| June 27, 2017 |
No Apologies This is CEMB Spokesperson Maryam Namazie’s letter published in sister-hood, 27 June 2017. This is my letter to you. Not you, the Islamist, who wants me silent or dead whilst dreaming of your vile caliphate, nor you, the racist, who wants my Muslim and migrant family out whilst dreaming of your contemptible white, Christian Europe. To me, you are two sides of the same coin. This is my letter to you who I should consider a friend, an ally, but who refuses to make a stand with me. You: the progressive, the anti-racist, the supposed defender of human rights. How... Filed as: Press Releases |
|
| May 26, 2017 |  |
May 2017 CEMB Update Dear friend 2 months to “Glastonbury of Freethinkers” There is less than 2 months left for our 22-24 July conference in London which is being called the “Glastonbury of Freethinkers”. With over 70 speakers, comedians, musicians and artists, it’s going to be the largest ever gathering of ex-Muslims and freethinkers in London and will reaffirm the right to think and live outside the confines of religion. (Read an interview, which discusses the importance of the conference at a time when atheists and secularists are increasingly under attack). As our spokesperson, Maryam Namazie says: “If anyone feels there is no hope,... Filed as: Press Releases |
| May 25, 2017 |  |
CEMB at London Pride in July 2017 The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) is pleased to announce it will be taking part in the Pride in London parade on Saturday 8 July 2017. CEMB will use the Pride in London Parade to protest Islamism’s violence, including the death penalty, directed towards LGBT people. In particular, CEMB will focus on the harrowing roundup, detention and torture of LGBT people in Chechnya where its president, Ramzan Kadyrov, has expressed the desire to “eliminate” gay people before the start of Ramadan. CEMB Spokesperson Maryam Namazie says: “All the states which punish apostasy and homosexuality with the death penalty... Filed as: Press Releases |
| May 24, 2017 |  |
Islam and Islamism as the greatest stumbling blocks for women’s emancipation Our spokesperson, Maryam Namazie, was invited by Dabran Platform to speak at the Founding Congress of Enlightenment Feminism in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan (photos below). She spoke about Islam and Islamism as the greatest stumbling blocks for women’s emancipation and how Islamists target women and girls first – whether in Tehran, Peshawar or Manchester. Here’s her speech: Islam and Islamism – the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of women’s emancipation* (Suffragette Elizabeth Cady Stanton said: “The Bible and the Church have been the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of women’s emancipation.”) Maryam Namazie The First Enlightenment Feminism Congress, Sulaymaniyah It’s such... Filed as: Press Releases, Resources |
| May 15, 2017 |
Ensaf Haidar joins London vigil for her husband, blogger Raif Badawi Ensaf Haidar joins London vigil for her husband, blogger Raif Badawi Wednesday 17 May, 1:00 pm—2:00 pm English PEN and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) are honoured to be hosting author and activist Ensaf Haidar, the wife of imprisoned blogger Raif Badawi, in London this month. Join us for a special vigil at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia on 17 May, a month ahead of the fifth anniversary of Raif Badawi’s arrest, to continue calling for his immediate release. Vigil for Raif Badawi 1-2pm, Wednesday 17 May Embassy of Saudi Arabia, London* RSVP: cat@englishpen.org English PEN has been holding regular vigils... Filed as: Press Releases |
|
| May 15, 2017 |  |
We must all stand with Mohamed Salih In a very brave step, Mohamed Salih, a young Sudanese, filed an official request for all mention of Islam to be removed from his documents, including his national ID. As a result, he was charged with apostasy, per Article 126 of the Sudanese Criminal Code, which states: “Whoever propagates the renunciation of Islam or publicly renounces it by explicit words or an act of definitive indication is said to commit the offence of Riddah (apostasy).” Salih was, therefore, arrested on 8 May 2017 and held in Alqadisiyah police station, Ombada, a suburb of Omdurman. Since Aristide Nononsi, the Independent Expert... Filed as: Press Releases |
| May 15, 2017 |
Petition calls on Denmark to repeal blasphemy ban, Index on Censorship, 15 May 2017 Petition calls on Denmark to repeal blasphemy ban, Index on Censorship, 15 May 2017 STATEMENT Petition calls on Denmark to repeal blasphemy ban 15 May 2017 BY INDEX ON CENSORSHIP We the undersigned respectfully urge the Danish Parliament to vote in favour of bill L 170 repealing the blasphemy ban in section 140 of the Danish criminal code, punishing “Any person who, in public, ridicules or insults the dogmas or worship of any lawfully existing religious community”. Denmark is recognised as a global leader when it comes to the protection of human rights and freedom of expression. However, Denmark’s blasphemy... Filed as: Media Coverage, Press Releases |
|
| May 12, 2017 |
Celebrating apostasy and blasphemy in London in July The Freethinker interviews Maryam Namazie and Marieme Helie Lucas ahead of the International Conference on Freedom of Conscience and Expression in the 21 Century scheduled to take place in London between July 22 and 24, 2017. Why organise an international conference on free conscience and expression? Maryam Namazie: Atheists and freethinkers are targeted by Islamists and religious-Right movements across the globe. Despite the brutal attacks, blasphemy and apostasy laws are often legitimised. Even where no such laws exist, there is a chorus of voices insisting that freedom of expression and conscience have limits, particularly when it comes to Islam. “Hurt”... Filed as: Press Releases |
|
| May 10, 2017 |  |
Letter to Facebook: Prevent religious extremists from censoring atheists and secularists Petition to Facebook: #LetExmuslimsSpeak – Sign it Today. Dear Facebook administrators, We, the undersigned organizations, represent hundreds of thousands of ex-Muslims, secularists, humanists, atheists, and agnostics who are dedicated to safeguarding the universal human rights for freedom of religion, belief, and expression. Due to abuse of Facebook’s reporting tools, atheist and ex-Muslim organizations and groups find themselves yet again the target of censorship campaigns by religious conservatives. We respectfully ask that Facebook create mechanisms to prevent abuse of its features so that our organizations and groups do not fear unjust restriction and removal. Following what appears to be a coordinated... Filed as: Press Releases |
| April 25, 2017 |  |
The declaration on blasphemy and apostasy Declaration on apostasy and the blasphemy adopted by participants in the event “Days of Atheism 2017 – For the Right To Choose” The declaration on blasphemy and apostasy We are alarmed at the increasing persecution of freethinkers accused of blasphemy and apostasy. In the past month alone: Ex-Muslim atheist H Farook, a father of two, was hacked to death in India. In Iran, the death sentence of 21 year old Sina Dehghan has been confirmed by the supreme court on charges of “insulting the prophet”. Deghan’s co-defendants, Sahar Eliasi and Mohammad Nouri, have also been convicted of posting “anti-Islamic” content on social media. Nouri... Filed as: Press Releases |