Press Releases

May 19, 2014		Sudan apostasy case, New Report: Evangelising Hate – Islamic Education and Research Academy (iERA); ex-Muslims internationally Dear friend I am writing to give you an update of the work of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, including a new report on the hate group Islamic Education and Research Academy, and also ask for your help in defending an “apostate” facing death in Sudan. Sudan apostasy case The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain is outraged to learn of Mariam Yahya Ibrahim’s death sentence in Sudan for apostasy. The heavily pregnant Mariam has also been charged with adultery and imprisoned with her toddler. She and her husband are Christian but the judge insists she is Muslim. Mariam Yahya’s case... Filed as: Press Releases
May 19, 2014		Evangelising Hate – Islamic Education and Research Academy (iERA) A new report from the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain “Evangelising Hate” exposes the Islamic Education and Research Academy (iERA) as a Hate Group. You can read the report here. Whilst iERA purports to be a missionary-like charitable organisation, it is in fact a “soft Islamist” group, which acts as the Islamist movement’s public relations arm by promoting and normalising Islamist values and norms, including inciting hatred against ex-Muslims, gays, Jews, women, non Muslims and a majority of Muslims who do not share their values. In Britain and the west, groups like iERA use multiculturalism (as a social policy that... Filed as: Press Releases, Resources
May 19, 2014		Urgent Action: Mariam Yahya Ibrahim must be freed immediately The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain is outraged to learn of Mariam Yahya Ibrahim’s death sentence in Sudan for apostasy. The heavily pregnant Mariam has also been charged with adultery and imprisoned with her toddler. She and her husband are Christian but the judge insists she is Muslim. Mariam is not the first to be charged with apostasy. The case of Mahmoud Mohamed Taha, the Sudanese theologian who was hanged in 1985, remains vivid in the minds of all Sudanese. More recent cases include the 129 people charged with apostasy in South Kartoum/Hay Mayo and forced to repent in order to... Filed as: Press Releases
May 19, 2014		First legal atheist organisation formed in Turkey Istanbul, Turkey – The first legally recognized Atheist Organization of the Balkans, Middle East and among all Muslim-majority countries, has been founded in Istanbul, Turkey. The organization, titled Ateizm Dernegi, was founded in Istanbul on April 16, 2014. The focus of Ateizm Dernegi is to advocate for human rights, especially the right to irreligion – a right that is viewed as an act of terrorism in many Middle Eastern countries. It is the view of Ateizm Dernegi, that when political leaders including the Prime Minster of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan provide statements – citing Atheists as terrorists, “We opened a... Filed as: Press Releases
April 29, 2014		Press Release: Wills without bigotry – protest against the Law Society About 70 protesters rallied outside the office of the Law Society to condemn their endorsement of discriminatory sharia law on April 28 2014. The protest was organised by anti-racist, feminist and human rights groups, namely One Law for All, Southall Black Sisters, Centre for Secular Space, and London School of Economics SU Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society. Chris Moos was the master of ceremonies of the rally. At the protest, Pragna Patel, director of Southall Black Sisters called upon the Law Society to withdraw its guidance: Our message to you is this: Wake up: You are the Law Society and... Filed as: Press Releases
March 30, 2014		The Law Society must withdraw its guidance on Sharia-succession rules We, the undersigned, are appalled to learn that the Law Society, the representative body for solicitors in England and Wales, has issued Sharia-related guidance on wills, succession and inheritance. The guidance says: “Certain principles of Sharia are different to English succession laws. For example, it is not possible to inherit under Sharia rules via a deceased relative. No distinction is made between children of different marriages, but illegitimate and adopted children are not Sharia heirs. “The male heirs in most cases receive double the amount inherited by a female heir of the same class. Non-Muslims may not inherit at all,... Filed as: Press Releases
February 28, 2014		David Bleines Tribute David Bleines died 27 February 2014. Our most sincere condolences to his family and loved ones. David was a fine, kind and brave man. A secularist with a lively mind. He had once been a member of a cult and understood how hard it could be to break away from harmful beliefs and strike out without organisational support. After David was given a terminal prognosis he was able to gain a lot of satisfaction, as well as a distraction from his personal circumstances, by mulling over ideas for assisting the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB). Everyone who loved him... Filed as: Press Releases
January 14, 2014		To UN: UK public institutions continue to fail to uphold an environment free of discrimination 14 January 2014 Ms. Farida Shaheed Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland Dear Ms. Shaheed, We write to draw your attention to the increasing incidence of gender segregation on public university campuses in the United Kingdom, and to seek your intervention in this matter. Gender segregation reinforces negative views about women, undermines their right to participate in public life on equal terms with men and disproportionately impedes women from ethnic and religious minorities, whose rights to education and gender equality are already imperilled. The practice first... Filed as: Press Releases
December 13, 2013		Two-day international conference on the Religious Right, Secularism and Civil Rights Conference Leaflet for Distribution Available Here. Conference Website Here. Less than 100 days left to register for the conference of a life-time Conference on the Religious-Right, Secularism and Civil Rights 11-12 October 2014 The Tower Hotel, London, UK Join notable free-thinkers, atheists and secularists from around the world for a weekend of discussions and debates on the religious-Right, its attacks on civil rights and freedoms, and the role of secularism for 21st century humanity. The exciting two-day conference will discuss the Arab Spring, Sharia and religious laws, the limits of religion’s role in society, free expression, honour killings, apostasy and... Filed as: Press Releases
December 13, 2013		We will continue our fight against gender apartheid at universities More than a 100 protesters rallied outside the office of Universities UK to condemn their endorsement of segregation of the sexes and demand gender equality on 10 December 2013, International Human Rights Day. Chris Moos, a co-organiser of the rally and Secretary of the London School of Economics Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society was master of ceremonies. At the rally, Pragna Patel, director of Southall Black Sisters, said: For me, today is a particularly emotional moment. I stand here reminded of the heroic struggle waged against racial apartheid in South Africa, and yet find myself protesting against another form of... Filed as: Press Releases