November 23, 2021
Soheil Arabi, an Iranian atheist initially sentenced to death in 2013 for ‘insulting the Prophet of Islam’ in Facebook posts, has been released after eight years in prison. He has been internally exiled for two years and is in need of an operation and urgent medical care due to the torture he faced in prison. In October, CEMB and others organised an International Soheil Day to stand with him and demand his release. CEMB thanks all those who campaigned on his behalf. We are still collecting solidarity postcards for Soheil and his mother Farangis Mazloum. #FreeSoheil #SoheilDay #SoheilArabi #سهیل_عربی #روز_سهیل  
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November 1, 2021
At De Balie’s Freethinkers Festival in Amsterdam end October 2021, Maryam Namazie spoke on “Women in oppression: On the deep friendship between religion and patriarchy.” During the discussion, she said “Religion has to come with health warning. It kills, it destroys, it humiliates, and particularly women it does that too.” She also explained the trending hashtag on Persian Twitter #IShitOnIslam #ریدم_تو_اسلام همانطور که همیشه گفته ام، مذهب باید همه جا با پیام هشدار سلامت به این مضمون که مذهب میکشد، نابود میکند، و تحقیر میکند، مخصوصا زنان را، همراه باشد. You can see the full discussion here with Deborah Feldman,...
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October 26, 2021
Dear Friend Hope you are well. Your urgent action and solidarity are requested. SOLIDARITY POSTCARDS TO SOHEIL ARABI AND HIS MOTHER Over 200 organisations and individuals have called for the release of an Iranian blogger imprisoned for ‘blasphemy’. The initiative aims to free atheist Soheil Arabi who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2013. Since 19 October, Arabi has been on hunger strike and his mother, Farangis Mazloum, has been summoned to serve an 18-month prison sentence for demanding justice for her son. Mazloum says she is extremely concerned about her son’s situation and has not heard from him. Please...
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October 26, 2021
German, Persian translations follow below Following a 15 October protest against Cologne City Council’s permit to mosques to broadcast the call to prayer or Azaan, Islamists have threatened Mina Ahadi with death. One such threat states: “We will kill you and you will burn in the fire of hell.” Islamists have also said that they know where she lives. German police believe the threats to be serious and have placed her under police protection. According to Mina Ahadi: “The fight against the Azaan is a fight against the Islamist movement and a defence of secular spaces. It is not against...
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October 22, 2021
On Saturday 20 November from 6-8pm, CEMB and One Law for All are screening “Women Leaving Islam” for the first time in London. After the film, there will be a panel discussion on Blasphemous Women and Equality. Speakers include Somali Ex-Muslim Voices Founder Halima Salat, CEMB Spokesperson Maryam Namazie, youtuber and Counsellor Mimzy Vidz, Youtuber Nuriyeh Khan, Writer and Southall Black Sisters Activist Rahila Gupta and Clinical Psychologist Savin Bapir-Tardy. Tickets are £5.00. Due to Covid rules, space is limited so please get your tickets today. On Saturday 20 November from 6-9pm, CEMB is screening “Women Leaving Islam” for the...
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October 21, 2021
Updated 1 October 2024   ONLINE SECURITY GUIDE INTRODUCTION These suggestions have been collated from many external sources that the author does not endorse and are primarily aimed at users that find themselves in need of greater security, privacy and anonymity for their electronic communications. The assumption is that your computer is running a version of MS Windows, but again the suggestions can apply to other operating systems or platforms that have similar software. There is no such thing as a 100% secure communication over an electronic medium such as the global internet or telephony network. Many of the suggestions...
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October 3, 2021
  Greetings. I am Farangis Mazloum, Soheil Arabi’s mother. He is an atheist and anarchist prisoner [in Iran who was initially sentenced to death for Facebook posts]. I would like to thank those calling for October 3rd to be named International Soheil Day. I ask everyone who is watching this video to support us and to support Soheil. Soheil should have been freed many years ago because of all that he had suffered and the amnesty. However, unfortunately, not only did they not release him, but they added two more years imprisonment to his sentence. I appreciate your efforts in...
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September 28, 2021
Dear friend We hope you are well and safe. We wanted to write and give you an update of upcoming events and actions. BLASPHEMY DAY, 30 September Join CEMB in celebrating blasphemy by uploading your photo into our #blasphemyday frame and sharing on social media. If you can’t show your face because it may put you at risk, hide it or leave it blank. Artist Victoria Gugenheim explains how to add your photo to the frame here. On this day, we reiterate that blasphemy is not a crime. It is part and parcel of freedom of conscience and expression and...
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September 28, 2021
Join CEMB in celebrating blasphemy by uploading your photo into our #blasphemyday frames below and sharing on social media. If you can’t show your face because it may put you at risk, hide it or leave it blank. On this day, we reiterate that blasphemy is not a crime. It is part and parcel of freedom of conscience and expression. Clearly, ideas don’t need rights, people do. Artist Victoria Gugenheim explains how to add your photo to the frame: 1- Save the blasphemy day photo frames to your phone (see below). 2- Go to Google Play Store / Apple Store...
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September 27, 2021
Farsi, Arabic, French and Spanish translations and list of Signatories below. To add your signature, please email maryamnamazie@gmail.com or add your name and description in the comments section below. The list will be updated daily until end of 3 October, International Soheil Day. Soheil Arabi is an Iranian atheist initially sentenced to death for ‘insulting the Prophet of Islam’ in Facebook posts. Due to public pressure, his sentence was reduced but he continues to face multiple additional charges in attempts to silence him since his arrest in November 2013. In August 2021, his lawyer Tweeted that Soheil had been sentenced...
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