Tags: Freedom of Expression
NSS welcomes guidance which promotes free speech at universities
Posted: Fri, 15 Feb 2019
The NSS has welcomed official guidance which aims to ensure universities "remain a forum for open and robust enquiry". Read More »
Event to mark 30th anniversary of fatwa against Salman Rushdie
Posted: Fri, 08 Feb 2019
An event to commemorate the women who defended the right to publish The Satanic Verses is to be held in London next Thursday. Read More »
Pakistani court upholds blasphemy acquittal in death row case
Posted: Tue, 29 Jan 2019
Pakistan's top court has upheld its decision to acquit Asia Bibi, who spent eight years on death row on blasphemy charges. Read More »
NSS warns home affairs committee against ‘Islamophobia’ definition
Posted: Wed, 23 Jan 2019
The NSS has warned a parliamentary committee against recommending the adoption of a formal definition of 'Islamophobia'. Read More »
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 »
Home secretary urged not to adopt definition of ‘Islamophobia'
Posted: Sun, 09 Dec 2018
The NSS has urged the home secretary to resist calls to adopt a formal definition of 'Islamophobia' which have been put forward by a parliamentary group. Read More »
NSS asks Google to remove Indonesian app for reporting blasphemy
Posted: Thu, 06 Dec 2018
The NSS has asked Google to remove an app which enables Indonesians to report people they suspect of 'heresy' to the authorities. Read More »
NSS: religious offence-taking must not curtail free speech at BBC
Posted: Tue, 13 Nov 2018
The NSS has urged the BBC to uphold free expression and expressed concerns that new guidelines defer too much to religious sensitivities. 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 »
NSS to host major conference on reclaiming religious freedom
Posted: Wed, 12 Sep 2018
The NSS will host a conference in May 2019 under the tagline 'reclaiming religious freedom', with prominent figures confirmed to speak. 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 »
Brewery: we took down Saudi flag from pubs to avoid offence
Posted: Fri, 29 Jun 2018
A brewery has told the NSS that it told thousands of pubs to remove Saudi Arabia's flag from World Cup displays to avoid causing offence. 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 »