Nobel Laureate Prof. Sir Harry Kroto and Four Other Famous Humanists Issue Statement

The condemnation to death of the peace activist Dr Yunis Shaikh under the blasphemy laws of Pakistan is an abuse of both justice and humanity. Whilst respecting religious difference, religion must also respect those rights of free thought and free speech enshrined in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. We must never forget that article 18 states the right to  freedom of thought, conscience and religion and the correlated article 19 states  the right to freedom of opinion and statement including the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Human justice cannot be done nor human rights served when religious dogma ignores these. We urge the religious and non-religious, Muslim and non-Muslim  alike, to respect these human and humanitarian rights, and join as one in condemning the unjust sentence of Dr Shaikh and others condemned to death for expressing an opinion about religion.

The International Campaign to defend Dr Shaikh, to organise worldwide demonstrations in front of Pakistan High Commissions and to fight blasphemy laws is being co-ordinated by the
International Humanist and Ethical Union, at www.iheu.org. Support can be emailed

Professor Richard Dawkins
Professor Susan Greenfield
Professor Sir Harry Kroto
Terry Pratchett
Claire Rayner