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.
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Latest updates
Fifty organisations call on Greece to abolish blasphemy laws
Posted: Mon, 6 Jun 2016 11:27
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.
In a letter to the Greek Secretary-General for Transparency and Human Rights, over 50 organisations, including the NSS, urged the Ministry of Justice to abolish the Greek blasphemy laws and "drop all related charges pending" before Greek courts.
The Greek Penal Code currently states that "One who publicly and maliciously and by any means blasphemes God shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than two years".
It also punishes anyone who "displays publicly with blasphemy a lack of respect for things divine". This 'crime' can be punished by a prison term up to 3 months in length.
During Greece's review in May 2016 by the UN Human Rights Council, the Greek delegation was asked to "Ensure[s] religious freedom and tolerance, by measures such as decriminalizing blasphemy and protecting the rights of religious minorities, atheists and agnostics."
While the Greek delegation to the Council committed the Greek government to abolishing "outdated criminal provisions" including articles criminalising blasphemy, human rights advocates are concerned over recent prosecutions under the current law and by the fact that successive Greek governments have failed to abolish the legislation.
The signatories to the letter told the Greek Ministry of Justice: "We have been concerned however that the articles on blasphemy were not abolished, while new charges for blasphemy are pressed by prosecutors, for example on 1 February 2016, and the trial on appeal of blogger Philipos Loizos (aka 'Elder Pastitsios'), convicted at first instance for blasphemy to a suspended prison sentence of ten months on 16 January 2014, has yet to be scheduled almost two and a half years later."
"We now urge you to see to it that the government promptly tables before Parliament the abolition of the two blasphemy articles 198 and 199 from Greece's Criminal Code and that prosecutors or courts drop all related charges pending before them," the letter said.
Though critical of the pace of reform, the signatories to the letter welcomed commitments from Greece to reform and a promise to extend civil partnership to same-sex couples.
Other signatories included the International Humanist and Ethical Union, to which the National Secular Society is affiliated.
European Commission announces online crackdown on “hate speech”
Posted: Thu, 2 Jun 2016 15:45
Tech companies including Facebook and Twitter have signed up to a new European Commission plan designed to clampdown on online "hate speech."
But the National Secular Society has warned that the plans rest on a vague definition of 'hate speech' and risk threatening online discussions which criticise religion.
Under the agreement, social media companies will have to "expeditiously" review "hate speech" online when it is reported.
The new "code of conduct" was announced on the Commission's website, and YouTube, Microsoft, Twitter and Facebook have all agreed to join the EU's effort against "illegal hate speech".
The EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vĕra Jourová claimed that "The recent terror attacks have reminded us of the urgent need to address illegal online hate speech."
She said that the agreement would tackle terrorists' use of social media to "radicalise young people" and "spread violence and hatred."
However the agreement comes amid repeated accusations from ex-Muslims that social media organisations are censoring them online. The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain has now begun collecting examples from its followers of Facebook censoring "atheist, secular and Ex-Muslim content" after false "mass reporting" by "cyber Jihadists."
They have asked their supporters to report details and evidence of any instances of pages and groups being "banned [or] suspended from Facebook for criticizing Islam and Islamism".
NSS communications officer Benjamin Jones said: "Far from tackling online 'cyber jihad', the agreement risks having the exact opposite effect and entrapping any critical discussion of religion under vague 'hate speech' rules. Poorly-trained Facebook or Twitter staff, perhaps with their own ideological bias, could easily see heated criticism of Islam and think it is 'hate speech', particularly if pages or users are targeted and mass reported by Islamists."
The EU Commission defines hate speech as "public incitement to violence or hatred directed against a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin."
It also includes "racism" and "xenophobia".
The EU says Member States "may sanction or prevent" content that contains "serious incitement to violence and hatred".
Mr Jones added: "When these restriction are being enforced by Facebook and Twitter staff, what hope is there that it will be done impartially? They are private companies, but they also have immense power over our public debates. This is a worrying development – however well-intentioned.
"Incitement to violence and incitement to 'hatred' are very different things."
The agreement has been criticised by Index on Censorship. The group said that "Hate speech laws are already too broad and ambiguous in much of Europe. This agreement fails to properly define what 'illegal hate speech' is and does not provide sufficient safeguards for freedom of expression."
