April 22, 2020
On 25th April 2020 at 6:00pm (BST) Fay Rahman is livestreaming a Pre-Iftaar Mukbang: a fast-defying feast in conjunction with Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB). The feast is in solidarity with those who are punished for eating and drinking during Ramadan with floggings, beatings and imprisonment. We would like to also stress the importance of such an action in times such as these, where many are trapped in their homes and forced to fast against their will. Join our live “eat-in.”  #Ramadan #Fast_Defying_My_Right
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April 14, 2020
A three-hour online protest took place on 4 April reaching out to thousands on social media to highlight the urgent plight of Soheil Arabi in prison in Iran since 2013. Arabi was initially sentenced to death for “insulting the prophet.” He was eventually acquitted of this charge and his sentence reduced on appeal to seven and a half years in prison, a two-year travel ban and two years of religious study to evaluate his repentance upon his release. He was then sentenced to lashes, an additional 3 years prison and a fine for “insulting Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the...
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April 13, 2020
Join Urgent Online Solidarity Protest to Save Soheil Arabi’s Life Via Livestream on Youtube 14 April 2020 3:00-6:00pm London time/6:30-9:30pm Tehran time Iranian atheist, activist and blogger Soheil Arabi has resumed his hunger strike on April 4 in protest to the Iranian regime’s denial of medical care and leave during the Coronavirus epidemic, inhuman prison conditions and unjust sentencing. In addition to physical problems caused by various hunger strikes, Arabi has been tortured, resulting in blunt trauma to his testicles and a broken nose, amongst other injuries. He is in need of urgent medical attention. Soheil Arabi in prison in Iran...
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April 6, 2020 Meet and Eat Social
Hi! I hope you are doing well and staying safe during these terrible times. Please be advised that much of CEMB’s meetings and support group sessions will now be online until further notice. You can see our upcoming events here. UPCOMING ONLINE MEET-UPS, 7:00-7:45pm London time April 21 with Youtuber and Comedian Veedu Vidz on To Laugh is to Live! May 19 with Lawyer Ana Gonzalez on Apostasy and Asylum 6th June meet-up with playwright Mwhamadu Kuusi on exploring stories by and about ex-Muslims 21 July with CEMB Spokesperson Jimmy Bangash on LGBT Rights and Apostasy More sessions will be...
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March 22, 2020
On the second International Atheist Day, 23 March 2020, which was established in 2019 by a number of ex-Muslim and atheist organisations,  we call on families, communities and societies to end the heinous practice of shunning atheists, ex-Muslims and freethinkers. Shunning is akin to long-term psychological torture and a form of social death penalty. See counselling psychologist Savin Bapir-Tardy’s piece on its adverse effects on those who are shunned. A recent panel discussion on Apostasy, Shunning and Survival, highlights why we must Shun Shunning! The panel discussion is with Actress Nazmiye Oral, Youtuber Fay Rahman, Journalist Khadija Khan, Student Activist Saff Khalique, Clinical...
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March 21, 2020
For #InternationalWomenDay2020, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and Born Free held a sold-out event on Apostasy, Shunning & Survival. It was an extraordinary and inspiring evening. The event was opened by MC Nahla Mahmoud and began with a screening of the stunning film: “No Longer Without You”, a documentary about a searing conversation about parenthood, tradition, religion, sex, and independence between a free-spirited daughter, Nazmiye Oral and her traditional Muslim mother, Havva in the intimate circle of a living room in front of their family following several public performances. This was followed by a panel discussion with Actress Nazmiye Oral,...
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February 5, 2020
Join Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) and Født Fri (Born Free) Foundation for an evening of Film, Discussion and Poetry to mark 8 March, International Women’s Day Sunday 8 March 2020, 5:30pm for 6:00pm start until 9:00pm Central London Tickets Available Now: £7 waged; £5 unwaged, including students and pensioners. No tickets sold at door.   Ticket holders will be sent London venue details closer to the event. Venue is in Clerkenwell and is walking distance from Farringdon Station. UK FILM SCREENING: “No Longer Without You” ‘I will not do what you say. I’ll follow my own path, but...
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February 1, 2020
World Hijab Day : une insulte au féminisme, Charlie Hebdo, 1 February 2020
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February 1, 2020
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) took direct action against the veil and compulsory veiling in London on 1 February to challenge World Hijab Day.   Even on streets of London, a man told the women they were “embarrassing themselves”. (Video by Reason4Freedom)   CEMB is pleased to see the extensive push back in 2020 against this day that celebrates religious tools to restrict women and their sexuality.   In February 2013, when the day was first initiated, Maryam Namazie compared World Hijab Day with World Female Genital Mutilation Day or World Child Marriage Day. She was quoted in a...
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January 18, 2020
A new film by CEMB – Women Leaving Islam – will premiere on 1 February 2021, World Hijab Day. In this powerful film, six ex-Muslim women activists share their moving stories of growing up in Muslim families and Muslim-majority countries and the violence, loss and shunning they faced because of their scepticism and apostasy. The women talk about everything from tearing their hijab on door handles as a child, wearing a burkini on a beach in Italy, wanting to scream their atheism in Mecca during Hajj, losing custody of a child after a husband’s accusations of blasphemy, reporting a violent...
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