Humanist Groups Educate Congress about International Religious Freedom

U.S. Capitol

by American Humanist Association

On June 9, the American Humanist Association, with the Center for Inquiry and the Secular Coalition for America, will be hosting congressional briefings to educate legislators about the state of international religious freedom. The briefings come in the wake of the deaths of humanist Bangladeshi bloggers, who were brutally murdered by religious extremists.

“Humanists, atheists and religious minorities should not have to live in fear for their lives simply because their convictions differ from the majority in their country,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “We call upon our legislators to globally promote the freedom of speech and condemn persecution and intolerance.”

The briefings will draw attention to the threat to the human rights of atheists, humanists and other religious groups around the world. In addition to the three Bangladeshi bloggers murdered just this past year for their atheism, religious minority groups such as Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan, Christians in Syria, and Jews in France also face serious persecution.

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