Mar 30 2012
I am off to Paris to join a FEMEN public collective action in support of women’s rights activists of the spring revolutions in Arab countries. FEMEN are the topless activists who also did an action in support of Iran stoning case Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani a while back. One of their activists, Alena Magelat, joined the …
Mar 29 2012
Below is my speech at my first ever QED Conference in Manchester. It’s a real pleasure to be here. It’s my first QED and for that matter skeptic event. I’m grateful for the things I have learnt this weekend. I have to admit that I would most probably never have attended a talk about werewolves …
Mar 28 2012
UPDATED INFORMATION Great news! Tanjir Sugar who I blogged about two weeks ago is out of detention for now. I received the below email from him yesterday. We still have a lot of work ahead of us to ensure that he – and other apostates – are granted protection… Hi Maryam, Thank you very much …
Mar 26 2012
Azar Majedi of the Organisation of Women’s Liberation – Iran has attacked the Nude Photo Revolutionary Calendar and supporting video of Iranian women as being similar to the tabloids (namely the Sun’s page 3), ‘dim-witted idiocy’ and ‘buffoonery’ and Golshifteh Farahani’s nudity as ‘commercial’ whilst supporting Egyptian blogger Aliaa Magda Elmahdy’s nudity. In her attacks …
Mar 25 2012
In an interview with Now Lebanon published today I say: It was difficult to find women for the calendar; many of those who had originally agreed to do it pulled out for various reasons, including because they couldn’t do full frontal nudity in keeping with Aliaa’s original photo. Also initially I had decided to include …
Mar 23 2012
Following the tragic suicide of Iranian asylum seeker Mohammad Rahsepar in protest to the abysmal situation of asylum seekers in Wurtzburg, Germany, a group of Iranian asylum seekers, supported by the International Federation of Iranian Refugees, have organised a sit-in since 19 March to bring attention to the plight of asylum seekers in the country. …
Mar 22 2012
You know the people to people solidarity I keep harping on when I’m asked what one can do to intevene? I always tell people to stop thinking they represent ‘their’ government and to think beyond the given box of ‘security’ and ‘stability’ and instead see that how their interests lie intrinsically with people in Iran …
Mar 19 2012
Just returned from a debate on Islam, Multiculturalism, and Free Expression with DV8 Physical Theatre’s Director Lloyd Newson and ‘Muslims for UK’ Inayat Bunglawala on issues raised by the brilliant DV8 production ‘Can we talk about This?’ at the National Theatre. I’ll blog about it soon. For now I want to wish all of you …
Mar 18 2012
Here’s another photo from Iran via Kian Azar in support of the Nude Photo Revolutionary Calendar and corresponding video. The signs on the wall say: ‘No to Hejab’, ‘I am not someone’s honour’, ‘Women=Men’, ‘No to Stoning’, ‘Down with the Islamic Republic of Iran’, and what seems to say ‘No to gender apartheid’. The woman …
Mar 18 2012
On 19 March 2012 I’ll be on a panel discussion on ‘Freedom of speech, multiculturalism and Islam’ with Inayat Bunglawala, Founder and Chair of Muslims4UK, and DV8′s Artistic Director Lloyd Newson to discuss issues raised in their new production ‘Can We Talk about This?’ at Lyttleton Theatre, National Theatre, London. Tickets £4 (£3 concessions) Running …
Mar 18 2012
On Saturday, I went to the National Secular Society’s Secularist of the Year award ceremony. Peter Tatchell was the deserving winner for his life-long commitment to human rights. NSS President Terry Sanderson said of him: ‘But he has persevered and now he has made the unprecedented transition from public enemy number one to national treasure.’ …
Mar 16 2012
At the Queen Mary talk two nights ago, I had yet another Sharia apologist come up to me and ask whether I would be willing to debate the pro-Sharia lobby so that there can be a ‘fair’ hearing on the issues. Well I have always ‘debated’ with Islamists when possible (knowing full well that they …
Mar 15 2012
Here’s Hassan Radwan’s video to mark International Day to defend Blasphemers and Apostates. Hassan who is on the Management Committee of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain gathered statements from Muslims, ex-Muslims and non-Muslims for the video.
Mar 14 2012
Just a reminder that today is the International Day of Action to Defend Blasphemers and Apostates. As I said before, I will be marking the day by speaking at Queen Mary College on Sharia and Human Rights, which had been cancelled earlier due to Islamist threats. What will you be doing to mark this day? …
Mar 13 2012
Tomorrow is 14 March – International Day to Defend Blasphemers and Apostates. To mark the day, Anne Marie Waters and I will be speaking on ‘Sharia Law and Human Rights’ at Queen Mary. Sounds familiar? Yup; this is a repeat of the meeting that was cancelled by organisers in January after Islamist threats. Well we’re …
Mar 12 2012
Sonya JF Barnett, the co-founder of SlutWalk and the designer of the Nude Photo Revolutionary Calendar has a brilliant piece on the calendar here. It starts: I’ve gotten incredibly tired of people blaming everything I do on my gullible acceptance of “The Patriarchy”. She goes on to say about the Nude Photo Revolutionary Calendar: Created …
Mar 10 2012
As you know, One Law for All has recently been involved in campaigning to defend freedom of expression, both here and abroad. We will continue to do so. Not only is there a moral imperative to defend free expression, but it is precisely this vital right that is under attack by Islamists all over the …
Mar 09 2012
DV8 Physical Theatre’s ‘Can We talk about this?’ opens tonight at The National Theatre. You can buy tickets here. By the way, I’m a character in it. I’ll be going to see it soon too and will also be speaking at the NT Platform on 19 March with DV8 Director LLoyd Newson and Inayat Banglawala on …
Mar 09 2012
I am soon off to Manchester for the QED Science and Skepticism Conference that will take place during 10-11 March 2012 at the Piccadilly Hotel. I’ll be speaking on Secularism, Multiculturalism and Citizenship on the Sunday. For more information on the conference, visit here. If any of you are coming, I’ll see you there!
Mar 09 2012
The Nude Photo Revolutionary Calendar and its corresponding video have received extensive media coverage. Here are some of them: Naakte feministen zenden schokgolf door Midden-Oosten, Trouw, 22 February 2013 [external link] Nagie kobiety-rewolucjonistki w kalendarzu. “Dlaczego? Bo możemy!”, SwiatOBrazu, 13 February 2013 [external link] Pierwszy Światowy Dzień Hidżabu, Maryam Namazie quoted on World Hijab Day, …
:)
Recent Comments