Blasphemy Day
September 30
About Blasphemy Day
International Blasphemy Rights Day falls on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. Established in 2009 by the Center for Inquiry (CFI), the day marks the anniversary of the publication of the Jyllands-Posten cartoons and campaigns for the repeal of laws that criminalise criticism of religion.
When Is Blasphemy Day?
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 30 September | Wednesday |
| 2027 | 30 September | Thursday |
| 2028 | 30 September | Saturday |
Who Runs It
The day is coordinated by CFI’s Campaign for Free Expression. CFI is a US-based non-profit that advocates for science, reason, and secular values in public life. It describes Blasphemy Day as a moment of solidarity with people who face violence, imprisonment, or persecution for challenging religious laws or orthodoxies, and as a platform for those who believe that free expression must extend to criticism of religious ideas.
The date, 30 September, commemorates the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in 2005. The cartoons prompted protests across dozens of countries and brought the question of religious speech laws into global focus.
Why Blasphemy Laws Remain a Live Issue
According to research cited by the Center for Inquiry, more than 69 countries retain laws against blasphemy or apostasy in some form. In six countries, including Pakistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, the death penalty is a possible sentence. These laws are used disproportionately against religious minorities, journalists, and activists: an accusation of blasphemy can trigger mob violence irrespective of any legal verdict, a pattern documented by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
The UK Position
England and Wales repealed the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel in 2008 under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act. Scotland had effectively abandoned the offence through disuse long before that. The UK repeal is frequently cited by CFI as a model for other states. Despite the removal from statute, UK-based secular organisations including Humanists UK and the National Secular Society continue to mark the day by highlighting ongoing cases abroad and contributing to international advocacy.
How to Take Part
- Read CFI’s current campaign resources and the case studies of people facing prosecution
- Sign open letters calling on specific governments to repeal blasphemy statutes
- Support organisations working on international free-speech cases
- Write to your MP about UK foreign policy on international religious freedom
Related Dates
See also: all September awareness days and related dates such as World Press Freedom Day in May and Human Rights Day on 10 December.
Last reviewed: 16 September 2026.
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