Among Nonbelievers
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''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 people who were raised as Muslims or converted to Islam and later renounced the Islamic religion. Leaving Islam is a uniquely individual experience and a growing social phenomenon facing its challenges due to the conditions and ...
, 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 Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and Switzerland, the film is directed by Dorothée Forma and produced by
HUMAN Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
with the support of the Dutch Humanist Association. 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 epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and that beliefs should instead be reached by other methods ...
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, a social liberal party. From 24 November 2012 to 21 Nove ...
, president of the Dutch Humanist Association, 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 ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...
-based office of
Ateizm Derneği Ateizm Derneği (English: ''Association of Atheism'') is a Turkish non-profit organisation that describes itself as a freethinker association founded on 16 April 2014 for the promotion and advocacy of the concept of atheism, and serves to suppo ...
, 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 d ...
, who are regularly threatened, harassed and discriminated in Turkey. Religion is also exploited by president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan'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 Maryam Namazie ( fa, مریم نمازی; born 1966) is a British-Iranian secularist, communist and human rights activist, commentator, and broadcaster. Early life Most of her early work focused on refugee rights, especially in Sudan, Turkey, ...
, 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 ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
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. 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 ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...
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 (, pronounced ; commonly referred to as the ', literally "Second Chamber of the States General") is the lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of the Netherlands, the States General of the Netherlands ...
by the House Commission of Foreign Affairs. Elizabeth O'Casey, IHEU representative at the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
, 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), CDH 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 regional group basis. ...
in
Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
.


Cast

* Paul Cliteur (former president of the Dutch Humanist Association) * Richard Dawkins, 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 *
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, a social liberal party. From 24 November 2012 to 21 Nove ...
(president of the Dutch Humanist Association) *
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 ...
, Dutch television host * Nahla Mahmoud (from Sudan), spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain *
Maryam Namazie Maryam Namazie ( fa, مریم نمازی; born 1966) is a British-Iranian secularist, communist and human rights activist, commentator, and broadcaster. Early life Most of her early work focused on refugee rights, especially in Sudan, Turkey, ...
(from Iran), president of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain *
Pieter Omtzigt Pieter Herman Omtzigt (born 8 January 1974) is an independent Dutch politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2003 apart from a short interruption from 17 June to 26 October 2010. In his political work, Omtzigt focus ...
( CDA), vice-president Dutch House Commission of Foreign Affairs * Elizabeth O'Casey, IHEU UN human rights delegation chief *
Şafak Pavey Şafak Pavey (née Önal; born 10 July 1976) is a Turkish diplomat, columnist and politician. She is a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) representing Istanbul Province. She is ...
, Turkish MP ( CHP) * Onur Roman, Mehmet Emin Üçbağla, Kaan Hatunoğlu, Tolga İnci and several other members of
Ateizm Derneği Ateizm Derneği (English: ''Association of Atheism'') is a Turkish non-profit organisation that describes itself as a freethinker association founded on 16 April 2014 for the promotion and advocacy of the concept of atheism, and serves to suppo ...
(in Turkey)


See also

*''
Islam's Non-Believers Islam's Non-Believers is a 2016 documentary produced by Fuuse Films, and filmed and directed by Deeyah Khan. The film documents the lives and experiences of ex-Muslims: people who have left Islam to become atheists, and who often face discrimi ...
''


Notes


References

{{Reflist


External links


Watch ''Among Nonbelievers'' online
Apostasy in Islam British documentary films Documentary films critical of Islam Dutch documentary films Dutch-language films Films with atheism-related themes 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