Jonathan Dimbleby

Chair

Board of Trustees

Index on Censorship

Free Word Centre

60 Farringdon Road

London EC1R 3GA

Dear Mr Dimbleby

We are deeply shocked and disappointed by the decision of Index to censor its own magazine from publishing one of the Danish cartoons to illustrate an article relating to the subject.

We believe this is a betrayal of those who are putting their lives on the line to defend freedom of expression. We should be standing together. It is only through a united stance that we can protect each other and defeat the extremists and those who wish to use fear and threats to silence dissent.

Index on Censorship, above all should not be indulging in self-censorship.

Finally, this is not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing with the content of the cartoons: as the famous quote goes: “I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it!” But it has everything to do with standing up to those who would take away our freedom to express ourselves and would enslave humanity. It has everything to do with not abandoning the growing numbers of brave people standing up for human rights, freedom and against censorship, around the world.

Yours sincerely,

Roy Brown, International Representative, International Humanist and Ethical Union

Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, British Humanist Association

Douglas Murray, Director of the Centre for Social Cohesion

Maryam Namazie, Spokesperson, One Law for All and Iran Solidarity

Fariborz Pooya, Head, Iranian Secular Society

Hassan Radwan, Management Committee Member, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain

Terry Sanderson, President, National Secular Society

One Law for All is a year old today, December 10, 2009

One Law for All Campaign was established a year ago on December 10, 2008 to mark International Human Rights Day.

A year on, it has mobilised considerable support in opposition to Sharia and religious laws and in defence of secularism and universal rights. With nearly 21,000 individuals and groups having signed up to our petition calling for a ban on religious councils and tribunals in Britain, the Campaign has given many the space to challenge religious law from a human rights perspective and to make links and show real solidarity with people living under Islamic rule everywhere.

Some of the Campaign’s achievements over the past year include:
* Providing legal advice, information and a free helpline
* Organising a successful rally and public meeting on Sharia Law, Sexual Apartheid and Women’s Rights on March 7, 2009
* Launching the International Coalition for Women’s Rights against Sharia law in April 2009
* Organising a successful rally on November 21, 2009 in London with acts of solidarity taking place in 23 countries worldwide
* Coordinating an art competition against Sharia and religious laws
* Speaking in cities across Britain and the world to mobilise support for the campaign and raise awareness, including in Canada where Sharia courts in Ontario province were pushed back
* Co-founding with others the International Bureau for Laicite (secularism) on December 9, 2009…

But much more needs to be done to stop religious laws. In the upcoming year, we plan to:
* Conduct a survey of women who have been to Sharia councils or tribunals
* Hold a March 8, 2010 seminar to bring together campaigners, lawyers, experts, and politicians to discuss ways in which Sharia courts can be prohibited in Britain. The seminar will make recommendations and lay out the legislative and legal avenues available to help bring about equal rights for all
* Organise a gallery exhibition on the issue before Spring
* Hold a June 20, 2010 rally against Sharia and religious laws in central London
* Organise a concert in support of One Law for All in the Fall
* Coordinate a December 10, 2010 conference on Sharia Law and Apostasy
* Continue speaking out on the issue and more…

Yes, there is a huge battle ahead – what with another Sharia law court being set up in Wales next month and the rise of the implementation of Sharia law in other countries across the globe. But there is also much resistance taking place – from Iran, Iraq, to Afghanistan and Pakistan to right here in Britain.

And as you know, all this work costs money even if it is done by over twenty volunteers. And whilst Islamic organisations receive huge funds from Islamic states and also from Western governments in their attempts to appease the political Islamic movement, we must rely solely on the public to support us.

On our anniversary, we’d like to thank you for this support; we couldn’t have done it without you. But we’d also like to ask that you donate to One Law for All if you haven’t already done so this year. No amount is too small or for that matter too big. It all adds up and will help determine the society and world that we want to live in.

Thanks again

Warm wishes

Maryam

Maryam Namazie
Spokesperson

PS If you are in London and can make it, please don’t forget about our Fundraiser dinner on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 7:00pm at one of London’s finest gastro-pubs. We hope you will be able to join us to enjoy an excellent three-course dinner whilst supporting the One Law for All Campaign and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain. The dinner’s keynote speaker will be AC Grayling, the renowned philosopher, author, writer, reviewer, and broadcaster. To purchase a ticket(s) for a three-course meal at £45.00 per person, you can either post a cheque made payable to One Law for All or CEMB to BM Box 2387, London WC1N 3XX or pay via Paypal or Worldpay. Once payment has been received, we will send you your ticket(s), along with details of the venue and a menu to choose from.

The Formation of an International Bureau for Laicite*, December 9, 2009
A wide number of non governmental organizations and individuals from across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas have signed a common public statement affirming the nefarious role of fundamentalist politics and the need to counter it internationally.

This charter highlights:
– The flawed ideological bogey of clash of civilizations, the role of public policies leading to greater inequality, and the impact of religious fundamentalisms and right wing identity politics in dividing people locally, nationally and internationally.
– Fundamentalist movements benefit from – A retreat of the state from the social domain that leaves the terrain open to the religious-political outfits to flourish. – Public support from certain groups on the left, that consider fundamentalists as allies in the name of fighting imperialism.

In this overall backdrop the signatories propose the formation of an international initiative called International Bureau for Laicite to act as a facilitating body to network, support and amplify the struggles for secularism.

The charter of International Bureau for Laicite has been released in English, French and Spanish on a day that marks the 104th anniversary of the legislation separating state and religion in France.

The full text of the charter is available for public consultation and is open for signatures at the newly created website of International Bureau for Laicite.

(* Note: The French term Laicite in the name of our platform was chosen because the word ’secularism’ in English conveys the notion of equal tolerance of the state vis a vis all religions, rather than the notion of separation between ‘Churches’/religions and the state as well as the total disinvestment of the state regarding religions, which is embeded into the French concept of laicite.)

Join fundraiser dinner for One Law for All and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain on Thursday, January 28, 2010

As a follow up to our successful Nov 21 rally against Sharia law, we are organising a fundraiser dinner on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 7:00pm at one of London’s finest gastro-pubs. We hope you will be able to join us to enjoy an excellent three-course dinner whilst supporting the One Law for All Campaign and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.

The dinner’s keynote speaker will be AC Grayling, the renowned philosopher, author, writer, reviewer, and broadcaster.

If you can’t come to the event but would like to and can support us, please send in a donation of £45 to cover the cost of a volunteer(s) to attend. We would also appreciate other donations however small.

If you have any questions about the dinner or would like to reserve tickets, please contact Goranka Gudelj at onelawforall@gmail.com. Given that space is limited, we would appreciate receiving payment as soon as possible and no later than January 1, 2010.

We look forward to seeing you at the event and hope this fundraiser and others like it will help us to raise much needed funds for the important work that lies ahead.

Thank you for your continued support.

Best wishes,
Maryam Namazie
Spokesperson

Notes:

To purchase a ticket(s) at £45.00 per person, you can either post a cheque made payable to One Law for All or CEMB to BM Box 2387, London WC1N 3XX or pay via Paypal: (www.onelawforall.org.uk/donate.html or Worldpay: http://ex-muslim.org.uk/indexDonate.html).

Please note that it is possible to reserve a table for a group.

Once payment has been received, we will send you your ticket(s), along with details of the venue and a menu to choose from.

November 21 a successful day against Sharia and religious laws, November 25, 2009

Several hundred joined a rally in London’s Hyde Park organised by One Law for All to show their opposition to Sharia and religious-based laws in Britain and elsewhere and to demand universal rights and secularism.

At the rally, over 20 speakers and performers exposed the discriminatory and brutal nature of religious laws. They included Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s Asad Abbas; International Humanist and Ethical Union’s Roy Brown; Secularist Ismail Einashe; Philosopher AC Grayling; Southall Black Sisters’ Rahila Gupta; MP Evan Harris; Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq’s Houzan Mahmoud; Lawyer Rony Miah; Campaigner Maryam Namazie; British Humanist Association’s Naomi Phillips; European Humanist Federation’s David Pollock; National Secular Society’s Terry Sanderson; Activist Muriel Seltman; Equal Rights Now’s Sohaila Sharifi; Organisation for the Defence of Secularism and Civil Rights in Iraq’s Issam Shukri; Iran Solidarity’s Bahar Milani; Human Rights Campaigner Peter Tatchell; National Secular Society’s Keith Porteous Wood and the rally’s Master of Ceremonies, Iranian Secular Society’s Fariborz Pooya.

The rally heard from people with direct experiences of Sharia law, including Iranian-born activist Sohaila Sharifi and Somali-born secularist Ismail Einashe. Einashe spoke of his cousin who had been forced to remain in a violent marriage by the sham courts here in Britain. He said: ‘I wanted to tell you my cousin’s story to highlight that whatever the pro-Sharia lobby say, we know that there are women out there being abused, and sadly all too-often too afraid to come forward. The only ‘choice’ my cousin was given, was either to be separated from her children or remain in a violent marriage. She chose to stay in the marriage for the sake of her children… I don’t think this is a ‘choice’ – how can it be?’

Maryam Namazie, the One Law for All Spokesperson, also gave several examples of the legal compulsion involved in the decisions of the Muslim Arbitration Tribunals and Sharia Councils, particularly with regards forced marriages, divorce and child custody. She went on to say that it was scandalous that countless women were relegated to kangaroo courts with lesser rights here in Britain and elsewhere.

Campaigner Peter Tatchell said: ‘Sharia law is a form of religious dogma and tyranny. It is homophobic, sexist and anti-democratic.’ Terry Sanderson of the National Secular Society went on to say that: ‘Sharia law does not develop, it is fixed and immutable, but its interpretation is unpredictable, unregulated and subject to the whims and prejudices of individual practitioners.’

Many of the speakers spoke of the brutalities of Sharia in other countries. Issam Shukri from Iraq told the rally how Islamic militias linked to the cleric and MP Muqtada al-Sadr had executed dozens of women who they deemed to be improperly dressed because they were not fully covered head-to-toe in Iraq. Examples were also given of rights violations under Sharia in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Sudan, Somalia and elsewhere.

Activist Muriel Seltman condemned the cultural relativism that allows for religious laws to go unchallenged. She said: ‘What can be more racist than laying down different standards for different people in different societies? This is what is racist not the criticism of barbaric practices.’

Many speakers criticised the right of religion to special status to undermine fundamental human rights. David Pollock of the European Humanist Federation said: ‘Sharia courts seek to provide a parallel legal system… Arguments for Sharia law are based on the concept of group rights. And group rights are inherently hostile to human rights.’ MP Evan Harris condemned the government for giving privileged advisory status on policy and legislation to often unrepresentative faith leaders. Lawyer Rony Miah said: ‘Having separate systems of law for different communities are no different from separate faith schools; it will only lead to a fragmenting of communities – not cohesion.’

Rahila Gupta of Southall Black Sisters added: ‘accommodating alternative systems of justice is not about choice or tolerance in a pluralistic society; it is not about Muslim women’s autonomy. These demands emerge from fundamentalist politics however they are dressed up.’

Roy Brown of the International Humanist and Ethical Union spoke about how Islamic states are behind the demand for more religious laws and the banning of any criticism of Islam. He said: Sharia law [in Britain] is but a small part of a worldwide campaign to replace international law with Islamic law… The acceptance of Sharia law for the settlement of family disputes in Britain is just one small part of a global problem.’

Maryam Namazie said that Sharia courts and councils were extensions of the political Islamic movement – not the demand of Muslims or those labelled as such – and resistance to it was global as well. She told the crowd: ‘Sharia adversely affects the rights, lives and freedoms of countless human beings across the world. Opposing Sharia law is a crucial step in defending universal equal rights and secularism, and showing real solidarity with people living under and resisting Sharia.’ Fariborz Pooya added that ‘people living under Sharia law are the first victims and at the same time the first line of resistance against it and must be defended.’

Writer AC Grayling went on to say: ‘The principle of one law for all, with everyone equal before the law, is a vital one for a genuine democracy. The One Law For All campaign is doing an urgently needed job of protecting those who, hidden behind the veil of Sharia or other religious ‘courts’, risk injustice, abuse, and deprivation of rights.’

During the rally, Bahar Milani and Richard Francis of Iran Solidarity led an act against child executions. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the only state that continues to execute minors. At least 130 juveniles are on death row in Iran, including for homosexuality, apostasy, sex outside of marriage and involvement in school or street fights that have resulted in murder.

Throughout the event, there were performances from poets AK47, Lilith and Christine from the Anti-Injustice Movement and Selina Jus1jam from Yorkshire as well as musician Fari B and singer/songwriter David Fisher.

On the day, many others took part in simultaneous acts of solidarity with the rally and its demands in 23 countries across the globe, namely Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Kenya, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden, Switzerland and USA. In Serbia and Montenegro, Women in Black held a number of film events in support of women’s rights in Afghanistan. In Baghdad, 500 leaflets were distributed in defence of secularism and universal rights. In Canada, several acts took place, including a rally and a column written in a local paper. The Secular Humanist League of Brazil, The Peace and Freedom Party of San Francisco and the Brussels Humanist Society amongst others issued press releases and an artist in the Netherlands contributed their artwork to the campaign. In Ibadan, Nigeria, leaflets saying ‘no to faith-based laws’ were distributed on the streets and at markets. In Pakistan, those trying to take part in an act were brutally beaten.

The protest was covered by several media outlets including on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme. To hear the report, click here BBC Radio 4 about Rally

Peter Tatchell also wrote a piece entitled Just say no to Sharia in Guardian’s Comment is Free on the rally published Nov 20.

One Law for All will continue to push for an end to Sharia and religious laws in Britain. In the coming year, the campaign aims to conduct a survey of women who have been to Sharia courts here, will hold a fundraiser dinner on January 28, 2010 to raise money for the campaign; will host a March 8, 2010 seminar with legislators, lawyers and campaigners to recommend the legal and legislative avenues to ban Sharia and religious courts in Britain; will organise a June 20, 2010 rally against Sharia law; and will hold an October 10, 2010 conference on Sharia Law and Apostasy amongst other activities.

To support the campaign, please send a cheque made payable to One Law for All or donate via Paypal via our website. Photos and video footage of the rally speeches and performances as well as media coverage can be be seen on the website.

21 November is a day against Sharia law and for human rights, 12 November 2009

One Law for All campaign is organising a rally on Saturday 21 November 2009 at 1200pm in London’s Hyde Park. The rally aims to oppose religious laws in Britain and elsewhere, show solidarity with people living under and resisting Sharia, and to defend universal rights and secularism.

The One Law for All campaign rally marks Universal Children’s Day and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women:
Date: November 21, 2009
Time: 1200hrs – 1400hrs
Place: North Carriage Drive, in-between Stanhope Place Gate and Albion Gate, Hyde Park (closest underground Marble Arch).
Please note underground planned works on the day to find alternative routes to rally here.

Simultaneous acts of solidarity and support for the rally and its aims will take place in countries across the world including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Kenya, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

Moreover, winners of the campaign’s art competition exposing the discriminatory nature of religious law and promoting freedom and equal rights will be announced at the event.

One Law for All Spokesperson, Maryam Namazie, commented, ‘Sharia law is becoming a key battleground, particularly because it is an extension and representation of the rising threat of Islamism. Sharia matters to people everywhere because it adversely affects the rights, lives and freedoms of countless human beings across the world. Opposing Sharia law is a crucial step in defending universal and equal rights and secularism and showing real solidarity with people living under and resisting it everywhere. November 21 is yet another important day for further strengthening the mass movement needed that can and will put a stop to Sharia once and for all.’

Notes

1. The One Law for All campaign rally marks Universal Children’s Day and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women:
Date: November 21, 2009
Time: 1200hrs – 1400hrs
Place: North Carriage Drive, in-between Stanhope Place Gate and Albion Gate, Hyde Park (closest underground Marble Arch).
Please note underground planned works on the day to find alternative routes to rally here.

2. Speakers at the rally include: Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s Asad Abbas; Poet ‘AK47;’ One Law for All’s Yasmin Atasheen; Musician Fari B; International Humanist and Ethical Union’s Roy Brown; Secularist Ismail Einashe; Singer/Songwriter David Fisher; Philosopher AC Grayling; Southall Black Sisters’ Rahila Gupta; Journalist Johann Hari; MP Evan Harris; Poet ‘Lilith;’ Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq’s Houzan Mahmoud, Lawyer Cris Mccurley; Lawyer Rony Miah; Campaigner Maryam Namazie; Writer Taslima Nasrin; British Humanist Association’s Naomi Phillips; European Humanist Federation’s David Pollock; Iranian Secular Society’s Fariborz Pooya; National Secular Society’s Terry Sanderson; Poet Selina aka ‘Jus1Jam;’ Activist Muriel Seltman; Equal Rights Now’s Sohaila Sharifi; Organisation for the Defence of Secularism and Civil Rights in Iraq’s Issam Shukri; Iran Solidarity’s Bahram Soroush; Human Rights Campaigner Peter Tatchell and National Secular Society’s Keith Porteous Wood.

3. Art competition judges are Philosopher AC Grayling; Singer Deeyah; Journalist Johann Hari; and Columnist Polly Toynbee.

4. Responses to Frequently Asked Questions including the affinity between the far right and the Islamists, the issue of secularism, whether Islamic states are a threat to humankind and the need to defend the right to asylum for those who have fled Sharia law can be found here.

5. One Law for All campaign was launched on 10 December 2008 – International Human Rights Day. It has since received the support of over 20,000 groups and individuals.

6. For further comment or information, please contact Maryam Namazie on +44 (0) 7719166731 or onelawforall@gmail.com or visit its website.

There’s no place for Sharia law in Britain, October 30, 2009
One Law for All welcomes the October 31 counter-demonstration organised by British Muslims for Secular Democracy against Islam4UK, which is demanding Sharia law for Britain.

Islam4UK is a another front organisation for Anjem Choudary’s al-Muhajiroun, which also includes Islamic Council of Britain, Islamic Sharia Court of UK, Society of Muslim Lawyers, London School of Sharia, Global Issues Society, Islamic Dawah Foundation and more.

According to One Law for All spokesperson, Maryam Namazie, ‘Islam4UK’s demand for the imposition of Sharia law in Britain is absurd. What is not absurd, however, is the fact that Sharia law is already being imposed on countless men, women and children for many years under the guise of multi-culturalism. If Sharia law isn’t good for Britain, then it isn’t good for Britain’s ‘Muslim minority’ either. I urge the organisations that have come to the fore against Islam4UK to join our efforts to get rid of existing Sharia councils and tribunals – that is the difficult but crucial task at hand.’

One Law for All calls on groups and individuals taking part in tomorrow’s rally to join us on November 21 from 1200-1400 hours in Hyde Park to demand an end to Sharia here in Britain and everywhere and in support of universal rights and secularism.

For more information, contact www.onelawforall.org.uk.

The NSS joins battle to thwart growth of sharia law in Britain, November 17, 2009

The National Secular Society is supporting the One Law for All demonstration on Saturday 21 November in Hyde Park

Terry Sanderson, President of the NSS, said: “It is important that everyone who believes in democratic law making stands up against the creeping influence of sharia in Britain.

“The Government seems incapable of mounting an effective challenge to the increasing number of sharia-based tribunals and arbitrations. There seems to be no oversight on their activities. We are deeply concerned for the welfare of women and children whose lives may be profoundly affected by decisions made in these supposed courts. We worry that some of these people are unaware that there is a justice system available to them that will treat them as equals and which operates on laws that have been developed and changed in the light of knowledge and experience.

“Sharia law does not develop, it is fixed and immutable, but its interpretation is unpredictable, unregulated and subject to the whims and prejudices of individual practitioners.

“The Government must ensure that all citizens of this country are treated equally before the law, and they must do it now before our unified system of justice becomes damaged irreparably.”

[External Link]

Why November 21 is an important day for you?, October 11, 2009 [Internal Link]

November 21 rally and art competition against Sharia and for human rights, September 24, 2009 [Internal Link]

One Law for All supports launch of Iran Solidarity, July 13, 2009 [External Link]

One Law for All raised at European Parliament, June 26, 2009  [External Link]

One Law for All fundraiser dinner, June 27, 2009 [Internal Link]

A free legal and informational helpline, June 2009 [Internal Link]

Join the International Coalition for Women’s Rights, April 29, 2009 [Internal Link]

One Law for All needs your support, April 8, 2009 [Internal Link]