Category: Freedom of Thought
OMG you can’t write that!
September 15, 2022
Join us for an online event to marked Banned Book Week 2022 on Thursday 22nd September. Fraser Sutherland, Emma Wadsworth-Jones, Professor Maggie Kinloch, Terry Anderson, and Terry Greig will explore the topic of book banning, censorship and religion during the online talk, OMG you can’t write that!
Humanists call for bold action on children’s rights in Scotland
May 24, 2022
After John Swinney MSP made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the future of the UNCRC bill and vowed to ‘bold’ on children’s rights in Scotland, Humanist Society Scotland have questioned why progress has been glacial on reforms highlighted to be needed by the committee.
We urge local councils to scrap church voting rights
May 11, 2022
We have written to all of Scotland’s local councils urging them to end voting rights for non-elected church representatives sitting on local education committees.
2020 Scottish humanist of the year jailed for blasphemy
April 5, 2022
Humanist Society Scotland and humanists across the globe have reacted with dismay after Mubarak Bala was sentenced to 24 years in prison in relation to social media posts that were deemed to be “blasphemous”. Dr Leo Igwe, Board member of…
Non-religious people encouraged to ‘be honest’ about their beliefs in 2022 Census
March 9, 2022
New research carried out by YouGov published today by Humanist Society Scotland reveals how the 2022 Scottish census is potentially expected to show a vast decline in religious identity when compared to the 2011 census. The poll findings reveal how…
Scottish blasphemy law repealed following humanist campaign
March 11, 2021
Today members of Scottish Parliament voted to pass the Hate Crimes and Public Order (Scotland) Act which (amongst other things) repeals Scotland’s common law offense of “blasphemy”. Humanist Society Scotland has been at the forefront of the campaign to repeal…
Humanists donates £1k to Bala appeal fund
March 3, 2021
Humanist Society Scotland donates £1000 to the #FreeMubarakBala legal defence fund on behalf of its members.
Humanists welcome hate crime bill amendments
February 9, 2021
Humanist Society Scotland has welcomed amendments to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill agreed by MSPs this morning. The amendments agreed today remove the specific sections in the draft bill that targeted theatres and owning ‘inflammatory material’. In…
Mubarak Bala wins Gordon Ross award for humanism 2020
January 8, 2021
This year the winner of the Gordon Ross Humanist of the Year award goes to Nigerian Human Rights Activist and President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, Mubarak Bala. Humanist Society Scotland’s annual award recognises individuals whose efforts to promote…
Humanists win key amendments in hate crime bill
November 25, 2020
Scottish Justice Minister Humza Yousaf announced that he will drop sections of the draft Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill that would have criminalised insulting religious beliefs under provisions aimed at stirring up hatred. The Bill will now protect…
Artists, authors, journalists and campaigners call for changes to hate crime bill
August 11, 2020
A joint open letter published today (Tuesday 11th August) gathers support from over 20 individuals and organisations highlighting their “concerns” over the impact on artistic expression and free expression of the draft Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill. The…