Treat religion equally during pandemic, NSS urges human rights body
Posted: Thu, 14 Jan 2021
The NSS has said it's justifiable to restrict communal religious activities during Covid-19 in a submission to a parliamentary committee. Read More »
Law Commission proposals risk chilling free speech, NSS warns
Posted: Fri, 08 Jan 2021
The NSS has warned that Law Commission proposals on hate crime and communications offences in England and Wales could chill free speech. Read More »
Drop charges against ex-Muslim campaigner in Tanzania, says NSS
Posted: Wed, 06 Jan 2021
The NSS has backed a campaign in defence of Zara Kay, who has been arrested in Tanzania and prevented from leaving the country. Read More »
NSS urges even-handed approach to freedom of religion or belief
Posted: Mon, 21 Dec 2020
The National Secular Society has urged the UK's new envoy on freedom of religion or belief, Fiona Bruce, to take an even-handed rather than selective approach to promoting the principle.
Fiona Bruce was appointed as the prime minister's special envoy for freedom... Read More »
NSS raises case of girl subjected to forced marriage in Pakistan
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020
The NSS has backed a campaign to secure the freedom and safety of a 14-year-old girl who has fled a forced marriage in Pakistan. Read More »
States may restrict non-stun slaughter on welfare grounds, ECJ rules
Posted: Fri, 18 Dec 2020
The EU's highest court has ruled that states subject to its jurisdiction may ban non-stun slaughter on animal welfare grounds. Read More »
MSPs back ‘general principles’ of Scottish hate crime bill
Posted: Thu, 17 Dec 2020
MSPs have approved the 'general principles' of a proposed bill on hate crime, but many have called for stronger free speech protections. Read More »
NSS urges government to explain erasure of Ahmadis in faith review
Posted: Tue, 15 Dec 2020
The NSS has urged the government to explain why it apparently removed Ahmadi Muslims from a list of Muslim denominations in a review. Read More »
Pandemic harming freedom from religion in many countries, says report
Posted: Fri, 11 Dec 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has undermined the rights of people who reject religious norms in many countries, according to the latest Freedom of Thought Report from Humanists International.
This year's edition of the report, an annual assessment on the rights of... Read More »
Amend hate crime bill to protect free speech, Scottish government told
Posted: Thu, 10 Dec 2020
A group of MSPs has called for changes to Scotland's current hate crime bill, after taking evidence from groups including the NSS. Read More »
Religious pressure resisted as Welsh RE reform plans progress
Posted: Wed, 09 Dec 2020
A bill which would replace religious education with a more pluralistic alternative in Wales will proceed to the next parliamentary stage. Read More »
C of E’s control of RE damages subject’s credibility, says study
Posted: Wed, 09 Dec 2020
The C of E's theological approach to RE has come to dominate the subject amid a lack of government leadership, research has found. Read More »
Most Brits don’t consider religious studies important, poll finds
Posted: Thu, 03 Dec 2020
A majority of adults in Britain don't consider it important to teach religious studies at secondary school, according to a new poll. Read More »
NSS: government should revisit review of engagement with faith groups
Posted: Thu, 03 Dec 2020
The NSS has warned that a government review places a disproportionate focus on religious communities' input on matters of public policy. Read More »
Success: free speech clause in hate crime bill to be strengthened
Posted: Tue, 24 Nov 2020
The NSS has welcomed the Scottish government's decision to strengthen a clause on free speech on religion in its current hate crime bill. Read More »
Temporary changes should prompt fairer school admissions, says NSS
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2020
The NSS has said temporary changes to many faith schools' admissions policies should prompt lasting change to make schools more inclusive. Read More »
Don’t let schools push creationism as science, NSS tells government
Posted: Fri, 20 Nov 2020
The NSS has raised the alarm over an independent faith school which claims to teach creationism as science. Read More »
Geoffrey Robertson calls for CoE’s disestablishment in NSS lecture
Posted: Thu, 19 Nov 2020
Leading human rights barrister Geoffrey Robertson has called for the C of E's disestablishment in the NSS's 2020 Bradlaugh Lecture. Read More »
NSS urges Foreign Office to take up case of anti-veiling protester
Posted: Wed, 18 Nov 2020
The NSS has urged the government to take up the case of an Iranian activist who faces a long jail term for protesting against mandatory veiling. Read More »
NSS gives evidence to parliamentary committee over hate crime bill
Posted: Wed, 11 Nov 2020
The NSS has said a planned hate crime bill will "intimidate" free speech in evidence to the Scottish parliament's justice committee. Read More »
