Geneva votes to ban religious symbols on public employees, Agence France-Presse, The Local (Switzerland), 2019-02-11. Geneva residents on Sunday voted for a controversial new “secularism law”, which will among other things ban elected officials and public employees from wearing visible…
Atheist Freethinkers
Philosophical Materialism, Critical Thought, Secularism
Category: In the News
News articles
In the News: FEMEN supports Zineb El Rhazoui, target of death threats after calling to defy Islam
FEMEN supports Zineb El Rhazoui, the journalist who receives death threats after calling to defy Islam. SUPPORT ZINEB EL RHAZOUI! Who will dare to be Zineb today? Why is important to be Zineb El Rhazoui today, after all the predictable…
In the News: Google Software Reports Blasphemy and Heresy in Indonesia
Google Hosts Sharia Law App Enabling Muslims to Report Blasphemy and Heresy to the Police, Tyler O’Neil, PJ Media, 2018-12-12. On December 7, 2018, the Google Play Store approved the latest version of “Smart Pakem,” an app that allows Muslims…
In the News: Condorcet-Dessaulles Prizewinners Call for Withdrawal of “Religious Culture” Part of ERC course
Il faut revoir le cours Éthique et culture religieuse (The Ethics and Religious Culture Course Must be Revised), Nadia El-Mabrouk, Andréa Richard, Le Devoir, 2018-12-19. In an article in Le Devoir, Nadia El-Mabrouk and Andréa Richard, recipients of the 2018…
In the News: Canadian Anti-Blasphemy Law Repealed
C-51, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Department of Justice Act and to make consequential amendments to another Act, 42nd Parliament, 1st Session, Parliament of Canada, Senate, 2018-12-13. Last Stage CompletedRoyal Assent (2018-12-13) The Canadian Senate has…
In the News: NSS Opposes Formal Definition of “Islamophobia”
Home secretary urged not to adopt definition of ‘Islamophobia’, National Secular Society (NSS), 2018-12-09. The National Secular Society has urged the home secretary to resist calls to adopt a formal definition of ‘Islamophobia’ which have been put forward by a…
In the News: Asia Bibi’s Lawyer at London Conference
Asia Bibi: Lawyer defies death threats over Christian’s case, Monidipa Fouzder, The Law Society Gazette, 2018-11-27. The lawyer for a Christian woman who faced a death sentence for eight years after being convicted of blasphemy says he has no regrets…
In the News: Québécois Solidly Support Banning Religious Symbols
Nearly two-thirds of Quebecers support public-sector ban on religious symbols, poll finds, Jonathan Montpetit, CBC News, 2018-11-26. Most Quebecers are in favour of banning public-sector workers from wearing religious symbols, according to a CROP poll released ahead of the first…
In the News: The Missionary and His Indoctrination
La bêtise religieuse (Religious Stupidity), Loïc Tassé, Journal de Montréal, 2018-11-25. The attempt by John Allen Chau to convert the Sentinelese tribe was particularly stupid, illustrating once again the unhealthy role which religion plays in our societies. Chau’s decision was…
In the News: Tunisia: Gender Equality in Inheritance Law
Tunisian cabinet approves controversial gender equality in inheritance law, Al Arabiya English, 2018-11-24. The Tunisian cabinet has approved on Friday the law of gender equality in inheritance, to be discussed in the parliament dominated by Ennahda Movement before being effective…
In the News: Federal FGM Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Federal Ban on Female Genital Mutilation Ruled Unconstitutional by Judge, Pam Belluck, New York Times, 2018-11-21. The case, the first to be brought under the 1996 law that criminalized female genital mutilation, has been closely followed by human rights advocates…
In the News: Religious Headwear to be Allowed in U.S. Congress
New Muslim congresswoman will seek to allow religious headwear in the House, AJ Willingham, CNN, 2018-11-19. Last week, Democrats announced a proposal to end a rule that bans headwear on the House floor. Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar, one of the first…
In the News: Supreme Court Upholds Kirpan Ban in Legislature
Supreme Court upholds National Assembly’s ban on kirpans, The Canadian Press, CTV News Montreal, 2018-10-25 OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear the appeal of a Sikh man and woman who were prohibited from entering Quebec’s…
In the News: ECHR Condemns “Defaming” Muhammed
Defaming Prophet Muhammed not free expression: ECHR, Such defamation could stir up prejudice and risk religious peace, says European Court of Human Rights, Anadolu Agency, 2018-10-25 STRASBOURG – Defaming the Prophet Muhammed “goes beyond the permissible limits of an objective…
In the News: Poland: KŁF Denounces Judgment Against NIE for Blasphemy
Statement of the Kazimierz Łyszczyński Foundation on the judgment concerning the caricature of Jesus in the weekly “NIE”, Kazimierz Łyszczyński Foundation, 2018-10-16. Jesus is amazed because statistics show that believers are leaving the faith. The Kazimierz Łyszczynski Foundation expresses its…
In the News: Nadia El-Mabrouk: Secularism is Necessary for the Emancipation of Women
Dans un monde réel près de chez vous (In a Real World in your Neighbourhood), Nadia El-Mabrouk, La Presse, 2018-10-11 For Nadia El-Mabrouk, secularism is a the first and foremost condition necessary for the emancipation of women and development. While…
In the News: Profs Against Religious Symbols
Des enseignantes contre les signes religieux (Teachers Against Religious Symbols), Yves Poirier, Journal de Montréal, 2018-10-10 The new premier of Quebec, François Legault, and his CAQ party, have received the support of several public school teachers. Several teachers orginally from…
In the News: Djemila Benhabib Calls for Decisive Action on Secularism
Laïcité: le nouveau gouvernement doit agir avec rigueur et diligence (Secularism: The New Government Must Act With Rigour and Diligence), Djemila Benhabib, leNouvelliste, 2018-10-06 Djemila Benhabib is a writer, secular activist and recipient of the Prix international de la laïcité…
In the News: Legault Advances Secularism Measures
François Legault would invoke notwithstanding clause to ban hijabs from civil service, Benjamin Shingler, CBC News, 2018-10-02. Quebec’s premier-designate says he is prepared to invoke the notwithstanding clause to enforce a prohibition on any public employee from wearing a religious…
In the News: Ireland Holds Blasphemy Referendum, October 26th
Atheist Ireland: Referendum on blasphemy about freedom of speech, Irish Examiner, 2018-09-30. Irish Atheists will today launch their campaign for a Yes vote in October’s referendum on removing the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution. […] Chairperson Michael Nugent said…
In the News: Maxime Bernier Denounces the Cult of Diversity
Tory MP Bernier criticized for saying ‘more diversity’ will ‘destroy’ what makes Canada great, Rachel Aiello, CTV News, 2018-08-13 Outspoken Conservative MP and failed leadership contender Maxime Bernier is facing criticism from within his caucus, and beyond, over a series…
In the News: Canada Should Boycott Saudia Arabia
Une guerre que le Canada doit gagner (A War Which Canada Must Win), Loïc Tassé, Journal de Montréal, 2018-08-11. Considering the extreme reaction of Saudia Arabia to Canada’s declaration criticizing human rights abuses in that country, and in particular the…
In the News: Promoting Child Abuse in Advertising
HijabPublicity Stunt? Gap Ad With Hijab-Wearing Girl Stirs Twitter Controversy, Sputnik News, 2018-08-10. Users seem to have divided opinions on the brand’s new back-to-school campaign. Some lambast the hijab as a tool of oppression, while others believe that the ad…
In the News: Interview with David Rand, Conatus News
Quebec is Currently Leading a Secular Revolution in Canada. Here’s How., Scott Jacobsen, Conatus News, 2018-07-10 The text of the interview is also available locally on this site.
In the News: Twenty Years Prison for Removing Her Veil
Iranian woman who protested headscarf gets 20-year sentence, Associated Press, 2018-07-1.0 An Iranian woman who removed her obligatory Islamic headscarf out of protest in December says she has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Shapark Shajarizadeh posted on her…
