Democracy cannot exist without the right to free speech.
Free speech should be robustly defended as a fundamental freedom.
The National Secular Society has defended free speech from religious threats since our founding. We played an instrumental role in abolishing "blasphemy" laws in Britain, but serious concerns remain. Blasphemy laws still exist in Northern Ireland. And throughout the UK, religious fundamentalists seek to impose their blasphemy taboos on others through violence and intimidation.
There are also increasing attempts to categorise offending religious sensibilities as 'hate speech', making criticism, mockery or perceived 'insult' of religion a criminal act akin to racial hatred or inciting violence – in other words, a 'blasphemy law by the back door'.
Without free speech no search for truth is possible; without free speech no discovery of truth is useful; without free speech progress is checked… Better a thousand fold abuse of free speech than denial of free speech.
We are further concerned by a developing 'culture of offence' in which any speech or action deemed likely to offend religious sensibilities is considered taboo. Enforced by a toxic mix of terrorism and religious deference, this is chilling free speech through self-censorship.
We also campaign against blasphemy laws around the world, where they continue to be used to target religious and political minorities. These are sometimes described by UK politicians as 'misuse' of blasphemy laws, but we contend there are never any legitimate uses for blasphemy laws.
Being offended from time to time is the price we all pay for living in a free society. Rather than trying to silence those we disagree with, we believe the answer to speech we don't like is more speech – better speech.
We therefore campaign to protect and preserve freedom of expression, including offensive, critical and shocking speech.
What you can do
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Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
2. Join us
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Blasphemy laws exist in 69 countries, report finds
Posted: Wed, 13 Nov 2019 07:00
Sixty-nine countries have blasphemy laws and penalties have hardened in parts of the world in recent years, according to a report on the status and rights of the non-religious.
The 2019 edition of the Freedom of Thought Report, from Humanists International, has found that blasphemy is punishable by death in six countries.
Eighteen countries outlaw 'apostasy' – leaving a religious tradition – and in 12 of them it is punishable by death. The report says people can effectively be put to death for expressing atheism in 13 countries.
The figures come despite the fact that blasphemy laws have been repealed in eight countries in the last five years. Six of these countries are in Europe. Legislation is also pending in Ireland, following a referendum vote to repeal its blasphemy law.
The worst offenders
The report identifies Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as "perennial" prosecutors for blasphemy and says freedom of thought is particularly penalised by Islamic penal codes and sharia-influenced laws.
It notes that accused atheists suffer from ongoing imprisonment and extrajudicial violence in Pakistan – despite the high-profile release of Asia Bibi, who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy. It also notes that criticism of Pakistan's blasphemy law is often denounced as itself an act of blasphemy, meaning critics are at risk of condemnation and even assassination.
The report also identifies several countries where freedom of thought on religion is deteriorating, most significantly:
- Brunei, where a new penal code this year renders blasphemy and apostasy punishable by death
- Mauritania, which introduced a mandatory death sentence for blasphemy and apostasy last year
- Indonesia, where high-profile blasphemy prosecutions are cited as a cause for concern
- Iran, where the government has cracked down on demonstrators protesting against forced hijab laws
- India, where the report cites concern about prosecutions and intercommunal violence linked to Hindutva beliefs.
State enforcement of religious orthodoxy
The report also highlights the extent to which states enforce a particular religious orthodoxy. It ranks countries according to their record in four categories: constitution and the government; education and children's rights; society and community; and expression and advocacy of humanist values.
Those with the gravest violations in each category tend to be in the Middle East and Africa – along with China, where the government is currently clamping down severely on religious expression.
Responses to the report
National Secular Society spokesperson Chris Sloggett said: "Blasphemy and apostasy laws are always an affront to the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and belief, and are never justifiable.
"This report shows that these laws and state enforcement of religious doctrine plague societies and undermine individual rights around much of the world. Politicians must face global pressure to repeal these unjust laws.
"Politicians in the UK should take a keen interest in this repression in their dealings with other countries. And they should lead by example by promoting free speech on religion as a positive value and the separation of religion and politics at home."
Humanists International president Andrew Copson said repealing blasphemy and apostasy laws "must be a priority". He added that doing so would "begin to de-legitimise the religious extremism that threatens so many societies across so much of the planet".
Notes
- The countries that have repealed blasphemy laws in the past five years are Norway, Iceland, Malta, the Alsace-Moselle region of France, Denmark, Canada, New Zealand and Greece.
- This week it was reported that Greece was considering re-introducing its law – with a punishment of up to two years in prison. But according to further reports the Greek government quickly dropped its plan.
- The report notes a general trend of religious belief gradually declining around the world. It calls on commentators to recognise that where the number of non-religious people appears to be very low, that may reflect self-censorship on the part of the non-religious.
Champion open debate to tackle extremism, says commission
Posted: Mon, 7 Oct 2019 15:24
Protecting and encouraging democratic debate is "vital" in efforts to tackle extremism and a government definition is hampering those efforts, according to the counter-extremism commissioner Sara Khan.
A report from the Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE), which Khan leads, has called for an overhaul of the government's approach to tackling extremism, saying the current strategy is "unfocused, unnecessarily broad, and at times confusing".
The report, Challenging Hateful Extremism, urged a "rights-based approach" to tackling "hateful extremism", including the promotion of freedom of expression.
The National Secular Society, which called for a human rights-centred approach to the issue when it submitted evidence to the commission earlier this year, has welcomed the report.
The report said there should be no new counter-extremism legislation and freedom of expression – including the right to express "offensive, critical and shocking" speech – should be protected.
Introducing it, Khan wrote: "There is a fear that countering extremism can undermine civil liberties and in particular, freedom of expression.
"There is no doubt in my mind: we must continue to protect and preserve freedom of expression. This includes offensive, critical and shocking speech."
The report added that countering extremism is "about preserving and championing" society's ability to have "difficult debates". It also said there should be a "proportionate response" to "hateful extremism", including through more use of existing legal powers, and calls for a more effective civil society response.
The report also found that:
- Over three-quarters of those countering extremism face a degree of abuse for what they do.
- Three quarters of public respondents found the government's current definition of extremism 'very unhelpful' or 'unhelpful'.
- 73% of people are concerned about rising extremism.
The report also said the government's current definition of extremism, which the NSS has opposed as a member of the Defend Free Speech campaign, is "too broad".
The report proposes the creation of a non-statutory definition of "hateful extremism", which will be narrower than the government's definition, by spring 2020.
Stephen Evans, the chief executive of the NSS, said the report represented a "positive renewed vision for countering extremism".
"This timely report provides a sound basis for both understanding and tackling hateful extremism and shows an appreciation of the vital role which free expression and open democratic debate play in those tasks.
"Secularist principles must be central to any strategy which seeks to prevent extremist narratives from dividing and polarising society. We look forward to working with the commission to help build a more tolerant, inclusive and rights respecting Britain."
NSS submission to CCE's consultation
Earlier this year the NSS's submission to the commission:
- Cautioned against proposals to legislate against 'extremism'
- Said any new counter extremism strategy should not undermine our rights to freedom of expression
- Said civil society must shoulder much of the responsibility for opposing extremism.
Report summary of hateful extremism
The report summarises hateful extremism as:
- Behaviours that can incite and amplify hate, or engage in persistent hatred, or equivocate about and make the moral case for violence;
- And that draw on hateful, hostile or supremacist beliefs directed at an out-group who are perceived as a threat to the wellbeing, survival or success of an in-group;
- And that cause, or are likely to cause, harm to individuals, communities or wider society.
Image: Sara Khan, via Wikimedia Commons, © user Mramoeba [CC BY-SA 4.0]
