| September 10, 2018 |  |
Why “Allah is Gay”? CEMB asks Imad Iddine Habib Why “Allah is Gay”? Maryam Namazie’s interview with Imad Iddine Habib, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) Spokesperson You made the first ever “Allah is Gay” placard for Pride 2017. Why? I made “Allah is Gay” placards at Pride 2017 because I believe that LGBT people of Muslim heritage have to take the lead in tackling homophobia and hate in our respective Muslim communities and Muslim-majority countries. As an ex-Muslim bisexual man, I felt that “Allah is Gay” challenges both blasphemy/ apostasy laws as well as homophobic ones. There is also some truth to it. According to Islamic teachings, Allah... Filed as: Press Releases |
| August 15, 2018 |  |
We Call on the British Government to Stop Pushing Minority Women Towards Religious Courts In the light of recent court decisions on marriage and divorce, today we have written to the Ministry of Justice, calling for an urgent review into Sharia and civil marriage and divorce laws and to guarantee access to justice for all. We welcome the recent High Court decision in Akhter v Khan [2018] EWFC 54 in the UK, to declare that a Muslim marriage contract (nikkah) was ‘void’, rather than a ‘non-marriage’. Shabaz Khan had refused to divorce Nasreen Akhter on the grounds that they did not have a valid marriage registered under English law. This had the effect of... Filed as: Press Releases |
| July 9, 2018 |  |
CEMB march at Pride 2018 in London: A Victory against Islamism Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain marched in Pride in London on 7 July for LGBT rights in countries under Islamic rule; in 15 states or territories, homosexuality is punishable by death. The march was a victory against Islamist forces in Britain like Mend and East London Mosque that tried and failed to stop CEMB from marching with accusations of ‘Islamophobia’ aimed at imposing de facto blasphemy and apostasy laws. Despite their efforts, CEMB marched for the right to apostasy and blasphemy, for asylum and refugee rights, against racism and the far-Right and for the right to love, live and think... Filed as: Press Releases |
| July 5, 2018 |  |
Pride is a Safe Place for LGBT people of Muslim Heritage – A response to Al-Kadhi In The Guardian By Jimmy Bangash This was published in Conatus News on 5 July 2018. Pride is an important, welcoming place for LGBT people of Muslim heritage, including liberal Muslims and ex-Muslims. Amrou Al-Kadhi’s article in The Guardian paints a bleak picture of London Pride. It contains inaccurate citations of placards and, more menacingly, erases the bastion of hope and progress that the parade symbolises for many LGBT people of Muslim heritage. Life for LGBT people of Muslim heritage can be bleak. For many it involves living a closeted existence within the Muslim ‘community’ for fear of being ostracised or disowned. Religious... Filed as: Press Releases |
| July 4, 2018 |
Provocative? Well, yes! The Council of Ex Muslims of Britain’s (CEMB) presence at London’s Pride event last year was viewed as intentionally provocative and subversive and to that charge I would say, well yes! Pride, with its radical roots of standing up against bigotry and homophobia, is the best place to highlight and condemn injustices. But as a minority within a minority, we ex-Muslims are expected to remain silent about issues like homophobia, misogyny, and the persecution of apostates, blasphemers and freethinkers in the name of preventing anti-Muslim bigotry. Of course Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain stands against anti-Muslim bigotry, but we also vehemently... Filed as: Press Releases |
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| July 3, 2018 |  |
Ex-Muslims: A community in protest Published in sister-hood on 2 July 2018. When the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) started 11 years ago, in June 2007, we were hard pressed to find 25 people who would come out publicly to break the apostasy taboo. Today, we are witnessing an international ex-Muslim ‘community’ – a tsunami of atheism. But for me, this has never been about building a community as it is understood within identity politics, which implies people being boxed into homogenised, segregated communities with culturally-relative rights managed by ‘community leaders.’ Rather, I see ex-Muslims as a community in protest: insisting on freedom from religion, and freedom of... Filed as: Press Releases |
| June 28, 2018 |  |
CEMB marches in Pride London to defend the rights of LGBT, Apostates and Blasphemers Our rights and lives are interlinked Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain will be marching at Pride London on Saturday 7 July 2018 for the rights of LGBT in countries under Islamic rule; in 15 countries or territories, homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty. Many of the same states punish apostasy and blasphemy with death. Clearly, the lives and rights of apostates and LGBT are intertwined. Absurdly, and until recently, we were unsure if we would be permitted to march after accusations of ‘Islamophobia’ by the homophobic East London Mosque against CEMB. After 8 months, Pride finally met with us... Filed as: Press Releases |
| June 12, 2018 |  |
LGBT Rights, Apostasy and Blasphemy at Pride Festival Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) is organising a screening of the film, Islam’s Non-Believers, by award-winning filmmaker Deeyah Khan on 14th June, from 6:00-9:00pm, as part of London Pride Festival to raise awareness amongst those who are unfamiliar with CEMB & the ex-Muslim movement. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and Q&A on LGBT Rights, Apostasy and Blasphemy. Imaan, Mend, East London Mosque, Pride and Pink News have been invited to join the discussion. Confirmed Speakers: Jimmy Bangash, LGBT Activist Matthew Mahmood-Ogston, Founder & Trustee of Naz and Matt Foundation Sadia Hamed, Spokesperson of Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Syed... Filed as: Press Releases |
| May 25, 2018 |  |
Privacy Policy No doubt you’ll already be aware that on 25 May the new European data privacy laws (GDPR) will come into effect. CEMB operates a low-traffic announcement list to keep you updated on the latest events, news, and activities we are involved in organising. Your emails alone are included in this list because you have signed up to our email list at one of our events or because you requested to be added. We keep your data secure and do not use it for any other purposes. We will never share your data with third parties and we manage the list... Filed as: Press Releases |
| May 17, 2018 |  |
Ramadan: Fasting is your right; Fast-Defying ours! On Friday 18 May Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) has a fast-defying protest at embassies of countries that punish eating during Ramadan with flogging, beatings and imprisonment. Join our “eat-in” at Saudi, Iranian, Pakistani, Moroccan, Tunisian, Bangladeshi and Egyptian embassies in London or defend the persecuted during the month of Ramadan. Fasting is your Right; Fast-Defying is my Right. #Ramadan #Fast_Defying_My_Right جمعه ۱۸ مه٬ شوراى اكس مسلم بريتانيا اعتراض روزه خوارى دارد جلوى سفارتخانه هاى كشورهايى كه روزه خواران را شلاق مى زنند و زندانى و اذيت و آزار مى كنند منجمله سفارتهاى ايران٬ عربستان سعودى٬ تونس٬ مراكش٬ بنگلادش٬... Filed as: Press Releases |