| September 13, 2022 |  |
Protest for Iranian Lesbians on death row met with Allah-u-Akbar in Cologne Please sign a petition to help save the two women. Protesters in Cologne, Germany, were met with aggressive heckling by a group of young Muslims on September 10. A video posted by Maryam Namazie, a London-based Iranian writer and activist, showed the counter-protesters shouting “Allahu Akbar.” Namazie and her groups protested against Iran, sentencing LGBTQ activists Zahra Sedighi-Hamadani and Elham Chobdar to death. According to Iran’s Urmia Revolutionary Court, the two were charged with “Corruption on Earth.” They were found guilty of promoting homosexuality which caused outrage in the international LGBTQ and human rights organizations. In an interview with the Atheist Republic... Filed as: Featured, Homepage, Press Releases |
| September 12, 2022 |  |
IBKA awards Maryam Namazie its Sapio Award IBKA, the International League of Non-Religious and Atheists, awarded CEMB Spokesperson Maryam Namazie the Sapio Prize for outstanding merits in advocating freethought, separation of state and church, and rational thinking in Cologne, Germany on 10 September 2022. Maryam Namazie shared the award with Mina Ahadi and Arzu Toker who started the first Council of Ex-Muslims in Germany and other organisations in Ex-Muslims International. She dedicated the award to Islam’s Non Believers. Rene Hartmann, IBKA Spokesperson opened the award ceremony The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain aims to give a voice to people who have turned away from Islam. It campaigns... Filed as: Featured, Homepage, Press Releases |
| September 3, 2022 |  |
Maryam Namazie’s Opening Speech at #CelebratingDissent2022 Maryam Namazie’s Opening Speech at #CelebratingDissent2022 سخنرانی افتتاحیه مریم نمازی در کنفرانس بینالمللی تجلیل از ناهم اندیشی Maryam Namazie’s opening speech at #CelebratingDissent2022 calls the #exMuslim movement the new civil rights movement and says: #SalmanRushdie not the first nor the last attacked by #Iran & #Islamists. But as Chilean poet Pablo Neruda said, ‘You can cut all the flowers but you cannot stop the Spring’. See text in Persian and English Below. ENGLISH Hello Apostates, Blasphemers, Heretics and Freethinkers. It is good to see you, especially since Covid and so soon after the violent attack on our courageous Salman Rushdie.... Filed as: Featured, Homepage, Press Releases |
| August 31, 2022 |  |
CD2022: Resolutions and Declarations in support of Salman Rushdie, Ending Code 166, International Secularism Day and Celebrating Dissent Celebrating Dissent 2022 adopted resolutions in defence of Salman Rushdie, for an end to Germany’s Code 166 and for an International Day of Secularism or Laïcité. IN DEFENSE OF SALMAN RUSHDIE Celebrating Dissent 2022 condemns the violent attack on Salman Rushdie and stands in unequivocal solidarity with the brave writer. We are pleased to finally see support for Rushdie, rather than the usual vilification and victim blaming that comes after freethinkers are targeted by the Islamist movement. Whilst the attacker’s motives have not yet been revealed, his allegiance to the Islamic regime in Iran clearly links the attack to Khomeini’s... Filed as: Press Releases, Resources |
| August 31, 2022 |  |
Maryam Namazie Interviews Richard Dawkins at Celebrating Dissent 2022 Maryam Namazie interviews Scientist Richard Dawkins at Celebrating Dissent 2022 in Cologne, Germany. Filed as: Press Releases |
| August 31, 2022 |  |
CD2022 Report: You can cut the flowers but you cannot stop the Spring Photos and videos are also published on CD2022 website. CD2022 Press Release (final) “We attended one of the largest gatherings of atheists and freethinkers in the world, Celebrating Dissent. An event with a very special tone – the aggression against Salman Rushdie on everyone’s minds. More than ever, these atheists wanted to show that they are more and more numerous and determined to win the battle against obscurantism.” – Charlie Hebdo, 24 August 2022 Celebrating Dissent 2022, held in Cologne, Germany on August 20-21 2022, to coincide with International Apostasy Day, was an extraordinary event with over 50 exceptional speakers from 30 countries worldwide, including scientist... Filed as: Featured, Homepage, Press Releases |
| August 26, 2022 |  |
Iranian Atheist Soheil Arabi wins Freethought Champions Award at Celebrating Dissent 2022 Iranian atheist Soheil Arabi who was on death row for blasphemy and is currently in internal exile after 8 years in prison in Iran was awarded the Freethought Champions Award at Celebrating Dissent 2022 organised by Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and Freethought Lebanon. In his acceptance video, he said: “I have no regrets that I have been in prison for 8 years, despite the fact that I have lost my health because I think we have paved the way collectively together for liberation. I am a drop in this sea and glad to be part of the society of... Filed as: Featured, Homepage, Press Releases |
| August 26, 2022 |  |
Morocco: Fatima Karim must be released unconditionally Ex-Muslims International, the global umbrella body of ex-Muslim organisations, strongly condemns the two-year prison sentence for Fatima Karim for social media posts deemed “insulting to Islam.” Article 267-5 of Morocco’s Penal Code stipulates anyone undermining Islam is punishable by law. Under the article, Moroccan courts can hand sentences ranging from six months to two years in prison in addition to fines. We remind the Moroccan authorities that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and call on them to drop all charges against Fatima Karim and release her immediately and unconditionally. Filed as: Press Releases |
| August 22, 2022 |  |
Raise your hands for International Apostasy Day CEMB Resident Artist Victoria Gugenheim lead a group action in solidarity with apostates worldwide at Celebrating Dissent 2022 during 20-21 August in Cologne. Participants painted their hand with a red A to stand up for apostates worldwide. Apostasy (ردة or ارتداد) is the abandonment or renunciation of religion. It is punishable by death in Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, UAE, and Yemen and a criminal offence in many more Muslim-majority countries. In Pakistan, a disbelief in God is punishable with the death penalty under a blasphemy law. In Saudi Arabia, atheism is equated with terrorism. In... Filed as: Featured, Homepage, Press Releases |
| July 20, 2022 |  |
Celebrating Dissent 2022 #CelebratingDissent2022 will be held in Cologne, Germany during 21-22 August 2022 with over 50 speakers from 30 countries in the largest gathering of #exMuslims, #atheists and #freethinkers since lockdown. It follows from the highly successful Celebrating Dissent Festival in Amsterdam in 2019 and the Freedom of Conscience and Expression conference in London in 2017. The two-day event is organised by the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and Freethought Lebanon and in partnership with Atheist Refugee Relief (Säkulare Flüchtlingshilfe Deutschland), Center for Inquiry, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Giordano Bruno Stiftung, National Secular Society and Volkshochschule Köln (VHS Köln). More info can... Filed as: Press Releases |