Freedom of Speech
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

Censorship is the first line of defense for orthodoxy, and fighting it is essential to the health of a free society.

One of the most common undercurrents of repressive Islamic regimes is speech control. States’ constitutions may theoretically guarantee freedom of expression, but in practice, most Islamic nations impose broad exceptions to this rule. Restrictions target religious and political dissent alike.

Of particular concern in the digital age is the weaponization of social media. Ideally a tool to facilitate the free flow of ideas, social media content is routinely subject to regime-imposed blocks in Muslim-majority countries, often with the cooperation of the companies themselves. Meanwhile, special laws enacted in these countries in the last decade have singled out online speech for prosecution—often under the false pretense of controlling misinformation and hate speech, sometimes more explicitly stating the aim to curb political and religious dissent.

Globally, social media companies enforce their guidelines in problematic ways, in some cases discouraging an atmosphere of free expression. Ex-Muslims in particular are affected by this. Algorithmic responses to community violations are frequently abused with targeted reporting campaigns, and community standards recently implemented by Facebook provide that content attacking “ideas” and “concepts” can be subject to removal under certain circumstances.

These conditions pose a threat to the principle that one should be always free to express oneself openly—a principle vital for ex-Muslims’ ability to live free from fear and persecution.

What you need to know
Muslim-majority countries where criticizing religion and/or leaving Islam can be punished by law
37
Countries classified as "Partly Free" or "Not Free" by Freedom House
106
How we address this issue
Persecution Tracker
Our Persecution Tracker catalogs and monitors cases of persecution and oppression against those who commit the "crime" of speaking their minds and blaspheming Islam in secular and theocratic countries alike.
WikiIslam
Our maintenance of WikiIslam is aimed at providing an objective, but skeptical, resource on Islam, including its historic relationship with science and gender equality. Free from the gatekeeping of religious authorities, it encourages readers to draw their own conclusions, however “blasphemous” they may be.
Mini-Documentaries
Our mini-documentaries spotlight the experiences of real ex-Muslims and their encounters with rejection, abuse, and sexism as a result of questioning and leaving Islam.
What we advocate for
Ex-Muslims of North America advocates for the following policy actions in defense of the right to blaspheme:
All laws restricting freedom of speech and expression should be abolished.
Social media company policies should not collaborate with authoritarian regimes in the blocking or removal of content.
Social media content moderation policies should prioritize the protection of users’ physical safety, and never the protection of certain ideas and concepts from criticism.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay up to date with our work, news and events
0 / 40
0 / 40