August 26, 2025
Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, a Moroccan secularist, feminist, ex-Muslim and LGBT rights campaigner was arrested on 10 August 2025 in Rabat, Morocco for her photo on social media wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “Allah is Lesbian.” ‘Betty has worn the same T-shirt for many years now. The arrest follows a pile-on of threats of rape, death, lynching and stoning orchestrated by the religious-Right. On the day of her trial in Rabat on 27 August, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. Ex-Muslims International and Faithless Hijabi have organised a protest at the Moroccan Embassy in London demanding #FreeBetty. Date: Wednesday 27 August...
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August 25, 2025
Urgent: Free Betty: Jailed for a T-shirt Protest 27 Aug, London Join protest in defence of Moroccan activist Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, who has been imprisoned and faces trial on Wednesday 27 August after sharing a photo wearing a T-shirt that read “Allah is a Lesbian.” Being LGBT is not an insult; criticism of religion is not a crime. Blasphemy laws have no place in any society. Event details Date: Wednesday 27 August 2025 Time: 15:00–16:00 Location: Moroccan Embassy, 49 Queen’s Gate Gardens, London SW7 5NE Organisers: Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB), Ex-Muslims International (ExMI), and Faithless Hijabi Why this...
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August 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE: Ex-Muslims International Launches #FreeBetty Campaign ahead of Apostasy Day Ex-Muslims International, of which Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain is a founding member, is launching a global campaign ahead of Apostasy Day (August 22) to #FreeBetty for Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, a feminist, atheist, psychologist, and long-time human rights activist who has been arrested for “blasphemy” by Moroccan authorities. She faces trial on August 27 for sharing a photo on X of herself in a T-shirt that read: “Allah is lesbian.” For this, she now sits in a prison cell—while thousands who issued death and rape threats against her online...
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July 15, 2025
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and One Law for All Joint Submission to Islamophobia/Anti-Muslim Hatred Definition Working Group 15 July 2025 1. Introduction Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB), founded in 2007, and One Law for All, founded in 2008, jointly represent individuals challenging religious fundamentalism and defending secularism, universal human rights, and freedom of expression. CEMB was established to support those who have left Islam and to campaign for the rights of apostates and blasphemers from Muslim backgrounds. One Law for All campaigns against parallel legal systems in Britain and for one secular law that treats everyone equally, regardless...
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June 2, 2025
Ex-Muslims International Statement: This Pride Month, Ex-Muslims International and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain stand in unwavering solidarity with LGBTQ+ ex-Muslims across the globe—those who are not only criminalized for who they love and who they are, but also for what they no longer believe. #ExMuslimPride For LGBTQ+ individuals who have left Islam or are questioning their faith, life is not just difficult—it can be dangerous. In many Muslim-majority societies, queer identity and religious dissent are both seen as moral crimes. There are 57 Muslim-majority countries in the world today. Among them: At least 12 countries criminalize and punish apostasy...
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May 20, 2025
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of our dear friend and long-standing comrade, Asad Abbas. In 2008, Asad was elected to the CEMB management committee, where he helped shape the direction of our organisation during its crucial early years.  He was an unwavering advocate for ex-Muslims, secularism, human rights, and freedom of conscience. A clinical psychologist by training, Asad brought empathy, clarity, and commitment to everything he did. He was a passionate voice for those who risk everything to think freely and live honestly. His contributions were formally recognised at the first International Atheist Conference in...
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April 14, 2025
Statement by Ex-Muslims International On March 28, 2025, Sanal Edamaruku — a renowned rationalist, secularist, and fearless critic of religious dogma — was detained at Warsaw Modlin Airport under an Interpol Red Notice initiated by India. He was in Poland to speak at a human rights conference. The Red Notice is based on an alleged fraud case originally filed in India. The case is currently under appeal in Finland, where Sanal holds permanent residency and has lived in exile for over a decade. The matter is already under Finnish jurisdiction and legal scrutiny. Sanal’s detention is deeply concerning as it follows...
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March 23, 2025
Ex-Muslims International Statement Today, we ask you to join us in ending apostophobia, defending reason, and demanding justice for atheists. Because Atheist Day is not just a moment of recognition—it’s a rallying cry against centuries of religious tyranny, violence, and silencing of people who do not believe in god(s). For as long as religion has held power, atheists have been hunted, tortured, imprisoned, lynched, exiled, and demonized for seeking freedom from religion. What we witness today—freedom of speech, the right to question, the space to reject gods—exists not because religion allowed it, but because brave individuals fought to tear those...
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February 25, 2025
Statement by Ex-Muslims International As Ramadan begins, Ex-Muslims International acknowledges the right of individuals to observe their beliefs freely. However, the systemic oppression, human rights abuses, and coercion that accompanies Ramadan for those who do not or cannot fast makes this month one of fear, suffering, and forced compliance for many. Freedom of religion must include the freedom from religion, and no one should be punished for eating or drinking. The Reality of Ramadan: Coercion, Punishment, and Human Rights Abuses Instead of a mandate, Ramadan should be a personal choice. Yet in many countries, failing to fast leads to severe legal...
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February 23, 2025
Abolish Blasphemy Laws Statement by Ex-Muslims International We must abolish blasphemy laws, NOW! They are archaic, oppressive, and designed to silence, punish, and kill those who dare to think freely. These laws are not about respect for the religious; they are a weapon used by theocratic regimes and extremist mobs to crush dissent, erase minority voices, and terrorise those who challenge religious dogma. In Iran, Pakistan, and beyond, people are languishing in prison cells, awaiting execution, or being lynched in the streets—just for speaking their minds or thinking differently. Blasphemy Laws Are a Death Sentence for Free Thought The right to...
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