Tags: blasphemy
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 »
Campaigns against blasphemy laws gather steam following Ahok conviction and Fry investigation
Posted: Wed, 10 May 2017
Indonesia, Denmark and New Zealand are facing calls to repeal their blasphemy laws, following the conviction of Jakarta's former governor for blasphemy and an investigation into Stephen Fry. Read More »
Calls for abolition of Irish blasphemy law following investigation of Stephen Fry
Posted: Mon, 08 May 2017
The National Secular Society has called for the repeal of Ireland's blasphemy law after Irish police dropped an investigation against Stephen Fry over a complaint of 'blasphemy' related to an interview aired in 2015. Read More »
Death sentence for Saudi ‘apostate’ amid surge of violence against atheists across Islamic world
Posted: Fri, 28 Apr 2017
A Saudi trial based "heavily on Koranic law" has resulted in a death sentence for a 'mentally ill' man who denounced the Islamic 'prophet' Mohammed. Read More »
MP calls for urgent action after killer of Asad Shah incites anti-Ahmadi violence from prison
Posted: Wed, 25 Jan 2017
An MP has urged the Scottish Government to take action after Tanver Ahmed, who killed Ahmadi Muslim shopkeeper Asad Shah, released another anti-Ahmadi recording from prison. Read More »
MP says Government's silence over Louis Smith heralds "unwritten blasphemy law"
Posted: Thu, 15 Dec 2016
Charles Walker MP has criticised the media for unleashing "a torrent of venom" against Louis Smith, and said the Government was "nowhere to be seen" when it should have been defending free expression. Read More »
Fifty organisations call on Greece to abolish blasphemy laws
Posted: Mon, 06 Jun 2016
The National Secular Society has joined dozens of secularist, humanist and free speech groups in calling on the Greek government to expedite the removal of blasphemy articles from the country's criminal code. Read More »
Turkey sentences opposition journalists to prison over Muhammad cartoon
Posted: Fri, 29 Apr 2016
Two Turkish journalists have been sentenced to two years in prison for republishing a cover of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo with a cartoon of Muhammad. Read More »
‘Blasphemy’ accusation after academic calls for separation of religion and politics
Posted: Mon, 18 Apr 2016
A Kuwaiti philosopher was questioned over blasphemy charges after she said that religion and politics should be separate and that placing the Koran above the constitution was "undoing" democracy. Read More »
Bradford imam praises ‘martyr’ who murdered anti-blasphemy law governor
Posted: Fri, 04 Mar 2016
An influential British imam has praised the killer of the former governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, who was murdered in Pakistan in 2011 after calling for reform of the country's blasphemy laws. Read More »
Georgian blasphemy law to impose fines for insulting religion
Posted: Mon, 08 Feb 2016
Plans in Georgia to pass an anti-blasphemy measure with punitive fines for 'offences' have drawn criticism from a non-Orthodox bishop, and from an MP of the ruling coalition. Read More »
New report warns of ‘escalation’ in global persecution against non-believers
Posted: Thu, 10 Dec 2015
The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has warned that worldwide "persecution of the non-religious has escalated" in the past year. Read More »
