Maryam Namazie

Maryam Namazie is a political activist, campaigner and blogger

Tag: Secularism

  • Press Release: Much needed 7 February Conference on Sharia Law, Apostasy and Secularism

    PRESS RELEASE 6 FEBRUARY 2015 Secularists will be gathering on 7 February 2015 in London for a day conference on Sharia Law, Apostasy and Secularism. The event follows an historic conference in October 2014 on the Religious-Right, Secularism and Civil Rights. Speakers at tomorrow’s sold-out conference will discuss freedom of expression, apostasy and blasphemy laws,…

  • After the Charlie Hebdo Massacre, Support those Fighting the Religious-Right

    FRENCH: Après le massacre de Charlie Hebdo, Soutenons ceux qui se battent contre la droite religieuse SPANISH: Below After the massacre in Charlie Hebdo in Paris on January 7, 2015, expressing indignation, as so many are doing, is not enough. A quick look at the English-speaking media shows that whilst many condemn the violence itself,…

  • Onwards to establishing an International Front for Secularism

    “Secular conference created a sense of imminent and momentous change – and women will be the driving force” – Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society The two-day International Conference on the Religious Right, Secularism and Civil Rights held in London during 11-12 October 2014 was a rousing success, promoting a much-needed global secular…

  • Secular Conference 2014 rallies in support of Kobane and against religious-Right

    Press Release 15 October 2014 The two-day International Conference on the Religious Right, Secularism and Civil Rights held in London during 11-12 October 2014 was a rousing success. A broad coalition of secularists, including believers, free-thinkers, agnostics and atheists assembled from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and the Diaspora at the unprecedented and…

  • Promoting global secular alternative in the ISIS era

    MARIEME HÉLIE-LUCAS and MARYAM NAMAZIE 4 October 2014 While many of us watch in horror as ISIS advances, and fundamentalist ideas spread across religious traditions around the world, Maryam Namazie and Marieme Hélie-Lucas – secular feminists from Iran and Algeria – told Karima Bennoune why they are convening the International Secular Conference in London next…

  • Bread and Roses: Secularism as a basic right

    Watch Bread and Roses English programme with Maryam Namazie, Fariborz Pooya and Bahram Soroush being broadcast today via New Channel TV on “Secularism as a basic right”. There’s a great interview with philosopher AC Grayling on the issue. Enjoy!

  • We should not abandon secularism

    WE SHOULD NOT ABANDON SECULARISM Unveiled: A Publication of Fitnah – Movement for Women’s Liberation December 2013, Volume 1, Issue 3 Editor: Maryam Namazie. Design: Kiran Opal The publication is available here. PDF version available for download. URGENT ACTION: REJECT SEX SEGREGATION IT’S 2013. LET’S NOT TIME TRAVEL Universities UK (UUK) guidance to universities on…

  • 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:

  • We too yearn for freedom

    The outrage over the attempted assassination of 15 year old Malala Yousefzai shot by the Taliban for defending girls’ education; the mass protests against Islamists for the assassination of Socialist leader Chokri Belaid and Amina Tyler’s topless activism in Tunisia where she wrote “My body is not the source of your honour” and “fuck your…

  • Rights within Islamic context? Thanks but no thanks

    Here is my speech on Secularism as a right and historical task at Atheist Ireland’s Empowering Women through Secularism in Dublin: “The rest of us must live under sharia law – even in Europe – and be grateful for the veil as a ‘right’ and ‘choice’. We are only allowed freedom and rights within the…

  • Secularism is my right; freedom is my culture

    Below is my speech at the May 2013 Women in Secularism conference in Washington DC. Participants joined in an action to defend Amina Tyler, Imad Iddine Habib, Bangladesh’s bloggers and Alex Aan (photo on left).   * The outrage over the attempted assassination of 15 year old Malala Yousefzai shot by the Taliban for defending…

  • Impossible not to see

    Below is my speech at the wonderful International Women’s Day event in Frankfurt. • 15 year old Malala Yousefzai shot by the Taliban for defending girls’ education. • Egyptian atheist Aliaa Magda ElMahdy’s nude scream against misogyny and hypocrisy. • The outrage over the assassination of socialist leader Chokri Belaid in Tunisia. • The “Harlem…