Maryam Namazie 22 August 2020 – First Apostasy Day

22 August 2020 is being established as the first Apostasy Day. 

Apostasy (ردة‎ or ارتداد) is the abandonment or renunciation of religion. It is a criminal offence in 16 out of 49 Muslim-majority countries and is punishable by death in Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, UAE, and Yemen. 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 some countries without the death penalty, Islamists kill those deemed apostates, including in Bangladesh and Muslim-minority India. In many countries, such as in Europe and North America, apostates can face threats, shunning and honour-based violence, including from their families. Individuals from Orthodox Jewish, Christian, Hindu and other backgrounds can also face shunning and violence for apostasy.

22 August is being chosen as Apostasy Day because it is the UN Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. Moreover, late August marks the start of a second wave of mass executions of apostates in Iran in 1988 after brief “trials”.[1] Thousands who responded negatively to questions such as ‘Are you a Muslim?', 'Do you believe in Allah?', 'Is the Holy Qur'an the Word of Allah?', 'Do you accept the Holy Muhammad to be the Seal of the Prophets?', 'Do you fast during Ramadan?', 'Do you pray and read the Holy Qur'an?'[2] were summarily executed.

On the newly established Apostasy Day, we renew calls for the:

* commemoration of the victims of apostasy laws

* an end to the criminalisation and the death penalty for apostasy in countries under Islamic laws

* an end to shunning, threats and honour-related violence from families of apostates

* affirmation of freedom of thought, conscience and belief as well as opinion and expression in compliance with the United Nation Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 18 & 19).

 

Signatories 


Atheism Association of Turkey
Atheist & Agnostic Alliance of Pakistan
Atheist Refugee Relief
Central Committee of Ex-Muslims in Scandinavia
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain`
Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka
ExMuslim Somali Voices
Ex-Muslims of India
Ex-Muslims of Netherlands
Ex-Muslims of North America
Ex-Muslims of Norway
Ex-Muslims of Tamil Nadu, India
Faithless Hijabi
Freethought Lebanon
Mahaarah
Mouvement alternatif pour les libertés individuelles
Muslimish
Adam Ali, ExMuslimUK
Afsana Lachaux, Campaigner for Women’s Rights
Ahmad Nasser, ExMuslim TV
Ahmmedur Rashid Chowdhury, Shuddhashar
Albert Beale, Pacifist Activist
Ali A. Rizvi, Secular Jihadists for a Muslim Enlightenment
Ali Malik, Refugee and Asylum Project Manager
Ali Utlu, Activist
Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, Women’s Rights Activist
Ana Gonzalez, Solicitor
Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freedom From Religion Foundation
Annie Sugier, Présidente de la Ligue du Droit International des Femmes
Anthony McIntyre, The Pensive Quill
Arash Hampay, Refugee Rights Activist
Armin Navabi, Atheist Republic
Arsalan Nejati, Activist
Arzu Toker, Internationaler Bund der Konfessionslosen und Atheisten
Ashkan Rosti, Ex Musulmani d’Italia
Barry Duke, The Freethinker
Beatrix Campbell, Writer
Bonya Ahmed, Muktomona, Bengali Freethinkers
Brian Whitaker, Author
Cadmeus Cain, Atheist Muslims South Africa
Catherine Dunphy, Activist
Cemal Knudsen Yucel, Ex-Muslims of Norway
Cherifa Kheddar, Association Djazairouna des Familles Victimes du Terrorisme Islamiste
Codou Bop, Groupe de recherche sur les femmes et les lois au Sénégal
Dan Barker, Freedom From Religion Foundation
Dario Picciau, Artist and Human Rights Defender
David Rand, Libres penseurs athées
Djemila Benhabib, Collectif Laïcité Yallah
E A Jabbar, Yukthivadi Movement
Eva Aneiros, Mujeres de Negro
Fabio Patronelli, Photographer and Human Rights Defender
Farhaad Mohammed, Atheist Muslims South Africa
Fariborz Pooya, Bread and Roses
Fatou Sow, Groupe de recherche sur les femmes et les lois au Sénégal
Fauzia Ilyas, Atheist & Agnostic Alliance of Pakistan
Fay Rahman, Youtuber
Francis Vanhee, CREAL 76 Comité de réflexion et d’action laïque
George Broadhead, Pink Triangle Trust
Gina Khan, Women’s Rights Campaigner
Gita Sahgal, One Law for All and Centre for Secular Space
Gona Saed, Women’s Rights Activist
Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Writer
Haafizah Bhamjee, Atheist Muslims South Africa
Halaleh Taheri, Middle Eastern Women & Society Organisation
Halima Salat, ExMuslim Somali Voices
Harris Sultan, Ex-Muslim Support Network of Australia
Harsh Kapoor, South Asia Citizens Web
Hasan Mahmud, World Muslim Congress and Muslims Facing Tomorrow
Hassan Radwan, Agnostic Muslims & Friends
Helen Pluckrose, Writer
Homa Arjomand, International Campaign Against Sharia Court in Canada
Ibn Warraq, Writer
Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, Mouvement alternatif pour les libertés individuelles
Iman Soleymani Amiri, Lawyer
Inna Shevchenko, FEMEN
Jalil Jalili, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
James Bloodworth, Journalist
Jan Bockma, Vrij Links
Jane Donnelly, Atheist Ireland
Jenny Wenhammar, FEMEN Sweden
Jill Nicholls, Documentary Film-maker
Jimmy Bangash, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Jocelyne Adriant Mebtoul, Coordination française du Lobby Européen des Femmes and Femmes du Monde et Reciproquement
Johann Hari, Writer and Journalist
Julia Pascal, Playwright
Julie Bindel, Writer
Kacem El Ghazzali, Secular Human Rights Activist
Karen Ingala Smith, Women’s Rights Campaigner
Karrar Al Asfoor, Humanist Dialogue Forum
Katha Pollitt, Poet and Essayist
Keith Porteous Wood, National Secular Society
Khadija Khan, Journalist
Lalia Ducos for WICUR Women’s initiative for Citizenship and Universal Rights
Laura Guidetti, MAREA magazine
Lawrence M. Krauss, Scientist and Author
Leo Igwe, Humanist Association of Nigeria
Lino Veljak, Protagoras
Lisa-Marie Taylor, FiLiA
Lola Tinubu, Association of Black Humanists
Luc de Bernis, Association Maison Auriolles
Marek Łukaszewicz, Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation
María Teresa Giménez Barbat, Politician
Marieke Hoogwout, Vrij Links
Marieme Helie Lucas, Secularism is a Woman’s Issue
Maryam Namazie, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Melissa Krawczyk, Activist
Meredith Tax, Writer and Feminist Organizer
Mersedeh Ghaedi, Iran Tribunal London
Michael Nugent, Atheist Ireland
Michael Sherlock, Atheist Alliance International
Milad Resaeimanesh, Central Committee of Ex-Muslims in Scandinavia
Mimzy Vidz, Youtuber
Mina Ahadi, Zentralrat der Ex-Muslime in Deutschland
Mo Jones, Jesus and Mo
Mohamed Cheikh Mkhaitir, Vision Laïque Africaine
Mohamed Hisham, Activist
Monica Lanfranco, MAREA magazine
Muhammad Syed, Ex-Muslims of North America
Nacer Amari, Prometheus Europe
Nadia El Fani, Filmmaker
Nahla Mahmoud, Sudanese Atheists
Nick Sotoudeh, Human Rights Activist
Nina Sankari, Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation
Nira Yuval-Davis, Professor Emeritus of Sociology
Norsham Mohd, Council of Ex-Muslim Singapore
Peter Tatchell, Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation
Pierre Pradervand, Vivre Autrement
Polly Toynbee, Columnist
Pragna Patel, Southall Black Sisters
PZ Myers, Biologist
Rahila Gupta, Writer
Rana Ahmad, Atheist Refugee Relief
Rayhana Sultan, Committee to Protect Muslims and Ex-Muslims
Rebecca Covaciu, Musician and Human Rights Defender
Reginald Bien-Aime, Haitian Freethinkers
Richard Dawkins, Scientist
Ridvan Aydemir, Youtuber
Rishvin Ismath, Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka
Rivka Leah Goldstein, Kent Community Secular Alliance
Roberto Grendene, Italian Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics
Roberto Malini, Poet Laureate and Human rights Defender
Robyn E. Blumner, Center for Inquiry and Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science
Rumana Hashem, Community Women Against Abuse
Saadiq Samad, Ex-Muslims of Tamil Nadu, India
Saba Ismail, Aware Girls and Voices for Peace & Democracy
Sadik Rai, Secular Activist
Saff Khalique, Activist
Safwan Mason, Council of ex-Muslims of New Zealand
Sami Abdallah, Freethought Lebanon
Samint, Artist
Sanal Edamaruku, Rationalist International
Sarah Haider, Ex-Muslims of North America
Savalan Ghodsi, Ex-Muslims of Netherlands
Seth Andrews, Thinking Atheist
Shabana Rehman, Født Fri
Shaheen Hashmat, Writer
Shahin Mohammadi, Atheism Campaign
Shaparak Shajarizadeh, Women’s Rights Activist
Shirin Mehrbod, Singer/Songwriter
Shirin Shams, Women’s Revolution
Sikivu Hutchinson, Black Skeptics Los Angeles
Sohail Ahmad, Reason on Faith
Sohail Ahmed, Counter-extremism and LGBT Activist
Staša Zajović, Women in Black Belgrade
Steed Gamero, Writer and Human Rights Defender
Stephen Law, Philosopher
Sukhwant Dhaliwal, Feminist Activist
Sunny Hundal, Journalist
Susanna McIntyre, Atheist Republic
Taha Hariri, Ex-Muslims of India
Taher Djafarizad, Associazione Neda Da
Tahmineh Sadeghi, International Federation of Iranian Refugees Vancouver
Taslima Nasrin, Writer
Ufa M. Fahmee. Freethinker and Social Activist
Usama al-Binni, Mahaarah
Veedu Vidz, Youtuber
Victoria Gugenheim, Body-Artist
Wissam Charafeddine, Muslimish
Women in Black Madrid
Yasmine Mohammed, Free Hearts, Free Minds
Zara Kay, Faithless Hijabi
Zehra Pala, Atheism Association of Turkey
Zineb el Rhazoui, Journalist

(1) The Massacre of  Political Prisoners in Iran, 1988

[2] Amnesty International Report 2017/2018

First Apostasy Day

Maryam Namazie 22 August 2020 – First Apostasy Day

22 August 2020 is being established as the first Apostasy Day. 

Apostasy (ردة‎ or ارتداد) is the abandonment or renunciation of religion. It is a criminal offence in 16 out of 49 Muslim-majority countries and is punishable by death in Afghanistan, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, UAE, and Yemen. 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 some countries without the death penalty, Islamists kill those deemed apostates, including in Bangladesh and Muslim-minority India. In many countries, such as in Europe and North America, apostates can face threats, shunning and honour-based violence, including from their families. Individuals from Orthodox Jewish, Christian, Hindu and other backgrounds can also face shunning and violence for apostasy.

22 August is being chosen as Apostasy Day because it is the UN Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. Moreover, late August marks the start of a second wave of mass executions of apostates in Iran in 1988 after brief “trials”.[1] Thousands who responded negatively to questions such as ‘Are you a Muslim?', 'Do you believe in Allah?', 'Is the Holy Qur'an the Word of Allah?', 'Do you accept the Holy Muhammad to be the Seal of the Prophets?', 'Do you fast during Ramadan?', 'Do you pray and read the Holy Qur'an?'[2] were summarily executed.

On the newly established Apostasy Day, we renew calls for the:

* commemoration of the victims of apostasy laws

* an end to the criminalisation and the death penalty for apostasy in countries under Islamic laws

* an end to shunning, threats and honour-related violence from families of apostates

* affirmation of freedom of thought, conscience and belief as well as opinion and expression in compliance with the United Nation Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 18 & 19).

 

Signatories 


Atheism Association of Turkey
Atheist & Agnostic Alliance of Pakistan
Atheist Refugee Relief
Central Committee of Ex-Muslims in Scandinavia
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain`
Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka
ExMuslim Somali Voices
Ex-Muslims of India
Ex-Muslims of Netherlands
Ex-Muslims of North America
Ex-Muslims of Norway
Ex-Muslims of Tamil Nadu, India
Faithless Hijabi
Freethought Lebanon
Mahaarah
Mouvement alternatif pour les libertés individuelles
Muslimish
Adam Ali, ExMuslimUK
Afsana Lachaux, Campaigner for Women’s Rights
Ahmad Nasser, ExMuslim TV
Ahmmedur Rashid Chowdhury, Shuddhashar
Albert Beale, Pacifist Activist
Ali A. Rizvi, Secular Jihadists for a Muslim Enlightenment
Ali Malik, Refugee and Asylum Project Manager
Ali Utlu, Activist
Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, Women’s Rights Activist
Ana Gonzalez, Solicitor
Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freedom From Religion Foundation
Annie Sugier, Présidente de la Ligue du Droit International des Femmes
Anthony McIntyre, The Pensive Quill
Arash Hampay, Refugee Rights Activist
Armin Navabi, Atheist Republic
Arsalan Nejati, Activist
Arzu Toker, Internationaler Bund der Konfessionslosen und Atheisten
Ashkan Rosti, Ex Musulmani d’Italia
Barry Duke, The Freethinker
Beatrix Campbell, Writer
Bonya Ahmed, Muktomona, Bengali Freethinkers
Brian Whitaker, Author
Cadmeus Cain, Atheist Muslims South Africa
Catherine Dunphy, Activist
Cemal Knudsen Yucel, Ex-Muslims of Norway
Cherifa Kheddar, Association Djazairouna des Familles Victimes du Terrorisme Islamiste
Codou Bop, Groupe de recherche sur les femmes et les lois au Sénégal
Dan Barker, Freedom From Religion Foundation
Dario Picciau, Artist and Human Rights Defender
David Rand, Libres penseurs athées
Djemila Benhabib, Collectif Laïcité Yallah
E A Jabbar, Yukthivadi Movement
Eva Aneiros, Mujeres de Negro
Fabio Patronelli, Photographer and Human Rights Defender
Farhaad Mohammed, Atheist Muslims South Africa
Fariborz Pooya, Bread and Roses
Fatou Sow, Groupe de recherche sur les femmes et les lois au Sénégal
Fauzia Ilyas, Atheist & Agnostic Alliance of Pakistan
Fay Rahman, Youtuber
Francis Vanhee, CREAL 76 Comité de réflexion et d’action laïque
George Broadhead, Pink Triangle Trust
Gina Khan, Women’s Rights Campaigner
Gita Sahgal, One Law for All and Centre for Secular Space
Gona Saed, Women’s Rights Activist
Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Writer
Haafizah Bhamjee, Atheist Muslims South Africa
Halaleh Taheri, Middle Eastern Women & Society Organisation
Halima Salat, ExMuslim Somali Voices
Harris Sultan, Ex-Muslim Support Network of Australia
Harsh Kapoor, South Asia Citizens Web
Hasan Mahmud, World Muslim Congress and Muslims Facing Tomorrow
Hassan Radwan, Agnostic Muslims & Friends
Helen Pluckrose, Writer
Homa Arjomand, International Campaign Against Sharia Court in Canada
Ibn Warraq, Writer
Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, Mouvement alternatif pour les libertés individuelles
Iman Soleymani Amiri, Lawyer
Inna Shevchenko, FEMEN
Jalil Jalili, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
James Bloodworth, Journalist
Jan Bockma, Vrij Links
Jane Donnelly, Atheist Ireland
Jenny Wenhammar, FEMEN Sweden
Jill Nicholls, Documentary Film-maker
Jimmy Bangash, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Jocelyne Adriant Mebtoul, Coordination française du Lobby Européen des Femmes and Femmes du Monde et Reciproquement
Johann Hari, Writer and Journalist
Julia Pascal, Playwright
Julie Bindel, Writer
Kacem El Ghazzali, Secular Human Rights Activist
Karen Ingala Smith, Women’s Rights Campaigner
Karrar Al Asfoor, Humanist Dialogue Forum
Katha Pollitt, Poet and Essayist
Keith Porteous Wood, National Secular Society
Khadija Khan, Journalist
Lalia Ducos for WICUR Women’s initiative for Citizenship and Universal Rights
Laura Guidetti, MAREA magazine
Lawrence M. Krauss, Scientist and Author
Leo Igwe, Humanist Association of Nigeria
Lino Veljak, Protagoras
Lisa-Marie Taylor, FiLiA
Lola Tinubu, Association of Black Humanists
Luc de Bernis, Association Maison Auriolles
Marek Łukaszewicz, Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation
María Teresa Giménez Barbat, Politician
Marieke Hoogwout, Vrij Links
Marieme Helie Lucas, Secularism is a Woman’s Issue
Maryam Namazie, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Melissa Krawczyk, Activist
Meredith Tax, Writer and Feminist Organizer
Mersedeh Ghaedi, Iran Tribunal London
Michael Nugent, Atheist Ireland
Michael Sherlock, Atheist Alliance International
Milad Resaeimanesh, Central Committee of Ex-Muslims in Scandinavia
Mimzy Vidz, Youtuber
Mina Ahadi, Zentralrat der Ex-Muslime in Deutschland
Mo Jones, Jesus and Mo
Mohamed Cheikh Mkhaitir, Vision Laïque Africaine
Mohamed Hisham, Activist
Monica Lanfranco, MAREA magazine
Muhammad Syed, Ex-Muslims of North America
Nacer Amari, Prometheus Europe
Nadia El Fani, Filmmaker
Nahla Mahmoud, Sudanese Atheists
Nick Sotoudeh, Human Rights Activist
Nina Sankari, Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation
Nira Yuval-Davis, Professor Emeritus of Sociology
Norsham Mohd, Council of Ex-Muslim Singapore
Peter Tatchell, Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation
Pierre Pradervand, Vivre Autrement
Polly Toynbee, Columnist
Pragna Patel, Southall Black Sisters
PZ Myers, Biologist
Rahila Gupta, Writer
Rana Ahmad, Atheist Refugee Relief
Rayhana Sultan, Committee to Protect Muslims and Ex-Muslims
Rebecca Covaciu, Musician and Human Rights Defender
Reginald Bien-Aime, Haitian Freethinkers
Richard Dawkins, Scientist
Ridvan Aydemir, Youtuber
Rishvin Ismath, Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka
Rivka Leah Goldstein, Kent Community Secular Alliance
Roberto Grendene, Italian Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics
Roberto Malini, Poet Laureate and Human rights Defender
Robyn E. Blumner, Center for Inquiry and Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science
Rumana Hashem, Community Women Against Abuse
Saadiq Samad, Ex-Muslims of Tamil Nadu, India
Saba Ismail, Aware Girls and Voices for Peace & Democracy
Sadik Rai, Secular Activist
Saff Khalique, Activist
Safwan Mason, Council of ex-Muslims of New Zealand
Sami Abdallah, Freethought Lebanon
Samint, Artist
Sanal Edamaruku, Rationalist International
Sarah Haider, Ex-Muslims of North America
Savalan Ghodsi, Ex-Muslims of Netherlands
Seth Andrews, Thinking Atheist
Shabana Rehman, Født Fri
Shaheen Hashmat, Writer
Shahin Mohammadi, Atheism Campaign
Shaparak Shajarizadeh, Women’s Rights Activist
Shirin Mehrbod, Singer/Songwriter
Shirin Shams, Women’s Revolution
Sikivu Hutchinson, Black Skeptics Los Angeles
Sohail Ahmad, Reason on Faith
Sohail Ahmed, Counter-extremism and LGBT Activist
Staša Zajović, Women in Black Belgrade
Steed Gamero, Writer and Human Rights Defender
Stephen Law, Philosopher
Sukhwant Dhaliwal, Feminist Activist
Sunny Hundal, Journalist
Susanna McIntyre, Atheist Republic
Taha Hariri, Ex-Muslims of India
Taher Djafarizad, Associazione Neda Da
Tahmineh Sadeghi, International Federation of Iranian Refugees Vancouver
Taslima Nasrin, Writer
Ufa M. Fahmee. Freethinker and Social Activist
Usama al-Binni, Mahaarah
Veedu Vidz, Youtuber
Victoria Gugenheim, Body-Artist
Wissam Charafeddine, Muslimish
Women in Black Madrid
Yasmine Mohammed, Free Hearts, Free Minds
Zara Kay, Faithless Hijabi
Zehra Pala, Atheism Association of Turkey
Zineb el Rhazoui, Journalist

(1) The Massacre of  Political Prisoners in Iran, 1988

[2] Amnesty International Report 2017/2018

1 comment:

  1. By this point TPQ policy should be pretty clear.

    If you wish to have your comment published do not use the "Unknown" pseudonym.

    Use whatever other handle you choose so long as it does not clash with any other user.

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