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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January 16, 2020
The below was first published on Centre for Women’s Justice website written by Maryam Namazie, joint prize winner of the Emma Humphrey’s Memorial Prize 2019. I started Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and One Law for All more than a decade ago to publicly mobilise dissent against religious laws. An expression of “not in my name” and a challenge to the Quran, Islam and Islamism as the greatest stumbling blocks in the way of the emancipation of women, freethinkers and others (if I may “paraphrase” US Suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton)*. Having fled the Islamic regime in Iran – where there...
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December 13, 2019
Muriel Seltman (27 March 1927 – 2 December 2019) was a mathematician, a writer, an activist and comrade in arms. She joined campaigns in support of One Law for All against Sharia and religious laws and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain against blasphemy and apostasy laws and for secularism, reason and universal rights over a decade ago. She edited “Sharia Law in Britain: A Threat to One Law for All and Equal Rights,” attended events, leafleted in solidarity with the protesting people of Iran and against Sharia law, did interviews, including with Bread and Roses TV on anti-Semitism and spoke...
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December 12, 2019
By Hassan Radwan I’m frequently approached online by those who have lost their faith and a question that almost always crops up in various forms is: How do you cope without religion? For those of us for whom religion gave them their meaning, comfort & guide in life’s ups and downs, loss of faith is a deeply distressing & terrifying feeling. So I want to share some thoughts that might help. Don’t panic. It’s OK to not have the answers to everything. Don’t feel you need to rush to fill the space religion had in your life. Take your time...
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December 11, 2019
Dear friend It has been heart-warming to know we have been able to help so many as a result of your support. * Assistance to 600 ex-Muslims a month * Monthly support groups in London and Birmingham * Monthly socials for isolated members * Monthly meet ups, including on empowerment through art, female genital mutilation and male circumcision, leaving faith behind, shunning, mental health and apostasy and religion, misogyny and atheism… Ana Gonzales, a Partner at Wilsons LLP, conducts regular workshops on asylum rights and apostasy for asylum seeking ex-Muslims. All free of charge. Ex-Muslim after ex-Muslim has said: “I...
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