On Friday, December 3, a violent mob attacked, killed, and burned the body of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan working as a manager in Pakistan. Police said Kumara was accused of committing blasphemous acts against the Prophet Muhammad. The incident happened in the Sialkot district in Punjab, Pakistan.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the immediate release of the Saudi-based Yemeni journalist Ali Abu Lahoum. Lahoum was arrested in August and charged with apostasy and insulting Islamic sanctities. On October 26, a criminal court in Najran sentenced him to 15 years in prison.
On Monday, November 29, a mob of violent Muslim protesters burned a police station, including four police posts in Peshawar, northeast Pakistan. Police officers repelled the mob's attempt to take a mentally unstable man accused of desecrating the Quran.
On Wednesday, November 24, a controversial painting of Jesus and Mary was stolen. The painting "Mama" shows a black Mary cradling the body of Jesus after his crucifixion, similar to Michaelangelo's Pieta sculpture. The painting was placed outside the Mary Mirror of Justice Chapel in the Catholic University of America (CAU) Columbus Law School.
Atheist Republic celebrates the recent release of Iranian atheist activist and blogger Soheil Arabi from prison! While Soheil is still facing legal hurdles before he can be truly freed from the stranglehold of the Islamic Republic of Iran, his recent release is a massive victory and relief for Iranian atheists and their allies.
On Tuesday, October 26, shops and houses were attacked during a rally in Panisagar, the North Tripura of the Tripura district in India. A mosque was also vandalized during a rally by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). VHP, a right-wing non-political organization, was protesting the violence unfolding in Bangladesh.
In an October 21 episode of the radio show Liveline, an upset caller complained about a mobile coffee shop set up in the church grounds calling it blasphemous. According to the show, the coffee shop trailer was set up outside the St Peter’s Church in Phibsborough, but it was inside the railings of the church grounds.
On Friday, October 29th, the Delhi High Court instructed Twitter to take down posts from the Atheist Republic account. The court refers to the "objectionable" tweets depicting the Hindu goddess Maa Kaali in a sensually revealing pose.
Lars Vilks, the Swedish artist who became controversial in 2007 for drawing the Prophet Muhammad with a dog’s body, died in a car accident on Sunday, October 3, 2021. According to investigators, the collision also killed two police officers who were escorting Vilks. The accident happened in the municipality of Markaryd, Kronoberg County, in southern Sweden.
