Tags: Blasphemy
Report highlights religious threat to global human rights
Posted: Mon, 10 Dec 2018
Blasphemy laws, supremacist ideologies, sectarianism, 'caste' systems and exclusionary laws are among the ways religion restricts human rights globally, according to a parliamentary group. Read More »
Pakistani court orders woman facing death for blasphemy to be freed
Posted: Wed, 31 Oct 2018
Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered the freeing of Asia Bibi, who awaited a death sentence for blasphemy for eight years. Read More »
Ireland votes to remove blasphemy from constitution
Posted: Tue, 30 Oct 2018
The NSS has welcomed Irish voters' decision to repeal the blasphemy provisions in their country's constitution. Read More »
NSS writes to Foreign Office over blasphemy case in Pakistan
Posted: Fri, 12 Oct 2018
The NSS has urged the Foreign Office to do what it can to secure the release of a woman facing execution in Pakistan for blasphemy. Read More »
Campaign to repeal Ireland’s blasphemy law launched
Posted: Wed, 26 Sep 2018
The NSS has backed a campaign to repeal Ireland's blasphemy law which is being launched on Sunday, ahead of a referendum on the subject. Read More »
Ireland set to hold blasphemy referendum on 26 October
Posted: Wed, 19 Sep 2018
The NSS has said Ireland's impending referendum on its blasphemy law should prompt "global action in defence of free speech on religion". Read More »
NSS condemns Spain’s blasphemy laws after actor detained
Posted: Thu, 13 Sep 2018
The NSS has called for Spain to abolish its blasphemy laws following the detainment of an actor accused of offending religious sentiment. Read More »
Council withdraws advert from toilet after Hindu complaints
Posted: Thu, 13 Sep 2018
The NSS has criticised a north London council for removing an advert featuring a temple from a toilet after a Hindu group complained. Read More »
Pakistan’s PM calls on ‘Muslim world’ to raise ‘blasphemy’ at UN
Posted: Fri, 31 Aug 2018
Pakistan's prime minister has called on "Muslim countries" to raise a coordinated objection to cartoons of Muhammad at the UN. Read More »
Hindu leader calls on Italian brewery to withdraw “inappropriate” beer
Posted: Thu, 26 Jul 2018
The NSS has warned of the need to resist "a competitive offence-taking culture" after a Hindu group asked a brewery to withdraw a beer. Read More »
NSS: Irish referendum should prompt “celebration of free speech”
Posted: Thu, 21 Jun 2018
The NSS has said Ireland's upcoming referendum on blasphemy should "prompt a debate about celebrating free speech as a positive value". Read More »
NSS calls on Scottish government to repeal blasphemy laws
Posted: Tue, 20 Mar 2018
The NSS has called on the Scottish government to repeal its blasphemy laws as the SNP's governing body considered the measure. Read More »
ECHR: Lithuania infringed free expression over religious icons
Posted: Thu, 01 Feb 2018
Lithuania violated the right to free expression by fining a fashion company for using religious imagery in adverts, the ECHR has ruled. Read More »
Secularism ‘regressing on a global scale’, says report
Posted: Tue, 05 Dec 2017
The idea that secularism and human rights will inevitably establish themselves is "deeply complacent and apathetic," a report says. Read More »
Joke leads to ad ban after Hindu fundamentalists complain
Posted: Thu, 23 Nov 2017
An advert has been taken off the air in Australia following complaints that it insulted the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha. Read More »
Ireland to vote on liberalising abortion and blasphemy laws
Posted: Thu, 28 Sep 2017
Ireland is to hold referenda on changing its laws on abortion and blasphemy next year. Read More »
NSS welcomes Conway Hall launch of 'Victorian Blogging' project
Posted: Wed, 06 Sep 2017
The National Secular Society has welcomed a new project from Conway Hall which will highlight the work of Victorian radicals on major issues of the 19th century, including secularism. Read More »
Blasphemy laws “astonishingly widespread” - report
Posted: Mon, 14 Aug 2017
Dozens of countries from all corners of the globe retain laws which punish blasphemy and most of them punish the 'crime' severely, according a report from the US government. Read More »
Pakistan puts pressure on Facebook to help punish 'blasphemers'
Posted: Fri, 21 Jul 2017
The Pakistani government is punishing people for social media posts which it considers blasphemous, and placing pressure on social media companies to help it do so. Read More »
Effort to repeal New Zealand blasphemy law delayed
Posted: Wed, 24 May 2017
An attempt by Labour MP Chris Hipkins to remove anti-blasphemy laws from New Zealand's statute book has failed after National Party and Maori Party MPs voted it down. Read More »
