21 November 2009
A rally was organised by One Law for All in Hyde Park, London, on 21 November 2009 to protest at the iniquities of sharia (Islamic religious) law and its infiltration into European Muslim communities. Among many other speakers was David Pollock, president of the EHF: watch his speech on YouTube. He said: Why are we against sharia law? For the same reason that centuries ago our ancestors in Britain were against ecclesiastical courts intruding into secular… read more »
David Pollock was among the many speakers at a rally in Hyde Park, London, on 21 November 2009 protesting against the spread of sharia law. He picked out two reasons for opposing it: first, that it was undemocratic and unable to be revised; second, that the demand for it was based on the idea of group rights, which were hostile to individual human rights: in fact, sharia operated as a way to keep ordinary Muslims… read more »
18 November 2009
The EHF supported this Common Statement (below) by a large number of NGOs and INGOs warning against the persistent attempts by countries in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to mandate treatment of so-called defamation of religion as a breach of human rights, at the expenxe of freedom of expression. Fifteen EHF member organisations also signed the statement. The resolution from the OIC may be seen here. It was again passed – on 18… read more »
10 November 2009
On 10 November 2009 we sent an email via his official website to the Iranian Head of Judiciary as follows: Your Excellency I write to you on behalf of the European Humanist Federation, which represents 42 organisations in about 20 countries in Europe. We appeal to you to cancel the execution, scheduled for tomorrow, of Ehsan (Esma’il) Fattahian and colleagues of his for apostasy and so-called enmity against God. Capital punishment for apostasy, or in… read more »
We appealed for clemency for a Kurdish Iranian but, appallingly, appeals by us and many others were ignored: Esan Fattahian was hanged on 11 November in Sanandaj, Iran, for apostasy and being an “enemy of God”. His real crime seems to have been membership of a Kurdish opposition group. Fattahian had been tortured for three months.