Secular activist who fled Iran’s repressive regime banned from speaking at university in case she ‘incites hatred against Muslims’ 

  • Maryam Namazie was due to talk to Warwick University's Student Union 
  • She was booked by Warwick Atheists, Secularists and Humanists (WASH)
  • The union cancelled the speech saying 'a number of flags' were raised
  • Ms Namazie said: 'They are basically labelling me a racist and extremist'

By Anthony Joseph for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A high-profile secularist has been banned from speaking at a university for fears she will offend Muslims.

Activist Maryam Namazie was due to make a presentation to Warwick University's Student Union on October 28, having been by the Warwick Atheists, Secularists and Humanists (WASH) group.

The group was contacted by the union to be told that her speech had been cancelled after 'a number of flags' were raised.

Activist Maryam Namazie was due to make a presentation to Warwick University's Student Union on October 28, having been by the Warwick Atheists, Secularists and Humanists (WASH) group

Activist Maryam Namazie was due to make a presentation to Warwick University's Student Union on October 28, having been by the Warwick Atheists, Secularists and Humanists (WASH) group

According to The Independent, the union told the group: 'After researching both [Ms Namazie] and her organisation, a number of flags have been raised. We have a duty of care to conduct a risk assessment for each speaker who wishes to come to campus'.

Articles written by Ms Namazie indicated she was 'highly inflammatory' and 'could incite hatred on campus', according to the union.

Ms Namazie fled Iran with her family in 1980 following the revolution. 

She told the newspaper that she was going to be speaking about apostasy, blasphemy and nudity in the age of ISIS.

She was stunned that her talk was cancelled by the student union.

'They're basically labelling me a racist and an extremist for speaking out against Islam and Islamism,' she said.

'If people like me who fled an Islamist regime can't speak out about my opposition to the far-right Islamic movement, if I can't criticise Islam, that leaves very [few] options for me as a dissenter because the only thing I have is my freedom of expression.

'If anyone is inciting hatred, it's the Islamists who are threatening people like me just for deciding we want to be atheist, just because we don't want to toe the line.'

'To try to censor me, does a double disservice to those people who are dissenting by denying people like me the only opportunity we have to speak.'

Ms Namazie fled Iran with her family in 1980 following the revolution. She said she was going to be speaking about apostasy, blasphemy and nudity in the age of ISIS

Ms Namazie fled Iran with her family in 1980 following the revolution. She said she was going to be speaking about apostasy, blasphemy and nudity in the age of ISIS

WASH's president, Benjamin David, appealed the decision.

He said: 'The infringement of free-speech is becoming insidiously ubiquitous, and many universities, including Warwick, are circumventing the freedom of speech in pursuit of inoffensive, sanitary narratives.'

Isaac Leigh, president of Warwick Student Union said: 'The initial decision was made for the right of Muslim students not to feel intimidated or discriminated against on their university campus, rather than in the interest of suppressing free speech.'

'A final decision on this issue will be reached by the most senior members of the Student Union in coming days.' 

Isaac Leigh, president of Warwick Student Union said: 'The initial decision was made for the right of Muslim students not to feel intimidated or discriminated against on their university campus, rather than in the interest of suppressing free speech'

Isaac Leigh, president of Warwick Student Union said: 'The initial decision was made for the right of Muslim students not to feel intimidated or discriminated against on their university campus, rather than in the interest of suppressing free speech'


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