Centre for Inquiry Canada - Virtual Branch

Protecting Blasphemers VII

Protecting Blasphemers is an annual discussion highlighting the most recent blasphemy issues of the year. We aim to discover the areas where the global secular community needs to make progress in terms of building support mechanisms to protect blasphemers experiencing persecution all around the world. This year’s speaker was Mubarak Bala, former president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, who was imprisoned for 24 years for “insulting religion” via social media posts, a sentence that was reduced to five years on appeal in 2024, resulting in his release. After his release, he continued to advocate for freedom of belief and relocated to Germany. Your host Onur Romano is the director of the Atheist Refugee Assistance Program of Ateizm Dernegi Turkey, Case Manager of the Secular Rescue Program of Center for Inquiry USA, and the Human Rights Chair of Centre for Inquiry Canada.

https://youtu.be/6JtQvRCBseA

"10 Tough Questions To Mubarak Bala" !!!

Price of Activism vs. The Value of Life - Was it worth it? Would he do it again knowing the cost to his family?

Guilty Plea Controversy - Did his plea legitimize blasphemy laws and set a dangerous precedent?

Privilege of Exile - Is his rescue a victory or does it show only "famous" blasphemers get saved?

and African Identity - Has the secular movement been guilty of cultural imperialism in Africa?

Magdeburg Question - What responsibility does the movement have when ex-Muslim activists become violent (referencing the 2024 Christmas market attack)?

Blasphemy Business and Muslim Victims - Should the movement build coalitions with progressive Muslims since most victims are Muslim?

Collapse of Safe Havens - Where should atheists flee when all borders are closing? Is "rescue" false hope?

Betrayal and Forgiveness - Has he forgiven his father? Should activists maintain family ties?

Effectiveness Question - If all that international pressure couldn't free him faster, is the movement just performative?

and Development - Can atheist organizations replace the social infrastructure religion provides in developing countries?

Protecting Blasphemers VII This video is transcribed and captioned by AI. We apologize for the errors. Protecting Blasphemers is an annual discussion highlighting the most recent blasp...

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