International Imad Day

Since 22 year old Imad Iddine Habib founded the Council of Ex-Muslims of Morocco (the first public atheist organisation in a country with Islam as the state religion), he has received numerous threats.

Morocco’s High Council of Ulemas (the highest government religious institution headed by the King) issued a fatwa decreeing the death penalty for Moroccans who leave Islam. Currently, under Morocco’s penal code, those who “impede or prevent worship” face imprisonment and fines.

The threats continue to escalate. Recently, Imad’s father has been interrogated by the secret service. He was told to tell Imad to stop his activities and that this would be the “last warning before they react”. Imad’s registered address has also been raided by security forces.

We, the undersigned, are extremely concerned about Imad’s safety and life and call on the Moroccan government to guarantee his security and respect freedom of expression and thought. Rather than prosecute freethinkers, the government should prosecute those who issue fatwas and death threats.

On 15 May we call for an International Imad Day in order to stand with and defend Imad.

He is all of us.

[For 15 May, add your name to the list below; send letters of protest to the Moroccan embassy in your country of residence; Tweet #Imad, #Atheist, #exMuslim; do an act of solidarity, including posting a photo of yourself holding a message like Imad has done (you can also email the photo to exmuslimcouncil@gmail.com); click “like” on the Council of Ex-Muslims of Morocco’s Facebook page and more.]

Signatories: (Add your name, description and or organisation, and country in the comments section below. The list will be updated regularly.)

Updated 15 May 2013; 22:00 hours

A C Grayling, Philosopher, UK
Abdul Majeed
Adam Brown, Co-Founder, Atheism Resource, USA
Adam Dobrer, Atheist
Adam Felton, Sweden
Adam Grannick
Adam Lee, Blogger, Daylight Atheism, USA
Adrian Rox, London Atheist Activist Group, UK
Adrian Stern
Afsaneh Vahdat, Spokesperson, Council of Ex-Muslims of Sweden, Sweden
Alf Krogseth, Tromsø, Norway
Alfons Grieb
Alice Polesky
Amanda Brown, We are Atheism, Atheism Resource and Atheists Giving Aid, USA
Amanda Knief, Managing Director, American Atheists
Amanda Sebestyen, Writer, UK
Amy Roman, Orlando, USA
Anders Slaatsveen, Former Teacher and Manager of NGO, Norway
Andres Cruz-Wellmann, Atheist and Photojournalist
Andrzej Koraszewski
Andy Stenson, Anti-theist, Sydney, Australia
Ane Torine Myrhaug Bæra, Atheist, Freethinker, Member of the Heathen society, Norway
Anissa Helie, Algerian/French Activist, France
Anita Romaniuk
Anka Kouwenhoven, The Netherlands
Ann Brusseel, Belgian Parliament, Belgium
Anne Boger, Norway
Annie Sugier, President, Ligue du Droit International des Femmes, France
Antony Wibberley
Ariane Brunet
Arifur Rahman, Bangladeshi Atheist Blogger, UK
Armin Navabi, Founder at Atheist Republic, Canada
Atheist Alliance International
Audrey King
Bachaar Arnaout, Psychiatrist, USA
Barbara Burfoot
Barrie Harrison
Beaux Johnson
Behzad Varpusthy, Founder of Northern ex-Muslim Meetup Group, UK
Benjamin Hagberg, Rhetoric Student, Sweden
Beverly Walker
Billy Wardlaw, Artist, USA
Birger Johansson, Umeå, Sweden
Bob Lane, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Vancouver Island University, Canada
Bogdan Markov, Non-religious, Romania
Bouchara Charly
Brad Reddekopp
Brandon Anderson, Texas, USA
Brendan Maher, Co-Director, Dublin, Ireland
Brian Fields, President PA Nonbelievers
Brian Harrison, Atheist, Realist and Humanist
Brian Harrison, Atheist, Realist and Humanist
Brian Leslie
Brian Robinson
Bruce Blanton Breece, Harmonica player, Los Angeles, USA
Carlos A. Diaz, President, Atheist Alliance International, Argentina
Carole Brown
Catherine Donoghue
Charlie Klendjian, Secretary, Lawyers’ Secular Society, UK
Chintamani Jonathan Weiss
Chris Burns
Chris Johansen
Chris Moore
Christian Hochstöger
Christina Dahl, The Norwegian Heathen Society, Norway
Christine Hamilton
Christine M. Shellska, PhD Candidate, Canada
Christopher Roche, Bath Atheists, Humanists and Secularists, UK
Chunilal Velji Chavda
Claire Pedersen, Atheist, Australia
Clara Piccirillo
Colin Atkinson, Sheffield Humanist Society Committee member and organiser of Sheffield Sceptics in the Pub, UK
Collis Gretton, UK
Contessa de Metoncula, Atheist and Humanist, California/Hawaii
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany
Crystal White
Dagmar Gontard-Zelinkova
Dalis Davies
Daniel Fincke, Blogger, USA
Daniel Gronau, Germany
Daniel Solberg Johannessen, Bergen, Norway
Daniel Vrangsinn, President Misantrof ANTIRecords and Board Member of The Norwegian Heathen Society, Norway
Danny Vermeyen, Human Rights Activist, Belgium/Flanders
Darren Wolfe, Blogger, The International Libertarian
David Fitzgerald, Author and Public Speaker, Secular Student Alliance
David Mehrania, Texas, USA
David Morgan
David Nicholls, President, Atheist Foundation of Australia, Australia
David Silverman, President, American Atheists, USA
David Stevenson
David Williams, USA
Dejana Savić, Blogger, Writer and Atheist, Serbia
Dennis Penaluna, President, Nottingham Secular Society, UK
Diana Neslen
Diana Summers, Christian
Diederik Zwager
Digant C Kasundra
Dinah Livingstone, London, UK
Dirk Groditzki, Germany
Djemila Benhabib, Writer and Politician, Canada
Don Engel
Donald Wharton, Coordinator DC Region Atheists
DPR Jones, The Magic Sandwich Show, USA
Dr Ant Allan, Humanist, UK
Dr B Redfearn
Dya Ahmad, Member of Youth Parliament in Iraq and Secretary of Student and Youth organisation in Iraq
Ed Brayton, Blogger, Freethoughtblogs, USA
Ed MCarther
Edwina Rogers, Executive Director, Secular Coalition for America, USA
Elia Tabesh, Activist, Sweden
Elisabeth Wolff, Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa e.V., Germany and Austria
Elka Enola
Ella Holmes, Australia
Elmar Martin
Emily Mako
Ertan Zeki, Atheist
Fabian van Langevelde, Board Member, Atheïstisch Verbond (Dutch Atheist Alliance), The Netherlands
Faisal Saeed Al-Mutar, Iraqi Founder of Global Secular Humanist Movement, USA
Farzana Hassan, Writer, Canada
Fiona Lorenz
Francisco Calvo Z., Hispanic American Freethinkers, USA
Gabriel Delgdo, Veteran, USA
Gabriel Taylor
Gary Allan
Gary Tregoning
Geneviève Thain, Teacher, Canada
Ghulam Mustafa Lakho, Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan, Pakistan
Ginny Laag, London Atheist Activist Group, UK
Gita Sahgal, Centre for Secular Space, UK
Gjermund Vigre-Larsen, Norway
Gordon Willis, Musician and Humanist
Grant James
Grant Lewison
Greta Christina, Writer and Blogger, USA
Guy Otten
Hans Chrisitan Cars
Hans Petter Dalsheim, Atheist, Norway
Harald Fagerhus, The Norwegian Heathen Society, Norway
Harold Walter Kroto, Nobel Prize in Chemistry Winner, UK
Harry Kramer
Harry Perry
Hasan Mahmud, Director, Muslim Canadian Congress
Heath Wyld, HI, USA
Heather Else, USA
Helen Palmer, Chair, Central London Humanists Group, UK
Helga Bonnyns, Belgium
Henrik Thorsen
Herman Jacobs
HJ Hornbeck, Canada
Horst Bressel
Hugh Finn
Iain Harrison
Ian Kirk, Engineer, London, UK
Ian McDonald
Ibn Warraq, Writer, USA
Ibrahim Abdallah, Founder, Muslimish, USA
Ignacio Matanza
Ingalill Sandal, Member of LIM, Norway
Iqbal Ahmed, UK
Irina Ternauciuc, Designer, Romania
Ivan Martin
J Smith
Jacek Tabisz, President, Polish Rationalist Society, Poland
Jaco van der Byl, London, UK
Jacqueline Plavier, Baltimore, USA
Jacques Rousseau, South African Free Society Institute, South Africa
Jaime Griffen, Atheist
James Booth
James Eisner, Musician, Science Graduate, Life member of Cambridge University Atheist and Agnostic Society, and Atheist, UK
James Nichols
Jan Arild Evensen
Jan de Jong, Bussum, The Netherlands
Jaya Gopal, Founder Chairman, Atheist Society of India, India
Jenifer Flintoft
Jennifer Lessard, USA
Jenny Stephens
Jeremy Harpur
Jeremy Parker, Guard, Australia
Jeremy Rodell, Chair of South West London Humanists, UK
Jim Gaves
Jiri Kytka, Ireland
Jo Ben Rais
Joan Savage
Joanna Triebling, Atheist, Poland
John “TorakTu” Mieske, Musician, Programmer, Film Crew and Atheist, USA
John Adams, Atheist and Editor, Australia
John Eade, Centre for Research on Multiculturalism and Migration, University of Roehampton, UK
John Opie
John Perkins, President, Secular Party of Australia, Australia
John Riddell
John Rogers, Retired Director of Laboratories
John Smedley, Atheist
John Welt Sr., Ohio Regional Director of American Atheists
John-Paul Verow
Jonathan M S Pearce, Philosopher, Author, Blogger and Public Speaker, UK
Josh Kutchinsky, International Representative, Central London Humanists, UK
Josh Younespour, Student and Atheist, UK
Joshua Reeves, Universalist, Shaman and Atheist
Kacem El Ghazzali, Moroccan Atheist Blogger and Human Rights Activist, Switzerland
Kamilah Harris, USA
Karen Wood
Karl Karnadi, Indonesian Atheists, Founder, Indonesia
Kate Smurthwaite, Comedian, UK
Katie Graham
Kayla Bailey, USA
Kazem Nikkhah, Political Activist, UK
Kenni Holland, Mother and Proud Atheist, NC, USA
Kevin Keech
Kevin Saldanha, Regional Director and Humanist, Canada
Kieron Kavanagh
Kikki Brill
Kitty Squyres, Student, USA
Krishan Attawar, Kent, UK
Kylie Sturgess, Blogger, Token Skeptic, USA
Kylie Sturgess, Podcaster, Australia
Larry Mendoza, Director of Educational Outreach, Beltway Atheists Inc.
Laura Guidetti, Marea Review, Italy
Lawrence Maxwell Krauss, Theoretical Physicist and Cosmologist, USA
Leland Somers
Leo Igwe, Nigerian Humanist Movement, Nigeria
Lewis Wilkins
Lloyd Newson, Director of DV8 Physical Theatre, UK
Lorenzo Carissimo, Student and Atheist, Argentina
Louise Mailloux, Author and Secular Activist, Canada
Lydni Reichenbotch, Free thinker, USA
Lynda Hoogendoorn
Lynne Wheeler
M A Chohan
Machteld Zee, The Netherlands
Madeline Weld, Free thinker, Canada
Malcom Barnes
Malcom Grant
Malgorzata Koraszewska
Mandla Dlamini, Humanist, South Africa
Mano Singham, Scientist and Writer, USA
Marc Hewitt, Fellow free thinker, Northern Ireland
Margaret Laird
Maria Vellanz
Marieme Helie Lucas, Algerian Sociologist and founder of Secularism is a Women’s Issue, France
Mark Embleton, President, Atheism UK, UK
Martyn Hughes, South Wales, UK
Mary Devery, Historian and Human Rights Campaigner and Board Member of Terre des Femmes – Human Rights for Women e.V., Germany
Maryam Jamel, Organisation of Women’s Liberation of Iraq
Maryam Namazie, Fitnah, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, and One Law for All, UK
Massimo Redaelli, International Representative, Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti, Italy
Matt Davis
Megan McDonald, Calgary, Canada
Meredith Tax, Chair, Centre for Secular Space, USA
Mersedeh Ghaedi, Former Iranian Political Prisoner, UK
Michael Nugent, Chair, Atheist Ireland, Ireland
Michael Wilkinson
Mihir Mehta, Student, India
Mina Ahadi, Spokesperson, International Committee against Stoning, International Committee against Execution and Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany, Germany
Mitch Stark, USA
Mohamed Mahmoud, Sudanese Academic, UK
Nadia El-Fani, Tunisian Filmmaker, France
Nahla Mahmoud, Sudanese Humanists Group, UK
Naser Khader, Danish-Syrian former Member of Parliament, Denmark
Nazanin Borumand, Council of Ex-Muslim of Germany, Germany
Nick Gotts
Nils Inge Graven, Norwegian atheist, Secular Humanist and Human Rights Activist, Norway
Nima Gorgin
Nishathri De Alwis, Atheist and Freethinker, Sri Lanka and UK
Noah Wiles, Social Media Director, National Atheist Party, USA
Ofe Mazy, leader of Service Workers Union of Iraq
Ophelia Benson, Blogger and Writer, USA
Owen Dixon
Patrick Langan, University Lecturer
Patty Debonitas, Iran Solidarity, UK
Paul Bane
Peter Algoet, HVV Atheisme Vlaanderen, Belgium
Peter Calluy
Peter Hood
Peter Kettle
Peter Kidd
Peter Tatchell, Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation, UK
Philip Matthew, Accountant and Secular Humanist, UK
Pragna Patel, Southall Black Sisters, UK
PZ Myers, Blogger and Scientist, USA
Radu Hila, USA
Raffaele Carcano, Secretary, Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti, Italy
Rafiq Mahmoud, Activist, Indonesia
Rainer Boegle, Scientist and Bright, Munich, Germany
Rajasekar.C, Civil Engineer, Rationalist and Atheist, India
Rawand Khasraw
Ray Shaffer, TX, USA
Rayanne Stemmler
Raymond Bennett
Rebecca Watson, Blogger, USA
Red Lee, Activist, UK
Reinout Zunderdorp, President, Humanist Historical Centre, The Netherlands
Richard Dawkins, Scientist, UK
Richard G L Thain DDS, Canadian Atheist, Rationalist and Humanist, Canada
Richard Lucas
Rick Gladwin, Toronto, Canada
Rik Delaet
Rob Senelstun
Rob Smith, Pantheist, Writer / Handbook for Infidels, USA
Robert Hall, CA, USA
Robert M. Ramus, USA
Robert Park
Robert Renwick
Robert Wilson
Roberto Monti
Robin Blick, Historian, Musician and member of National Secular Society, UK
Robin Hayward
Robin P Clarke, Researcher
Ronald Bilik, Freidenkerbund Österreich
Ronnie Johanson, Author, Norway
Roy Speckhardt, Executive Director, American Humanist Association, USA
Roy Whittaker, Freethinker, Isle of Man
Royston Wildng, Musical Director, Australian Atheist Choir and Atheist Activist, Australia
Russell Blackford, Writer and Philosopher, Australia
Russell Webb
Ruth Appleton
Säde Bartling, Christian Composer, Helsinki, Finland
Sally Summers, USA
Samir Noory, Chair, Committee for Abolishing Capital Punishment in Iraq
Samuel Warshaw, London, UK
Sarah Kamil
Secularism is a Women’s Issue
Shakeel Rehman, Member of LIM, Norway
Shaker Srinivasan
Shelley Segal, Singer and Songwriter, Australia
Shishir Thadani, Writer, India
Siamak Bahari, Editor, Children First Now Persian Publication, Sweden
Sindre Bremnes, The Norwegian Heathen Society, Norway
Sissel Røvik, Blogger and Writer, Turkey/Norway
Siv Helene Sinober, Atheist and City Planner
Siyavesh Lashgari, Editor of Bidary, USA
Sohaila Sharifi, Iranian Women’s Rights Campaigner, UK
Sonia Hidalgo
Sonja Eggerick, President, International Humanist and Ethical Union, Belgium
Sophie Dulesh, Writer, Canada
Stephen Atkins
Stephen Bird, Atheist
Stephen Keeler
Stephen Swift
Steve Chinn, General Secretary, Humanist Society Scotland, UK
Steve Clements
Steve Thomas, Falun, Sweden
Stuart Hartill, Satirist and Cultural Commentator, Isle of Man
Svein Bjorkly
Tani Randolff
Tarek Fatah, Writer, Canada
Tarina Dark
Tata M. Ringberg
Thomas Roswell, Student, USA
Tom Christensen, Anti-theist, USA
Tom Silvest, Activist and Atheist, Germany
Toni Gandel
Tony Mohorovic
Tony Payton
Tore Meberg, Norway
Udo Schuklenk, Professor of Philosophy, Canada
Valerie Price
Van den Eeden
Veronica Timperley
Victor Franco, Vice President Atheist Alliance International
Viggo Holger-Jensen, Apathetic Agnostic, Oslo, Norway
Waleed Al-Husseini, Palestinian Blogger and Founder of Council of Ex-Muslims of France, France
Wanda Wilson, Freethinker, Canada
Wesley Herrin
Wim Lourens
Yasmine Vinck, Belgium