by Maryam Namazie
In January, 29 year old blogger Asif Mohiuddin was stabbed. In February, 35 year old atheist blogger involved in the Shahbag protests, Ahmed Rajib, was brutally killed. Islamists continue to threaten prominent bloggers and have called for the “execution of 84 atheist bloggers for insulting religion”.
Rather than defend freedom of expression and protect freethinkers, the Bangladeshi government has arrested several bloggers, promised to pursue others, and shut down websites and blogs.
We, the undersigned, call for 25 April to be an international day to defend Bangladesh’s bloggers and activists. On this day, we urge groups and individuals to rally at Bangladeshi embassies, contact members of parliament in their countries of residence, highlight the situation, write protest letters, carry out acts of solidarity, Tweet #Bangladesh #Bloggers, and sign this petition.
We unequivocally condemn the attacks on and threats against atheist, secularist and freethinking bloggers and call on the Bangladeshi government to guarantee their safety, respect free expression and prosecute Islamists who threaten, attack and harm critics.
Freedom of expression, including to criticise Islam and Islamism as well as to blaspheme, is a basic right.
Signed (organisations mentioned also endorse the day of action):
• Aisha Gill, Academic
• Amanda Brown, Founder, We are Atheism
• Amanda Sebestyen, Writer
• Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, British Humanist Association
• Anissa Helie, Algerian/French Activist
• Anna Bergström, Board Member, Swedish Humanist Association
• Annie Sugier, President, Ligue du Droit International des Femmes
• Arifur Rahman, Bangladeshi Blogger
• Avijit Roy, Bangladeshi Blogger
• B B Chaudhuri, Chairperson, International Forum for Secular Bangladesh
• Bill Ligertwood, Kamloops Centre for Rational Thought
• Boris van der Ham, Chairman, Humanistisch Verbond (Dutch Humanist Association)
• Carlos A. Diaz, President, Atheist Alliance International
• Caroline Fourest, Writer and Journalist
• Cezar Maroti, Romanian Humanist Association will sign the letter.
• Charlie Klendjian, Secretary, Lawyers’ Secular Society
• Christopher Roche, Bath Atheists, Humanists and Secularists
• Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-Presidents, Freedom From Religion Foundation
• David Nicholls, President, Atheist Foundation of Australia
• David Silverman, President, American Atheists
• Derek Lennard, Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association
• Djemila Benhabib, Journalist and Writer
• DPR Jones, The Magic Sandwich Show
• Dya Ahmad, Member of Youth Parliament in Iraq and Secretary of Student and Youth organisation in Iraq
• Emily Dietle, Blogger
• Esam Shoukry, Head, Organization for Secularism and Civil Rights in Iraq
• Fabian van Langevelde, Board Member, Atheïstisch Verbond (Dutch Atheist Alliance)
• Faisal Saeed Al-Mutar, Iraqi Writer and Human Rights activist, Founder of Global Secular Humanist Movement
• Fariborz Pooya, Iranian Secular Society
• Farzana Hassan, Writer
• Fiammetta Venner, Filmmaker and Writer
• Gea Meijers, Founding Member, International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organisation
• Ginny Laag and Adrian Rox, London Atheist Activist Group
• Giti Thadani, Writer
• Greta Christina, Writer and Blogger
• Harold Kroto, Nobel Prize Winner
• Harsh Kapoor, South Asia Citizens Web
• Helen Palmer, Chair, Central London Humanists Group
• Hope Knutsson, President, Sidmennt – The Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association
• Houzan Mahmoud, Spokesperson, Organisation for Women’s Freedom in Iraq
• Ibn Warraq, Writer
• Imad Iddine Habib, founder, Moroccan Council of Ex-Muslims
• Ineke de Vries, Director, Humanistisch Verbond (Dutch Humanist Association)
• Inna Shevchenko, Spokesperson, FEMEN
• Jacek Tabisz, President, Polish Rationalist Society
• Jacques Rousseau, South African Free Society Institute
• John Eade, Centre for Research on Multiculturalism and Migration, University of Roehampton
• Joyce Arthur, Women’s Rights Activist
• Julie Bindel, Writer
• Justin Trottier, Spokesperson, Canadian Secular Alliance
• Lalia Ducos, Women’s Initiative for Citizenship and Universal Rights
• Lila Ghobady, Filmmaker
• Lloyd Newson, Director of DV8 Physical Theatre
• Mano Singham, Blogger
• Marieme Helie Lucas, Algerian Sociologist and founder of Secularism is a Women’s Issue
• Mark Embleton, President, Atheism UK
• Maryam Jamel, Organisation of Women’s Liberation of Iraq
• Maryam Namazie, Spokesperson, Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran, One Law for All and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
• Maryam Noory, Activist, Organisation of Women’s Liberation of Iraq
• Massimo Redaelli, International Representative, Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti
• Meredith Doig, President, Rationalist Society of Australia
• Michael De Dora, Director, Office of Public Policy, U.N. Representative, Center for Inquiry
• Michael Nugent, Chair, Atheist Ireland
• Michael Payton, National Director, Centre for Free Inquiry Canada
• Michele Lamb, Director, Crucible Centre for Human Rights Research University of Roehampton
• Mina Ahadi, Spokesperson, International Committee against Stoning, International Committee against Execution and Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany
• Mohamed Mahmoud, Sudanese Academic
• Nadia El-Fani, Tunisian Filmmaker
• Nahla Mahmoud, Sudanese Researcher and Human Rights Activist
• Nigel Fountain, Journalist
• Nina Sankari, President, European Feminist Initiative Poland
• Nowrin Tamanna, Lecturer, University of Reading, and blogger at Muktangon blog
• Rayhan Rashid, Blogger and member of International Crimes Strategy Forum, and Bangla Community Blog Alliance
• Saikat Acharjee, Solicitor, and blogger at Muktangon Blog, and member of Bangla Community Blog Alliance (BCBA)
• Sushanta Das Gupta, blogger at Amar Blog , member of Bangla Community Blog Alliance
• Ofy Mazy, Leader, Union of Service Workers in Iraq
• Patty Debonitas, Spokesperson, Iran Solidarity
• Paul Anderson, Blogger
• Peter Tatchell, Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation
• Raffaele Carcano, Secretary, Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti
• Rafiq Mahmoud, Activist
• Rahila Gupta, Writer
• Rebecca Watson, Blogger
• Rein Zunderdorp, President, Humanist Historical Centre and De Vrije Gedachte (Netherlands Freethinkers Association)
• Richard Dawkins, Scientist
• Ronald A. Lindsay, President, Centre for Inquiry
• Roy Speckhardt, Executive Director, American Humanist Association
• Russell Blackford, Writer
• Safia Lebdi, Co-founder, Neither Whores nor Submissives
• Salil Tripathi, Writer
• Samir Noory, Chair, Committee for Abolishing Capital Punishment in Iraq
• Seth Andrews, Host, The Thinking Atheist
• Silvana Uhlrich-Knoll, President, International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organisation
• Sohaila Sharifi, Iranian Women’s Rights Campaigner
• Sonja Eggerick, President, International Humanist and Ethical Union
• Stephen Law, Centre for Inquiry UK
• Stephen Stuart, President, Humanist Society of Victoria
• Steve Chinn, General Secretary, Humanist Society Scotland
• Suresh Grover, The Monitoring Group and AWAAZ (South Asia Watch)
• Syed Anas Pasha, General Secretary, International Forum for Secular Bangladesh
• Sylvia Estrada Claudio, Professor of Women and Development Studies, University of the Philippines
• Taslima Nasrin, Writer
• Tauriq Moosa, Writer
• Terry Sanderson, President, National Secular Society
• Tewfik Allal, Manifeste des libertés
• Tom Flynn, Executive Director, Council for Secular Humanism
• Udo Schuklenk, Professor of Philosophy
• Waleed Al-Husseini, Palestinian blogger and Founder of Council of Ex-Muslims of Franc
From http://www.sacw.net/article4200.html