Anti-Islamophobia Motion: Progressive and Helpful? Or Not So Much?

It’s been a couple of days since Canada passed M103, the non-binding motion in Parliament condemning Islamophobia and other forms of systemic racism. On right and left wing outlets alike, the motion has attracted a lot of coverage and opinions, and unleashed protests, counter-protests, demonstrations and online petitions. While liberal commentators have restricted themselves to […] Read more

‘Blasphemy’: Increased Attacks on Freethinkers

On 16 March, ex-Muslim atheist H Farook, a father of two, was hacked to death in India. He was known to the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) Sri Lanka affiliate organisation and was killed for his views. Several men have been arrested for his murder. In Pakistan, Ayaz Nizami and Rana Noman were arrested by the government […] Read more

Islam: No Justice for Victims of Blasphemy Killings in Nigeria?

A court in Kano state in Northern Nigeria has acquitted five persons who were arrested in connection with the killing of a Christian female trader, Bridget Agbahime, from Southern Nigeria. She was murdered on June 2 at Kofai Wambai market after some exchanges with some Muslims. Her killers attacked her with dangerous weapons and slit […] Read more

Islam – No Mockery Allowed: A New Case

In the UK, a well-known athlete, Louis Smith, has been disciplined and suspended by British Gymnastics – the UK body governing the sport – for having engaged in some private drunken mockery of Islam which he recorded on his phone and which was subsequently leaked to the Press. A British Gymnastics spokesperson commented ‘British Gymnastics […] Read more

Bloggers in Bangladesh Are Being Attacked, Imprisoned or Executed

For a country founded after an 8-month war, which led to the death about 3 million people, one would expect that the Bangladeshi people would learn from their mistakes. That is, they would eventually change their stance on internal disputes. However, the reality is different. Political and religious violence in the country continued to the […] Read more