Press Releases

January 26, 2016		Apostasy and Blasphemy are basic Human Rights In 2016, the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain will continue to highlight the cases of those languishing in prisons or on death row for apostasy or blasphemy, including: Abdulaziz Dauda, also known as Abdul Inyass, an Islamic scholar sentenced to death in Nigeria for blasphemy for a lecture which was deemed to be blasphemous against Islam’s prophet. He was also jailed for 3 years for inciting public disturbance. Ashraf Fayadh, a Palestinian poet and artist who lives in Saudi Arabia, has been sentenced to death for ‘apostasy’ for his poetry which the regime claims has questioned religion and spread atheism. Hesameddin... Filed as: Press Releases
January 26, 2016		A Case Study of Islamism on Campus: University of Dublin, Goldsmiths and University of Warwick A CASE STUDY OF ISLAMISM ON CAMPUS: UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN, GOLDSMITHS, AND UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) has today published a case study on the Islamic Societies at Trinity College Dublin, Warwick University and Goldsmiths University where attempts were made to restrict or bar our spokesperson Maryam Namazie from speaking in 2015. The case study shows that the Islamic Societies at the three universities in question are clearly promoting Islamist values through hate preachers who condone Sharia Law, Islamic states, and the death penalty for apostasy. The recent attempts at censorship on university campuses is... Filed as: Press Releases, Resources
January 20, 2016		End Year Celebrations a huge success; Onwards to 2016 One the Law for All and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s end-year celebration was a huge success. Watch the event which included Philosopher AC Grayling, Secular Activist Aliyah Saleem, British Iraqi singer Alya Marquardt, Goldsmiths Atheist Society President Asher Fainman, Warwick Atheist Society President Benjamin David, London Black Atheist organiser Clive Aruede, Magician Neil Edwards, Bread and Roses TV Host Fariborz Pooya, Centre for Secular Space Gita Sahgal, Houzan Mahmoud of Organisation for Women’s Freedom in Iraq, Founder of Council of Ex-Muslims of Morocco Imad Iddine Habib, Comedian Kate Smurthwaite, London Black Atheist organiser Lola Tinubu, Libyan Women’s Rights Campaigner... Filed as: Press Releases
January 9, 2016		MARYAM NAMAZIE: Why I had to face down the bullies trying to silence my supposedly ‘offensive’ stance on Islam Original published in Daily Mail on 9 January 2016 This week marked the first anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris. The atrocity was a brutal attack not just on human life but also on the principle of free speech, one of the pillars of human civilisation. In the aftermath of the killings, people across the world united to express their support for that essential liberty. Yet today, freedom of speech in British universities is under heavier assault than ever before. In this case, the weapon of destruction is not the barrel of a gun but the proclaimed desire... Filed as: Press Releases
December 11, 2015		#ExMuslimBecause; Goldsmiths Islamic Society thugs, End-Year Event and the Right to Apostasy and Blasphemy Dear friend We wanted to write and thank you for your support during this past year and ask that you donate to our organisation in order to help us continue our important work in 2016 and beyond. #EXMUSLIMBECAUSE As you well know, CEMB’s work is needed more than ever before. A campaign to defend the basic human right to leave and criticise Islam has trended on Twitter since we started it on 19 November. 120,000 Tweets of ex-Muslims from over 65 countries exploded on social media with hilarious, heart-breaking and inspiring stories of leaving Islam using #ExMuslimBecause. Find out more... Filed as: Press Releases
December 1, 2015		Goldsmiths ISOC fails to intimidate and silence dissenters SEE VIDEO BELOW CEMB spokesperson Maryam Namazie spoke on “Apostasy, Blasphemy and Free Expression in the Age of ISIS” on 30 November 2015 at Goldsmiths University at the invitation of the Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society (ASH). See Video Below. The night before her talk, the ASH president received an email from the president of Goldsmiths Islamic Society (ISOC) saying the following: As an Islamic society, we feel extremely uncomfortable by the fact that you have invited Maryam Namazie. As you very well probably know, she is renowned for being Islamophobic, and very controversial. Just a few examples of her... Filed as: Press Releases
November 27, 2015		Saudi Arabia: International organisations call for Ashraf Fayadh’s release More than 60 international organisations have joined a letter in support of poet and artist Ashraf Fayadh who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for apostasy 27 November 2015 Your Excellency RE: Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayadh We, the undersigned organisations, all dedicated to the value of creative freedom, are writing to express our grave concern that Ashraf Fayadh has been sentenced to death for apostasy. Ashraf Fayadh, a poet, artist, curator, and member of British-Saudi art organisation Edge of Arabia, was first detained in August 2013 in relation to his collection of poems Instructions Within following the submission... Filed as: Press Releases
November 21, 2015		Join #ExMuslimBecause If you are an Ex-Muslim or thinking of leaving Islam, join our global solidarity campaign by sending your photo with #ExMuslimBecause telling us your reason for leaving Islam. You can also send us a 1 minute video and Tweets. Find us at: Twitter: www.twitter.com/CEMB_forum Tweets by MaryamNamazie Tweets by rayhana Facebook: www.facebook.com/exmuslims Website: https://ex-muslim.org.uk/ If you have safety concern and are unable to show your face and identity, please feel free to hide your face and use a pseudonym. We will additionally ”cartoonize” your photo with Photoshop effect to ensure you remain anonymous. Not an Ex-Muslim, but want to be... Filed as: Press Releases
November 5, 2015		Victory for free expression and end-year celebrations Hello friend I hope you are well. WARWICK UNIVERSITY AND TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN Our spokesperson Maryam Namazie finally spoke at Warwick University and Trinity College Dublin this month after her talk was barred by the Student Union at Warwick and cancelled by the student group at TCD due to “concerns.” You can read and watch her speech on “Apostasy, Blasphemy and Free Expression in the Age of ISIS” here. A huge thank you to all the wonderful people who protested the initial decisions and defended free expression. You can see some of the widespread support, including from the National Secular... Filed as: Press Releases
October 13, 2015		The Guardian: Through Islamist Eyes I emailed The Guardian on 2 October to ask for the right to reply to David Shariatmadari’s apologetics for Islamism. My article, Why I Speak against Islamism, was finally published on 13 October at 5pm after much delay and back and forth over “edits.” On 8 October, the Acting Editor for Comment is Free wrote to say a “very light edit” had been done on my article including “a few tweaks for flow, house style, and to make the piece as accessible as possible for non-expert readers.” Shockingly, the “light edits” included substantial changes, including the removal of references to Ali... Filed as: Press Releases