Warning: This article contains content that some readers may find disturbing
Is witchcraft illegal? In most of the world, no. In countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and most of Europe, practicing witchcraft or Wicca is legal and protected as part of freedom of religion. But in a handful of countries, sorcery is still a crime, and in many more, people accused of witchcraft face violence from their own neighbors.
Often the people accused aren't practicing witches at all. An accusation of witchcraft can be a way to get rid of someone: an older widow whose land is wanted, a child seen as a burden, a neighbor after a quarrel, or someone blamed for an illness or a death. Women, older people, children and people with disabilities or albinism are hit hardest.
Below we look at what the law says, then at nine countries where being called a witch is especially dangerous. Laws change, and we've kept to what is well documented. If you need legal certainty for a specific country, check a current, official source.
Is Witchcraft Illegal? The Short Answer
For most readers, practicing witchcraft is completely legal. Here's the broad picture:
- Legal and protected: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and most of Europe and Latin America. Wicca is recognized as a religion in many of these places.
- Illegal or prosecuted: a small number of countries treat sorcery itself as a crime, most famously Saudi Arabia, where it can carry the death penalty. Some countries in Central Africa, like the Central African Republic and Cameroon, also include witchcraft offenses in their criminal codes.
- Colonial-era laws: several countries in East and Southern Africa still have old Witchcraft Acts from British colonial times. Many of these focus on punishing people who accuse others of witchcraft or claim to have harmful powers.
- Dangerous in practice: in many places where witchcraft isn't illegal, like Papua New Guinea, India, Ghana and Tanzania, the real danger is accusations and mob violence, not the law.
Even in countries where witchcraft is legal, it's wise to know the local rules on things like fire, burning incense outdoors or charging money for readings, which are sometimes regulated as fortune-telling or consumer law.
The 9 Worst Countries to Be a Witch
This list mixes countries with laws against sorcery and countries where witchcraft is legal but accusations are deadly. Here's an overview before we look at each one:
| Country | Is witchcraft itself a crime? | Main danger for people accused |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Yes, sorcery is a serious crime | Arrest, prosecution and even execution |
| Papua New Guinea | No, the Sorcery Act was repealed in 2013 | Torture and killings by mobs |
| Iran | Sorcery-related acts can be prosecuted | Arrest and prosecution |
| Central African Republic | Yes, the criminal code includes sorcery | Prosecution and violence |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | No single ban | Violence against women and children accused |
| India | No, and several states have laws against witch-hunting | Attacks on women, often linked to land and property |
| Mauritania | Strongly condemned; little public information | Social and religious stigma |
| Ghana | No | Violence and banishment to "witch camps" |
| Tanzania | Laws exist, but violence is the main threat | Killings of older women and attacks on people with albinism |
1. Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, sorcery is treated as a grave crime against religion. People have been arrested, sentenced to prison and lashes, and in some cases executed on sorcery charges. Human rights groups have documented cases where the "evidence" was little more than owning herbs, amulets or written charms, or a complaint from a neighbor or employer.
Many Muslims see sorcery as forbidden because it's believed to involve calling on jinn or seeking power from something other than God. Because the charge is so vague and the stigma so strong, it can be very hard for someone accused to defend themselves.
2. Papua New Guinea
In Papua New Guinea, a Pacific nation north of Australia, belief in sorcery is widespread, and sudden illness or death is often blamed on it. People accused, mostly women, have been tortured and killed by mobs.
Witchcraft itself isn't illegal there. In 2013 the government repealed its old Sorcery Act, which had allowed sorcery to be raised as a defense in murder cases. The government has since adopted a national plan to fight sorcery accusation violence, and local groups do brave work protecting survivors, but attacks continue.
3. Iran
In Iran, sorcery, fortune-telling and related practices are seen as un-Islamic, and people have been arrested and prosecuted on sorcery-related charges, sometimes framed as fraud or offenses against religion. Punishments can include fines and prison. Openly practicing witchcraft or any non-recognized religion there carries real risk.
4. Central African Republic
The Central African Republic is one of the few countries whose criminal code includes sorcery and "charlatanism" as offenses. Witchcraft accusations come up often in its courts, and those accused, frequently older women and children, can also face beatings and killings outside the legal system. Years of conflict and weak courts make the situation worse.
5. Democratic Republic of the Congo
There's no single law banning witchcraft in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but accusations are deadly. Authorities and activists in South Kivu province have reported a rise in killings of women, many of them older, accused of witchcraft. In Kinshasa and other cities, thousands of children have been labeled "child witches" and abandoned or abused, sometimes after so-called deliverance rituals.
6. India
Witchcraft isn't a crime in India, but witch-hunting is a serious problem, especially in rural areas of states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Assam. Women, often widows or women living alone, are branded as witches (sometimes called daayan), then beaten, driven from their homes or killed. Disputes over land and property are often behind the accusations.
Several states have passed laws that make witch-hunting itself a crime, starting with Bihar in 1999 and Jharkhand in 2001. Activists continue to push for stronger protection across the whole country.
7. Mauritania
Mauritania is an Islamic republic whose laws draw heavily on Islamic law, and sorcery is strongly condemned as incompatible with Islam. There's little reliable public information about how often anyone is prosecuted, but practicing openly would bring deep stigma and real risk, and there's no protection for religions outside Islam.
Mauritania also has a long history of discrimination against marginalized groups, and people already on the edges of society are the most vulnerable when accusations fly.
8. Ghana
Witchcraft isn't illegal in Ghana, and belief in it is common. Accusations, however, can be devastating. In northern Ghana, women accused of witchcraft, many of them elderly, have fled or been banished to so-called witch camps, villages where they live in exile. NPR has shared the stories of some of these women.
In 2020, the killing of a 90-year-old woman accused of witchcraft caused national outrage. In 2023, Ghana's parliament passed a bill to make witchcraft accusations a crime, but it did not become law at that time, and campaigners continue to push for protection.
9. Tanzania
In Tanzania, belief in witchcraft is widespread, especially in rural areas. Older women have been killed after being accused, sometimes for something as small as having red eyes, which can come from years of cooking over smoky fires.
People with albinism have also suffered terrible attacks, driven by the false belief that their body parts bring luck or wealth in charms. The government has cracked down on these crimes and on some traditional healers, but people with albinism and older women still face real danger.
Where Is Witchcraft Legal?
If you live in most Western countries, you can practice freely. A few examples:
- United States: witchcraft and Wicca are protected by the First Amendment. US courts have recognized Wicca as a religion, and the pentacle is an approved emblem for veterans' headstones.
- United Kingdom: the old Witchcraft Act of 1735 was replaced in 1951, and that later law was itself repealed in 2008. Witchcraft is legal, and Pagans can register their religion in the census.
- Canada: the Criminal Code once made it an offense to pretend to practice witchcraft. That section was removed in 2018.
Legal freedom doesn't always mean freedom from prejudice, though. Many witches still face misunderstanding from family, coworkers or their community. If that's you, our guide on how to explain paganism to non-Pagans may help, and remember that you are not alone.
Staying Safe as a Witch
Most of our readers will never face legal trouble for their faith. But if you live in, or travel to, a country where witchcraft is restricted:
- Learn the local law from official or reputable human rights sources before you go.
- Keep your practice private. A quiet meditation or a mental prayer needs no tools at all.
- Leave ritual items at home. Herbs, crystals, tarot cards or written charms can raise suspicion at borders or in your lodging.
- Don't post about your practice on social media while you're there.
- Respect local beliefs, even when you disagree. Your safety comes first.
Final Thoughts
It's hard to say exactly which countries outlaw witchcraft, because laws and cultures vary so much, and laws against "sorcery" are often used against people who were never practicing anything. What is clear is that the people suffering most are usually poor, older, female, young or different, accused because of fear, superstition or greed.
As witches, we can help by learning about these issues, supporting organizations that protect people accused of witchcraft, and speaking calmly and kindly about what our own practice really is. If you'd like to understand the roots of modern witchcraft better, read what Wicca is and why not all witches are Wiccan, or start our Wicca 101 course.
Have you ever faced prejudice for being a witch? Share your experience with us; it may help someone else feel less alone.
Check out our other articles:
What Is Wicca?
How to Explain Paganism to Non-Pagans
You Are Not Alone
What Is Hoodoo?
See All Articles
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Is Witchcraft Illegal? FAQs
Is witchcraft illegal in the United States?
No. Practicing witchcraft or Wicca is legal in the United States and protected by the First Amendment's freedom of religion. Courts have recognized Wicca as a religion, though some local laws regulate charging money for fortune-telling.
Is witchcraft illegal in the UK?
No. The Witchcraft Act of 1735 was replaced in 1951 by the Fraudulent Mediums Act, which was itself repealed in 2008. Today witchcraft and Paganism are legal, and consumer protection law covers paid psychic services.
What countries is witchcraft illegal in?
Saudi Arabia is the best-known example, where sorcery is a serious crime that can carry the death penalty. The Central African Republic and Cameroon include witchcraft offenses in their criminal codes, and several African countries still have colonial-era Witchcraft Acts. Laws change, so always check a current source.
Can you go to jail for witchcraft?
In most countries, no. In a small number of countries, like Saudi Arabia, people have been jailed or worse on sorcery charges. In many others, the bigger danger is violence after an accusation rather than the law itself.
Is Wicca a recognized religion?
Yes, in many countries. In the United States, courts and the military recognize Wicca, and the pentacle is approved for veterans' headstones. In the UK, Pagans can record their religion in the census.
What is a witch camp?
Witch camps are settlements in northern Ghana where women accused of witchcraft, many of them elderly, live after fleeing or being banished from their communities. They offer some safety, but campaigners want accusations stopped so the women can return home.
