A seminar in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day Monday, March 10, from 6:30-9:30pm Conway Hall, London Speakers: Mina Ahadi, Spokesperson, Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany and Equal Rights Now; 2007 NSS Secularist of the Year Louise Couling, Chair of Unison’s Regional Women’s Committee and member of the National Executive Council Houzan …

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To the people of the world! To trade unions, student unions, human rights and women’s rights organisations! On 16 and 19 February three labour activists by the names of Seddigh Amjadi, Faares Gaviliaan and Habibollah Kalekaani were flogged in the city of Sanandaj. Eight others have also been sentenced to flogging. Their crime? Taking part …

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From the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers of Iran: A summons for the administration of a flogging and fine sentence has now been issued for Mr Tayyeb Chatani, another of the workers arrested for participating in the May 1st event last year. Mr Chatani is an employee of Par Rees factory, where he …

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The hundredth anniversary of March 8, International Women’s Day, is on its way. On this momentous occasion, we proclaim 2008 as the year against sexual apartheid. We call on people everywhere to condemn sexual apartheid and the political Islamic movement that perpetrates it, and to support egalitarian movements that courageously challenge it. We invite all …

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Today at 7pm in Aryashahr, people protested against the arrest of a young girl by the Islamic regime of Iran’s forces. To see a clip of the protests, click here.

From: The National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers of Iran To: International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) 18 Feb 2008 Dear Friends, As you are aware the police and security forces assaulted last year’s peaceful May 1st rally in the city of Sanandaj, battered workers, and arrested 13 of them. Among them were Mr. Shays …

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Union complains to the ILO WPI’s International Labour Solidarity Committee 21 Feb 2008 A further two workers, who were arrested at last year’s May Day ceremonies in the city of Sanandaj, have been fined and whipped, according to a report by the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers in Iran (Ettehadiye e Sarasari e …

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Join a demonstration in defence of Egyptian blogger, Abdul Kareem Nabil, who was sentenced 1 year ago for 4 years for insulting Islam and the president. Friday, 22nd of February, 2pm-4pm Egyptian Embassy, 26 South Street, Mayfair W1K 1DW Nabil was a Law student at Al-Azhar University. He started writing on blogs promoting secularism, women’s …

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Listen to Maryam’s humanist thought of the day, by going to the Humanist Society of Scotland’s thought of the day site.

10 others await a similar fate 18 Feb 2008 Seddigh Amjadi, one of the workers detained at last year’s May Day ceremonies in the city of Sanandaj, has been fined and whipped, according to a report by the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers in Iran (Ettehadiye e Sarasari e Kargaran e Ekhraji va …

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YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US On the solidarity night with the jailed students in Iran Saturday 16th February from 6:00 PM Westonrise Community Centre 187 Pentonville Road, N1 9NZ Nearest tube stations: King’s Cross and Angel The programme is organised by the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Iran and includes speeches, …

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Maryam Namazie will be speaking on Sharia law, Secularism, and the future of civil society at Oxford University Secular Society, Saskatchewan Room in Exeter College (on Turl Street), February 15, 2008, Oxford. She will discuss the recent comments made by the Archbishop of Canterbury and its challenge to secularism, universal rights and civil society at …

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To see a discussion on Secular Society TV presented by Fariborz Pooya with Maryam Namazie, Bahram Soroush and Hamid Taqvaee on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s comments on Sharia law in Britain and universal rights, click here.

To see a Iranian Secular Society’s TV report on the London demonstration in defence of Parwiz Kambakhsh’s freedom, click here.

According to Stop Child Executions Faced with the worldwide condemnation of imminent execution of Behnam Zare, Iran’s head of judiciary Ayatollah Shahrudi ordered Behnam’s file to be sent back for negotiation with the family of the alleged victim. This is the second time that Shahrudi is sending the case for mediation. Iran’s Islamic sharia law …

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The Council of ex-Muslims of Britain condemns the comments made by the Archbishop of Canterbury suggesting that Sharia law is ‘inevitable’ and may be welcome in civil cases. The distinction that he makes between civil and criminal cases does not exist within Sharia law. Sharia law encompasses all aspects of the life of those deemed …

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Criticizing Islam is not a crime Free Kambakhsh now! Iranian Secular Society February 9, 2008 On Friday 8 February 2008, protestors picketed the Afghanistan Embassy in London to call for the immediate release of Parwiz Kambakhsh. The protest, organised by the Iranian Secular Society, was in response to the arrest, jailing and death sentence imposed …

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Join demonstration on Friday, February 8, 2008, 12.00 to 2.00 pm Afghanistan Embassy, 31 Princes Gate, London, SW7 Since October 2007, Parwiz Kambakhsh, a 23 year old Afghan journalist, has been in prison in Balkh province, Northern Afghanistan and sentenced to execution for blasphemy by a local Sharia court in Mazar-e-Sharif. His ‘crime’ was distributing …

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To read my last post on the new Statesman Faith Column, click here.