Press Releases

March 23, 2019		Why Were Women’s Bodies Policed By Hijab After The New Zealand Terror Attack? Why Were Women’s Bodies Policed By Hijab After The New Zealand Terror Attack? The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s Response To Hijab Being Used As A Symbol Of Solidarity In The Aftermath Of The New Zealand Terrorist Attack. More than a week on from the horrific far right and white supremacist attack on New Zealand, we at the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain are still grieving for those who were lost, or had their lives destroyed. As we have already said, the majority of our members and volunteers are from Muslim families and communities, so the people killed or critically... Filed as: Press Releases
March 23, 2019		Atheist Day: An Atheist Coming Out Day We atheists and atheist allies hereby declare that from now on, March 23rd is Atheist Day. We recognize the struggle of atheists to live authentic lives in many parts of the world. The struggle to openly affirm one’s atheism. The fear of intolerant governments, mobs, and religious zealots. On March 23rd we shall take a stand for our right to be treated equal and for those of us in countries where atheists are persecuted and live under a threat of death. From every city in every country in the world we shall be one voice, a voice of reason. Initiators:... Filed as: Media Coverage, Press Releases
March 20, 2019		Fundamentalism and White Nationalism: the same, just wearing different clothes, Vrij Links, 29 March 2019 Below is the English version of an interview with Marieke Hoogwout published in Dutch in Vrij Links on 29 March 2019. The interview was conducted before the Christchurch and Utrecht terrorist attacks this month. You can read the Dutch interview here. In January, Iranian-British human rights activist Maryam Namazie gave the 24th Freedom Lecture at De Balie in Amsterdam. Hers was a fierce plea for solidarity from the left with all dissenters, ex-Muslims, feminists, secularists, in short: with anyone challenging repression of political Islam. An interview on how politicians, media and all of us citizens can contribute to, in her... Filed as: Media Coverage, Press Releases
March 16, 2019		In memory of Farooq Today is the anniversary of the cold-blooded murder of atheist M Farooq, a 31 year old scrap merchant in Tamil Nadu India because of his atheism and Facebook posts pronounced “anti-Islamic.” He was killed 15 days after he posted a photo of one of his children holding a placard with the handwritten slogan “Kadavul illai, Kadavul illai, Kadavul illai (No God, No God, No God)” in 2017. He was a member of an atheist organisation, Dravidar Vidudhalai kazhagam, that fights religious/caste bigotry. He was killed by a group that included friends who disagreed with his views. Today we remember him... Filed as: Press Releases
March 15, 2019		Outrage at #ChristchurchMosqueAttack We are outraged at the far-Right terrorist attacks on mosques in New Zealand. Those killed could have been our beloved; our hearts go out to the victims and survivors of these heinous attacks. We recognise the xenophobic, anti-migrant and anti-Muslim, white nationalists in the Islamists. Both are far-Right movements that rely on religion, violence, hate, misogyny, homophobia, anti-Semitism… and both use terrorism to sow fear and division. We will continue to fight both and defend universal values, the right to live and think as one chooses, and our common humanity. Whatever our differences, we are one race: Human. We stand... Filed as: Press Releases
March 6, 2019		Solidarity with Parkfield School Birmingham – No to Religious Homophobia In 2016 Parkfield community school in Saltley, Birmingham was awarded Outstanding by Ofsted in every single area of inspection, Effectiveness of leadership and management, Quality of teaching, learning and assessment, Personal development, behaviour and welfare, Outcomes for pupils and Early years provision. Furthermore, the Ofsted report stated that the school fully delivers on its aim that ‘Together we can make a huge difference’. Many parents would be grateful for their children to be sent to a high performing school, that ensures, as the report states, their students and staff, “are made to feel valued”. Parkfield delivers a program called no... Filed as: Media Coverage, Press Releases
March 4, 2019		#InternationalWomensDayProtest #PeriodsAreNatural #InternationalWomensDayProtest #PeriodsAreNatural #WeAreUnashamed Orthodox Judaism forbids women and men from even touching or passing things to each other during a woman’s period. In certain branches of Japanese Buddhism, menstruating women are banned from attending temples. In Hinduism, a woman is forbidden from entering not only Hindu temples but also her own kitchen. She must not sleep in the daytime, bathe, have sex, touch others, or speak loudly. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, women are forbidden from receiving communion whilst the Russian Orthodox Church forces women to live in menstrual huts while on their period. In Islam, women are barred from praying,... Filed as: Press Releases
February 11, 2019		Ex-Muslim Women Speak Out on 1st International Atheist Day 23 March 2019, 18:00 for 18:30 start until 21:30 to celebrate the first ever International Atheist Day Holborn, Central London Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain will celebrate the first ever International Atheist Day with a panel discussion of ex-Muslim women speaking out, namely Poet Halima Salat, Activist Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, CEMB Spokespersons Maryam Namazie and Sadia Hamed, Ex-Muslim YouTuber Mimzy Vidz and Faithless Hijabi Founder Zara Kay. Singer/Songwriter Shelley Segal will perform her new songs and there will be an art exhibition by Samint and CEMB’s 2019 Awards as well Coming Out Ceremonies. Nahla Mahmoud will MC the event. Tickets... Filed as: Press Releases
February 11, 2019		Women Against Allah: 8 March International Women’s Day Protest On 8 March International Women’s Day Protest, join #WomenAgainstAllah #WomenAgainstGod #WomenAgainstReligions #WomenAgainstQuran #WomenAgainstSharia #NotHalfAMan #NoShame FARSI زنان_علیه_الله# زنان_علیه_خدا# زنان_علیه_مذاهب# زنان_علیه_قرآن# زنان_علیه_شریعت# نیمی_از_مرد_نیستم# بدون_شرم# TURKISH #AllahaKarşıKadınlar #TanrıyaKarşıKadınlar #DinlereKarşıKadınlar #KuranaKarşıKadınlar #ŞeriataKarşıKadınlar #ErkeğinYarısıDeğil #AyıpDeğil ARABIC نساء_ضد_الله# نساء_ضد_الإله# نساء_ضد_الأديان# نساء_ضد_القرآن# نساء_ضد_الشريعة# لست_نصف_رجل# لا_عار# URDU عورت_اللہ_کے_خلاف# عورت_خدا_کے_خلاف# عورت_مذہب_کے_خلاف# عورت_قرآن_کے_خلاف # عورت_شر یعت_کے_خلاف# عورت_آدھی_گوا ہی# عورت_ہونا_کوئی_شرمندگی_نہیں# BENGALI #আল্লাহর_বিপক্ষে_নারী #ঈশ্বরের_বিপক্ষে_নারী #ধর্মের_বিপক্ষে_নারী #কুরআনের_বিপক্ষে_নারী #শরিয়ার_বিপক্ষে_নারী #পুরুষের_অর্ধেক_নয় #কোন_লজ্জা_নয় FRENCH #FemmesContreAllah #FemmesContreDieu #FemmesContreLesReligions #FemmesContreLeCoran #FemmesContreSharia #PasunDemiHomme #PasdeHonte GERMAN #FrauenGegenAllah #FrauenGegenGott #FrauenGegenReligionen #FrauenGegenQuran #FrauenGegenSharia #NichtHalberMann #KeineSchande TAMIL #அல்லாஹ்வைஎதிர்க்கும்பெண்கள் #கடவுளைஎதிர்க்கும்பெண்கள் #மதங்களைஎதிர்க்கும்பெண்கள் #குர்ஆனைஎதிர்க்கும்பெண்கள் #ஷரியாவைஎதிர்க்கும்பெண்கள் #நாம்ஆணில்பாதிஅல்ல #வெட்கம்தேவையற்றது Filed as: Press Releases
January 27, 2019		Amnesty International and All-Out: Be honest about Sharia Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) is horrified to learn that Chechnyan authorities have begun a new wave of attacks on LGBT. At least two people have been tortured to death since December 2018; another 40 are being detained and tortured as we speak. CEMB marched in Pride 2017 for the first time to highlight the plight of LGBT in countries and territories under Islamist control and in particular the harrowing roundup, detention and torture of LGBT people in Chechnya. At the time, its president Ramzan Kadyrov had expressed the desire to “eliminate” gay people “before the start of Ramadan.”... Filed as: Press Releases