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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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
Muslim students try to disrupt ex-Muslim Maryam Namazie’s talk on blasphemy at Goldsmiths University
Posted: Thu, 3 Dec 2015 13:43
Protesters from the Goldsmiths University Islamic Society have heckled and aggressively disrupted a talk from ex-Muslim and feminist campaigner Maryam Namazie.
Ms Namazie was giving a speech on blasphemy and apostasy at the invitation of the Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society at Goldsmiths University when several men from the Goldsmiths Islamic Society (ISOC) arrived and started disrupting the event.
The night before the event the president of the Islamic Society wrote to the ASH society saying "we feel extremely uncomfortable by the fact that you have invited Maryam Namazie. As you very well probably know, she is renowned for being Islamophobic, and very controversial."
The Islamic Society claimed that Namazie's attendance on campus was a violation of their "safe space".
They added, "we advise you to reconsider your event tomorrow."
Regardless of this the event went ahead, but protesters from the Islamic Society stormed into the room shortly after the talk started and began disrupting the event.
Ms Namazie said that "After my talk began, ISOC 'brothers' started coming into the room, repeatedly banging the door, falling on the floor, heckling me, playing on their phones, shouting out, and creating a climate of intimidation in order to try and prevent me from speaking."
The hecklers were asked repeatedly to be quiet and told by organisers that there would be an opportunity to ask questions or make comments at the end. The Muslim hecklers repeatedly interrupted the early part of the talk, shouting "safe space" and laughing.
When one female student tried to intervene the men shouted at her to "sit down".
University security were called and when Namazie displayed a 'Jesus and Mo' cartoon on a slide, one of the Muslim protesters turned the projector off to prevent the depiction of Mohammed from being shown.
At one point some of the hecklers appeared to laugh at the murder of secular Bangladeshi bloggers. Namazie challenged them: "Is it really funny that people get hacked to death? … I know it's funny for you."
Reza Moradi, a lecturer present at the talk, said that one Muslim protester "looked right into my eyes and with his finger, shaping hand like a handgun, touched his forehead" in what Moradi described as a "death threat".
After the event the Goldsmiths ISOC released a statement condemning the "vile harassment of our ISOC members (both male and female) by the Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society (ASH)."
They said that "Muslim students who attended the event were shocked and horrified by statements made by Namazie".
Incredibly, the Goldsmiths Feminist Society sided with the Islamist protesters. They released a statement on 2 December expressing their "solidarity with Goldsmiths Islamic Society".
They said: "We support them in condemning the actions of the Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society and agree that hosting known islamophobes [sic] at our university creates a climate of hatred."
Ms Namazie said that "The behaviour of the ISOC 'brothers' was so appalling that a number of Muslim women felt the need to apologise, to which I explained that no apology was needed from those who were not to blame."
She added: "Freedom of expression and the right to criticise and leave Islam without fear and intimidation is a basic human right. We have a responsibility to fight for these universal values at British universities and also across the globe."
Stephen Evans, the National Secular Society's campaigns manager, commented: "It's becoming very clear that the concept of 'safe spaces' is being abused to the point where it is becoming a direct threat to freedom of speech. Some students may find criticism of their religion offensive, but in an open and free society that does not give them the right to close down such discussion and intimidate those expressing their views.
"We urge Goldsmiths to condemn the intolerance shown towards Maryam Namazie and make clear to its students they do not have the right not to be offended."
Ms Namazie had previously been banned by Warwick University from speaking on campus, but the decision by the Student Union was quickly reversed after a high profile campaign and widespread criticism in the national press and on social media.
The full video of the event at Goldsmiths University ASH Society can be seen here
Labour MP Keith Vaz would have “no problem” with reintroduction of UK blasphemy laws
Posted: Mon, 16 Nov 2015 10:06
Labour MP Keith Vaz has expressed his support for the reintroduction of UK blasphemy laws – provided they "apply equally to everybody."
His comments were reportedly made at an event organised by the Muslim Council of Britain to explore responses to terrorism and extremism, held in London on 12 November.
During discussions on how to respond to 'slurs' and "grossly irresponsible" coverage of Muslim issues in the media, attendees called for Britain's Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) to use its powers to pursue complaints of discrimination against groups of people, such as those of Muslim faith, even if no individual is specified in an offending article.
Miqdaad Versi, Assistant Secretary General of the MCB, said "Muslim communities need to be able to respond to accusations [against] Muslims, or against the Prophet, in a more effective way."
He added: "Whether there should be legislation is something that really is a more complicated question."
But in response to discussion on new blasphemy legislation, Vaz, who is the chairman of the influential Home Affairs Select Committee, told Al Arabiya that under certain conditions he would have "no problem" with the reintroduction of blasphemy laws in the UK.
"Religions are very special to people. And therefore I have no objection to [a blasphemy law] … but it must apply equally to everybody," the longstanding Labour MP added.
If there were to be new blasphemy laws, the MP commented, "It should apply to all religions. If we have laws, they should apply to everybody."
The remarks have been strongly condemned by the National Secular Society.
In response to the MP's comments, NSS executive director, Keith Porteous Wood, said: "I am appalled that such a senior politician should be blithely contemplating the reintroduction of blasphemy laws. In any plural society, ideas, including religious ideas, should be open to rigorous debate. We already have an armoury of laws restricting freedom of expression. Religiously aggravated insults already carry a seven year tariff. This is already likely to have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.
"Reintroducing blasphemy laws would not be showing a good example to those Muslim countries where blasphemy laws carry the death sentence. Even being accused of blasphemy in Pakistan – sometimes a tactic of commercial or political rivals - can result in extra-judicial death."
Vaz went on to give contradictory answers about his views, saying that there should not be blasphemy laws in the UK, before adding, "If somebody brings it forward in parliament I'll vote for it… Obviously it depends what's in the bill. But I have no objection to it being brought before parliament and having a debate about it."
David Anderson QC, the Government's Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, said he would have "no problem with the idea of a democratic debate on whether there is room for some kind of blasphemy law". But the senior lawyer also explained that "I'm not sure whether I would welcome a blasphemy law, because I think we have to be free to make fun of each other. We even have to be free to offend each other".
In 2008 the National Secular Society played a key role in the abolition of blasphemy laws in England and Wales. The NSS is also part of a new campaign – Defend Free Speech – to oppose the introduction of new freedom of speech laws.
You can read the National Secular Society's position statement on anti-Muslim bigotry here.
