Today is ’Red Wednesday’, a day organised by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need and Christian Solidarity Worldwide, intended to ‘shine a light on Christian persecution but also highlight the injustices perpetrated against other faith groups.’ Humanists UK has welcomed the attention being paid to persecution on religious grounds, and has emphasised the need for all people of goodwill to oppose persecution of the non-religious as well.
Red Wednesday will see various places of worship and also civic buildings like the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye being lit up red this evening, alongside a specially branded Routemaster bus.
Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy commented, ‘It’s great to see so many stand up against religious persecution around the globe. For many years now, humanists have been key players in international work highlighting the scale of such persecution.’
Many Humanists UK statements to the UN Human Rights Council have highlighted the persecution of religious people, for example a recent one focusing on Christians in Indonesia. Humanists UK has also undertaken joint work on freedom of religion or belief with Christian Solidarity Worldwide. In addition Humanists UK has been a leading voice calling for justice for non-religious individuals facing persecution around the world, including in 13 countries where being non-religious is punishable by death.
Mr Thompson continued, ‘It’s vital, too, that persecution of the non-religious is not overlooked. In many countries it’s simply not possible to be openly non-religious, with 13 punishing apostasy or blasphemy with death, while a culture of impunity in many parts of the world means that vigilante attacks on non-religious people go unchallenged. Whether you’re a humanist, a Christian, or a person of any other religion or belief, we all share the same fundamental right as human beings to be able to express our ideas and our beliefs about the world, free from fear. It is vital that this right is defended for everyone.’
Early next month will see the publication of the 2017 Freedom of Thought Report, which catalogues discrimination against the non-religious globally.
Notes
For further comment or information, please contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson on richy@humanists.uk or 020 3675 0959.
Read more about Humanists UK’s international campaigns work: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/international-campaigns/
At Humanists UK, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our work brings non-religious people together to develop their own views, helping people be happier and more fulfilled in the one life we have. Through our ceremonies, education services, and community and campaigning work, we strive to create a fair and equal society for all.
Humanists UK recently changed its name from the British Humanist Association: https://humanists.uk/2017/05/22/bha-becomes-humanists-uk/