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
Conference on Sharia law, apostasy and secularism
Posted: Wed, 28 Jan 2015 16:39
The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain is hosting a day-long conference on 7 February 2015 in London.
The conference will include discussions on freedom of expression and blasphemy codes, which are particularly relevant after the attacks on the Paris office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Following the attack, National Secular Society President Terry Sanderson said: "We cannot, as a society, place religion beyond the reach of satire or critical examination." Terry will host a panel discussion on "apostasy, free expression and hate speech" at the conference in February.
Furthermore, the conference will examine Islamism, Sharia, the religious right, education and public policy, as well as secularism and citizenship more generally.
The conference will also consider recent campaigns against the Law Society's Sharia guidance, and the gender segregation advice issued by Universities UK.
Speakers will consider equal rights and discrimination against ex-Muslims, and the "urgent fight against Islamism and the religious-Right."
Other confirmed speakers include: Activist Ahmed Idris, Campaigner for Secular Education Aliyah Saleem, Spokesperson of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Amal Farah, Activist Atoosa Khatiri, Secular Activist Chris Moos, Director of the Centre for Secular Space Gita Sahgal, Founder of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Morocco Imad Iddine Habib, Spokesperson of One Law for All Maryam Namazie, Spokesperson of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Nahla Mahmoud, Human Rights Campaigner Peter Tatchell, Southall Black Sisters Director Pragna Patel, Founder of Ex-Muslims of Scotland Ramin Forghani, Nari Diganta's Rumana Hashem and Women's Rights Campaigner Yasmin Rehman.
The full agenda and booking information can be found here
Malta to reform blasphemy law
Posted: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 16:27
The Republic of Malta is to reform its long-standing blasphemy law, according to a report in the Sunday Times of Malta.
Malta's Criminal Code prohibits blasphemy under a section on the "Vilification of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion", and the Code has not been updated since 1933.
Breaching the blasphemy law as it stands now can result in a six month jail sentence. However, whilst insulting Catholicism can carry the maximum six month sentence, as the Criminal Code recognises the Roman Catholic Church as "the religion of Malta," insulting other faiths can only result in a three month maximum sentence.
In 2009 the NSS reported on the case of six young people who narrowly escape a prison sentence after they had dressed up as nuns at a carnival. Initially the Magistrate had ruled that the blasphemy law did not apply because the costumes were not a "sacred garment" and because the six in question were not wearing crosses.
The Malta Attorney General appealed this decision and the case went to the Court of Criminal Appeal, which ruled that "the mere fact of dressing up as nun, even if for carnival, but without wearing any religious symbol, cannot reasonably be considered as amounting to public vilification of the Roman Catholic Religion."
However, the judge also noted that "if the wearing of such a habit were accompanied with such circumstances of fact, words or gestures which objectively amount to vilification, then there would be an offence."
In 2012, 99 people were convicted for "public blasphemy", down from 119 cases in 2011.
A possible reform of the Criminal Code was mooted by a former Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Dr José Herrera in 2013. He said that "people have a right to express themselves however they like in a modern world. Our policies are liberal, moderate, but liberal. We want to give space, especially in the arts world, so that people won't feel restrained by taboos."
The Maltese government had pledged to review the blasphemy law during the last election, and recently expressed condemnation of the attacks in France on the office of Charlie Hebdo and solidarity with the satirical magazine, known for its blasphemous satirical cartoons, and itself the subject of prosecutions under the French blasphemy law.
