Category: News
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Rights for All – Turkey has been established
The Rights For All – Turkey (HERKES ICIN AYNI YASA – TURKIYE) affiliated with One Law For All is being established to promote a secular legal system and challenge religion’s increasing role in the judiciary in Turkey. The campaign will highlight discrimination against women, charges of blasphemy and government “reforms” that aim to weaken Turkish…
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Ask Rouhani: why don’t you free Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani?
I want to hold my children in my arms. Please help me! For three years I have been consumed by longing for liberty and the chance to breathe freely. They told me that if I collaborated on a film for Press TV, I would be released. Press TV made its film and went on its…
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Terrorism and the burka
I don’t need to tell you what has happened in the past few days. In Nairobi, Islamists have attacked innocent civilians out for a day shopping. They said they were there to kill non-Muslims “only” but of course as is always the case, they killed anyone and everyone they could, including Muslims. In Nigeria, Boko…
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You’re not Muslims
These handful of burka-clad women “respond” to the debate on the burka-ban on behalf of “Muslim women.” Listen to their vile rhetoric. They do not represent Muslim women” but Islamism. The burka symbolises everything Islamism wants at the expense of countless human beings, many of them Muslim. Oh sorry I forgot, it’s a “right” and…
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Remembering Irtaza
Here’s my tribute to the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s young member and activist Irtaza Hussain who tragically committed suicide on 11 September. I gave it at last night’s evening drinks event with philosopher Arif Ahmed: Irtaza was an active member of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. In his membership statement he wrote: “Islam…
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I won’t cover my hair
Amira Osman Hamed says: I’m Sudanese. I’m Muslim, and I’m not going to cover my head. Today, 19 September, she faces trial in the Sudan for refusing to wear the hijab and will be flogged if convicted. She says she’s prepared to be flogged to defend the right to leave her hair uncovered in defiance…
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To ban or not to ban the burka
Again the “veil controversy”. And as usual full of misinformation and deception. Let me clear a few things up: First off, no one is calling for an all-out ban on the veil though proponents often give this impression. Even the French ban is not an all-out ban; it merely bans all “conspicuous religious symbols” –…
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Ex-Muslim Council 19 September Event
Just a reminder that we will be having a meetup for apostate asylum seekers and refugees followed by evening drinks with philosopher Arif Ahmed tomorrow 19 September from 6:30-8:00pm at The George on the Strand, 213 Strand, London WC2R 1AP. Entry is £3; £1 for unwaged, which can be paid at the door. All are…
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Insult to humanity
I have written about Raif Badawi, the wonderful Saudi blogger and website editor calling for religious liberalisation who was recently sentenced to 7 years in prison and given 600 lashes (600!) for “insulting Islam”. His wife and three children have been forced to flee the country. Here’s what she says: What’s important now is that…
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Pharbin Malik
The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s forum has just published an article to commemorate 16 year old Pharbin Malik from Birmingham who was killed by her father in 1989 for leaving Islam. It says: Pharbin Malik was sixteen years old when she died on a street in Birmingham, England, in 1989. She was killed by…
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Human essence of Syria’s revolution
Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat who fingers were broken by Asad has an exhibition in London. He says the “exhibition is about the essence of the revolution – it’s human and creative side, which the media ignores. Wherever I go I try and show this hidden part of my people’s culture.” He adds: “I am not…
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No right to oppress
Sharia courts are oppressive; there is no right to oppress. Here’s a recent interview I did with the Edinburgh Secular Society on Sharia court and on secularism: