The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has called on the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) to work for the abolition of blasphemy laws throughout the continent. Speaking on Saturday, April 30th, at the 49th session of the ACHPR in Banjul, The Gambia, IHEU representative Leo Igwe said that blasphemy laws “justify and sanctify tyranny, hatred, intolerance, forced conversion, intimidation and violence.”

An Egyptian Christian, Mr Maher El-Gowhary who faces a call by a leading Muslim cleric for Muslims to kill him, was last week prevented from leaving the country with his 15-year-old daughter. His plight was raised at the UN Human Rights Council on 30 September 2009 by Roy Brown, IHEU’s main representative in Geneva.

The UN Human Rights Council has published IHEU's written statement on religious registration in OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) member states. The statement documents the failure of OIC member states to uphold their citizens' right to freedom of religion, with specific examples in Egypt and Malaysia. IHEU calls for all states to eliminate laws which require citizens to specify their religion on official documents and to permit all citizens to freely change their religion or belief without discrimination. IHEU also calls on OIC member states in particular to end discrimination against non-Muslims.

World Union of Progressive Judaism
Joint statement with the International Humanist and Ethical Union and
Association for World Education

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: 10th Session (2– 24 March 2009) Item 3, General Debate
Speaker: IHEU representative, David Cornut: Monday (am) 16 March 2009

The Prevention of Genocide

Thank you, Mr President.

An Egyptian delegate to the Human Rights Council has accused IHEU of inciting and promoting hatred. “Every statement [by this organization] is incitement to hatred. Every statement is promoting hatred” he said. The accusation was made during a point of order by Egypt’s Amr Roshdy Hassan, who objected to the statement being made by IHEU representative Roy Brown on the subject of Islamophobia. We have a transcript of the Egyptian intervention in full (below). Readers can decide for themselves whether the accusation was justified. We now have video of this intervention.

See: the list of IHEU Member Organizations

Paul Kurtz

An historic conference was held in Cairo, Egypt, from 5-8 December 1994.

The Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Borweg 1, The Hague

Gentlemen

Recently we were informed by the news media about the ideas and plans of a militant Islamic group which appears to be very intolerant toward people who cherish different beliefs or convictions. One Dutch newspaper said that "men who shaved their beards off would be treated as atheists", which bodes no good for judging from previous publications.