disrespect or lack of Reverence (emotion), reverence concerning a deity, an object considered sacred, or something considered Sanctity of life, inviolable. Some religions, especially Abrahamic o ...

. He discusses the ''Charlie Hebdo'' shooting with

Theodor Holman Theodor Holman (born 9 January 1953, in Amsterdam) is a Dutch journalist, presenter, and writer of Indo descent. He studied Dutch language and History at the University of Amsterdam. He was editor of the satirical student newspaper Propria Cure ...

. Together with other Dutch humanists and freethinkers, Van der Ham marches through

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

to demand freedom of thought. They offer copies of the 2015 Freedom of Thought Report to ambassadors of a number of countries where nonbelievers are being persecuted and oppressed; he conducts a conversation with the Iraqi ambassador. The report is also received in the

Dutch House of Representatives The House of Representatives ( , literally "Second Chamber of the States General", or simply ) is the lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of the Netherlands, the States General of the Netherlands, States General, the other one ...

by the House Commission of Foreign Affairs. Elizabeth O'Casey, IHEU representative at the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

, explains how Muslim-majority countries internationally always invoke the argument of 'defamation of religion' to continue to violate the human rights of their citizens. Finally, Van der Ham holds a plea for freedom of thought against religious intolerance at the

United Nations Human Rights Council The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a United Nations Regional Gro ...

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

Cast

Paul Cliteur Paul Bernard Cliteur (born 6 September 1955) is a Dutch professor of jurisprudence at Leiden University, as well as a politician, philosopher, writer, publicist and columnist. He is known for his conservative perspective, his atheism, his republ ...

(former president of the

) *

Richard Dawkins Richard Dawkins (born 26 March 1941) is a British evolutionary biology, evolutionary biologist, zoologist, science communicator and author. He is an Oxford fellow, emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was Simonyi Professor for the Publ ...

, British scientist and atheist activist * Nadia El Fani (from Tunisia), film director of ''Neither Allah nor Master'' * Ramin Forghani (from Iran), founder of Ex-Muslims of Scotland *

(president of the Dutch Humanist Association) *

, Dutch television host * Nahla Mahmoud (from Sudan), spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain * Maryam Namazie (from Iran), president of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain *

Pieter Omtzigt Pieter Herman Omtzigt (; born 8 January 1974) is a Dutch former politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives (Netherlands), House of Representatives between 2003 and 2025 apart from a short interruption between June and Octo ...

( CDA), vice-president Dutch House Commission of Foreign Affairs * Elizabeth O'Casey, IHEU UN human rights delegation chief *

Şafak Pavey Şafak Pavey (born 10 July 1976) is a Turkish diplomat, columnist and politician. She was a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) representing Istanbul Province. She is the first di ...

, Turkish MP ( CHP) * Onur Roman, Mehmet Emin Üçbağla, Kaan Hatunoğlu, Tolga İnci and several other members of Ateizm Derneği (in Turkey)

Notes

References

{{Reflist

External links

Watch ''Among Nonbelievers'' online
2015 television films Apostasy in Islam British documentary films Documentary films about atheism Documentary films critical of Islam Dutch documentary films Dutch-language films Human rights abuses in the Netherlands Religion in Turkey Irreligion in the United Kingdom Islam in Turkey Islam in the United Kingdom Secularism in Turkey Secularism in the United Kingdom United Nations Human Rights Council Articles containing video clips

Synopsis

Cast

See also

Notes

References

External links