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Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Annual Report (June 2007- June 2008) Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain BM Box 1919 London, WC1N 3XX UK e-mail: [email protected] telephone: +44 (0) 7719166731 website: www.ex-muslim.org.uk Message from Maryam Namazie Chair and Spokesperson The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain has hit a nerve. I can’t tell you the number of people who have said the CEMB is one of the best responses to political Islam they have seen in ages. And that it has given them the hope that things can change for the better. Of course we couldn’t have done it without you. Volunteer-run organisations like ours - with minimal resources - can only succeed if they manage to mobilise support and capture people’s imagination. So all in all it’s been a great start and one we can be very proud of. But it’s not enough if we want to change things to the benefi t of humanity in this country and the world and to the disadvantage of the political Islamic movement. In the upcoming year, we need to build on this success and create a force to be reckoned with. I am certain that we can. Warm regards, Maryam Launch The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain had a successful launch in the Houses of Parliament on June 21, 2007. The launch was covered in many media outlets, including the Telegraph, BBC, Boston Globe, Reuters, The Guardian, and Washington Post. It was sponsored by the National Secular Society and the British Humanist Association. On the launch, AC Grayling wrote the following: The occasion is the launch of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, following the establishment of such groups elsewhere in Europe, notably Germany and Scandinavia. The British branch is led by the out- standing Maryam Namazie, Iranian-born champion of (among other things) human rights, women, and refugees from religious persecution. The manifesto of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain eloquently speaks for itself, and I hope Maryam Namazie and her fellow- members of the council will not mind if I quote it here in full, because it deserves the widest publicity, not least because the 10 demands appended to it consti- tute a bill of rights which is absolutely necessary for everyone, non-religious and otherwise, to adopt and observe now that the world is again experiencing, with such bitterness, widespread religion-generated diffi culties. One point that has to be kept in mind here, because it illuminates the following document with the burn- ing light of urgency, is this: apostasy (abandoning one’s religion) by a Muslim is to this day regarded as a crime punishable by death in countries governed by Islamic law (it once likewise invited death in Christianity). This is why the council is the embodiment of courage, and why the principles in its 10 demands are so vital. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2007/ jun/19/thecourageoftheirconvictions) At the launch, Maryam Namazie, Mina Ahadi (Spokesperson of the fi rst Council in Germany), and Mahin Alipour (Spokesperson of the Scandinavian Councils) spoke about the aims of this movement. Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society; Hanne Stinson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association; and AC Grayling spoke in support of the new organisation. Baroness Whitaker, Lord Harrison and Baroness Massey were there to lend their support. In her statement at the launch, Namazie said: Today we are establishing the Council of ex-Muslims of Britain for so many reasons. One is to break the taboo that comes with renouncing Islam. ‘Apostasy’ carries the death penalty in many countries under Islamic laws. It also brings with it threats and intimidation for those who do so in Europe. I have already received an email saying: ‘A Muslim is always a Muslim; it is not possible to leave Islam.’ Well, watch us. It is. Whilst renouncing religion is a private affair, today, with the rise of religion’s intervention in soci- ety, it must be done publicly to pave the way for others to do so if they wish. Another reason to publicly challenge the political Islamic movement that is wreaking havoc in the Middle East and North Africa with state power in some countries or vying for power and access in other countries like Britain and Europe… Another is to insist that people are not handed over lock stock and barrel to regressive Islamic organisations and pigeon holed as ‘Muslims’ when we all have a hundred characteristics that de- fi ne us and that we defi ne ourselves by. To make ‘Muslim’ the most important characteristic is part of the attempt to Islamicise people and relegate them to the political Islamic movement… Early Day Motion 26 Members of Parliament supported the launch via Early Day Motion 1770 dated 26 June 2007. It was proposed by Colin Challen and said: That this House… welcomes the launch on 21st June of the Council for ex-Muslims of Britain, an organisation dedicated to speaking up for the rights of those raised as Muslims but who have now left that religion. The MPs who signed the EDM are: Colin Challen Nigel Evans Peter Bottomley Bill Etherington Derek Conway Rudi Vis Lynne Jones David S Borrow David Drew David Howarth Ann Cryer Janet Anderson Paul Cryer Robert Walter Mike Hancock Katy Clark Alan Simpson Jo Swinson Gregory Campbell John Penrose Andrew George Robert Wilson Philip George Evan Harris David Simpson Ben Wallace Maryam Namazie’s statement at the launch of CEMB has been viewed by nearly 60,000 people on youtube so far. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUBLfcGcN5Y According to Elle Quebec, which selected Maryam and Mina Ahadi as two of the top 45 women of the year 2007, the launch of the ex-Muslim movement was ‘a real revolution.’ The National Secular Society’s Newsline said: Mina Ahadi and Maryam Namazie – leading lights in the ex-Muslim movement – have been voted among the top 45 women of the year by Elle magazine in Quebec. Both Mina and Maryam have been winners of the National Secular Society’s Secularist of the Year award and Maryam is an honorary associate of the Society. NSS President Terry Sanderson said: “As far as we’re concerned, Mina and Maryam are our women of the year this year and every year. Congratulations to them both.” Membership and Supporters Currently, there are councils in Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway. Overall, the councils have several thousand members. A Council of Ex-Muslims of Afghanistan has also been established. The CEMB has over 140 members. Given that membership in our organisa- tion comes with certain risks, these numbers represent many more who are unable or unwilling to renounce religion and Islam publicly. In addition to members in Britain, the CEMB has members from countries under Is- lamic rule, such as Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. A March 12, 2008 article on Maryam Namazie in The Times entitled ‘It’s time to take a stand against Islam and Sharia, Maryam Namazie, head of the Council of Ex-Muslims in Britain, says that rights are for individuals, not religions or beliefs’ states: Iranian Muslim by birth, Namazie, 41, is friendly and softly spoken. But she does not mince her words. It takes nerve to start an organisation for people who have rejected Islam. In Islamic law, apostasy is punishable by death… Why doesn’t she use a pseudonym? “They can fi nd out who you are anyway. And the point of the Council of Ex-Muslims is to stand up and be counted.” She doesn’t really like the label ex-Muslim and would prefer not to frame her identity in religious terms but, she says, it is like gays coming out 30 years ago: something has to become public if you are to break taboos. The CEMB has more than 100 members with inquiries from people who do not dare to join. Some have horrendous stories but do not put them on the website because they are afraid.” Backgrounds of CEMB members can be found on its website: http://www. ex-muslim.org.uk/indexMembers.html and also on the forum under ex- Muslim blogs and bios: http://www.councilofexmuslims.com/index.php/ board,10.0.html. Ali: I’m a closet apostate of Islam, and came across your website after hearing about the launch of the Council of Ex-Muslims in Britain... Hearing of your movement gives me hope. Amal Farah: I am originally from Somalia. I joined because it’s about time we ex-Muslims came together and had our voices heard. To stand up and be counted. Aziz Rattansi: I have never concealed my apostasy from friends and family, but seeing what a dim view Islam takes of apostates, people should make their apostasy more public. And what better way then join- ing the CEMB? Henry Page: I would like to join because I am an ex-Muslim, an apostate. I didn’t know this organisa- tion until today but I am grateful for its existence as I have felt quite alone and even scared to speak out about my transition from believer to atheist. Humanist: I left Islam 5 years ago and have received death threats for doing so. I would like to join the CEMB but please display my pen name “A Humanist” as I don’t want to put my family in even greater risk. Hussain Muradi: I was not born to be a Muslim and be afraid of God and more importantly I did not sign an agreement with him/her/it to worship him.
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