Press Releases

November 20, 2017		Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany’s 10th anniversary celebration The Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany held a successful 10th anniversary celebration in collaboration with and Giordano Bruno Society on 17 November 2017 in Cologne, Germany. A video commemorating ten years can be seen below as can photos of the event. Speakers included German Council founders Mina Ahadi and Arzu Toker, Michael Schmidt-Salomon of Giordano Bruno Stiftung, CEMB spokesperson Maryam Namazie, Saudi ex-Muslim Rana Ahmed, contemporary dancer Atoosa Farahmand and Iranian musician Shahin Najafi. Filed as: Press Releases
October 4, 2017		The Future belongs to blasphemers International Blasphemy Day has just past. Watch this inspiring video made by ex-Muslims in various countries: The Future Belongs to Blasphemers. Also see the world’s first group bodypaint captured by both ground and drone in solidarity with ex-Muslims. Some will ask why we must celebrate blasphemy when it is “hurtful” and “offends”. The answer is simple: Because people can be killed for blaspheming and human life is more important than hurt sensibilities and offence. As the Jordanian atheist, Mohammed Al Khadra said at the largest gathering of ex-Muslims in history, “Where are your priorities? While we die, you are all... Filed as: Press Releases
October 4, 2017		UPDATE: Karrar Released! Greek Authorities: Release and Protect Karrar Al Asfoor UPDATE: Good news! Karrar has been released from detention. Thanks to everyone who advocated on his behalf. Here is a message from Karrar himself: ***** Karrar Al Asfoor (Karrar Hamza, number 550) is an atheist from Najaf, Iraq who has been active with Arab Atheists and the Forum for Humanitarian Dialogue , a Facebook discussion group of 44,000 members that promotes the right to freedom of belief and expression in the Middle East and North Africa. Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and other ex-Muslim organisations have worked with Karrar for several years, including around Facebook’s censorship of Arab atheist pages.... Filed as: Press Releases
October 2, 2017		Bodypainting in Solidarity with Ex-Muslims and CEMB Created as a finale to the groundbreaking International Conference on Freedom of Conscience and Expression, the largest gathering of ex-Muslims in history, this is the world’s first group bodypaint captured by both ground and drone. Conceived by award-winning bodypainter Victoria Gugenheim in support of and solidarity with ex-Muslims and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB). Filed as: Press Releases
October 2, 2017		The Future Belongs to the Blasphemers – a Message from Ex-Muslims A message from ex-Muslims to mark International Blasphemy Day Some people believe that disagreeing with deeply held beliefs is hate. It is not. I want to remind you that many of the most powerful ideas, ideas that changed our world were once heretical. I want to remind you that many of the most radical thinkers and reformists in past eras were blasphemers against the established order of their day. Galileo who rewrote our place in the universe, Darwin who rewrote our place amongst our animal family. Even a religious figure such as Mohammed caused offence when he blasphemed against the... Filed as: Press Releases
August 3, 2017		Open Letter to Pride: Defend the Council of Ex-Muslims Open Letter to Pride: Defend the Council of Ex-Muslims East London mosque has history of hosting homophobic hate preachers Dear Pride in London and Community Advisory Board, I write as one of the co-organisers of the UK’s first LGBT Pride in 1972, as a Patron of Pride in London and as a human rights campaigner for the last 50 years: I understand that complaints have been made against the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) by the East London mosque and others. The claim is that the CEMB’s placards at this year’s Pride parade on 8 July were “Islamophobic”. They... Filed as: Media Coverage, Press Releases
July 28, 2017		Pride has the chance to do the right thing 28 July 2017 Michael Salter-Church Alison Camps Co-Chairs – Pride in London Dear Michael Salter-Church and Alison Camps Thank you for your letter dated 21 July addressed to CEMB’s Pride Organiser. The crux of the issue, which you have failed to recognise, is this: Pride in London has taken complaints against the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) by the likes of the East London Mosque – a centre of homophobia – seriously because of a cultural relativism and tone policing that is only applicable to critics of Islam and never critics of Christianity. Moreover, complaints have been given credence... Filed as: Press Releases
July 28, 2017		CEMB is merely exposing the East London Mosque’s incitement to Hate and murder of LGBT at Pride in London Response to East London Mosque Statement dated 20th July 2017 and Muslim Council of Britain Statement, dated 26 July 2017 The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) represents former Muslims who are from Muslim-majority countries or diaspora communities. Frequently, these are refugees seeking asylum as they are being persecuted for leaving Islam or for being LGBT. We are committed to calling out oppressive narratives, racism and anti-Muslim hate and homophobia – all of which directly impact our members. Ironically, CEMB’s presence at Pride in London has been labelled ‘Islamophobic’ by the East London Mosque (ELM), a word we reject as... Filed as: Press Releases
July 25, 2017		Largest gathering of ex-Muslims in history The International Conference on Freedom of Conscience and Expression, the largest gathering of ex-Muslims in history, was held during 22-24 July 2017 in London. Over 70 notable speakers from 30 countries or the Diaspora gathered in what was dubbed “The Glastonbury of Freethinkers” and “a Conference of Heroes” to honour dissenters and defend apostasy, blasphemy, and secularism. The sold-out conference highlighted the voices of those on the frontlines of resistance – many of them persecuted and exiled – and included the first London film screening of Deeyah Khan’s film, Islam’s Non Believers, a public art protest of 99 balloons representing... Filed as: Press Releases
July 14, 2017		East London mosque has filed formal complaint about CEMB to Pride By Maryam Namazie, CEMB Spokesperson East London mosque has filed a formal complaint regarding the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s presence in Pride in London and stated that our placards, including “East London mosque incites murder of LGBT” were “inciting hatred against Muslims” and that the mosque had a “track record for challenging homophobia in East London”. In fact, though, the very reason CEMB was at Pride was to combat hate and to highlight the 14 states under Islamic rule that kill gay men (15 if we include Daesh-held territories). We included placards on the East London mosque to bring attention... Filed as: Press Releases