Saudi Arabia’s comedy festival, Afghanistan’s blackout, and U.S. deportations of Iranian dissidents reveal the uneasy dance between culture and control.

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This week’s Dissent Dispatch examines how power shapes culture and conscience. Our Unbelief Brief looks at Saudi Arabia’s state-backed Riyadh Comedy Festival, where Western comedians perform under restrictions that forbid jokes about royals, religion, or the state. It also covers Afghanistan’s recent internet blackout, along with U.S. efforts to deport Iranian asylum seekers back to a regime infamous for repression.

In this week’s EXMNA Insights, we reflect on International Music Day. And for those who have recently lost someone close, the Nonreligion in a Complex Future project invites you to share your experiences to help further important research.

Unbelief Brief

The Riyadh Comedy Festival [[link removed]] in Saudi Arabia, organized and financed by the Saudi government, is underway this week. The lineup consists overwhelmingly of Western comedians, and the event is part of the country’s broader effort to make Saudi Arabia a center of international culture. It has generated no small amount [[link removed]] of controversy, owing to the Saudis’ abhorrent human rights record. The restrictions [[link removed]] on what comedians are allowed to lampoon at the festival appear to include mockery of the Saudi state, its royals, and all religions. There is a particular irony here, given that many of the comedians performing at the festival have styled themselves champions of free speech.

In response to the criticism, some comedians have defended themselves with the idea that cultural exchange will better foster openness and understanding—that the people of Saudi Arabia are “ just like us [[link removed]].” This is, of course, true: we have much more in common as human beings than anything that divides us. The issue is less that comedians are performing in Saudi Arabia and more that they are taking paychecks from a state known to enslave foreigners [[link removed]], murder journalists [[link removed]], and imprison people [[link removed]] for the imaginary crimes [[link removed]] of blasphemy [[link removed]] and apostasy [[link removed]]. The comedians’ presence additionally lends legitimacy to the facade of Saudi “liberalization,” which remains mostly symbolic despite some [[link removed]] positive developments.

One can hope that events such as this help to foster more liberal attitudes among the populace, but it remains difficult to accept the rationale of comedians who are taking blood money. It would be much more honest simply to declare indifference toward slavery in the country if the paycheck is big enough. But such brutal honesty is also a bridge too far [[link removed]] for the Saudi government.

Over in Afghanistan, a two-day internet blackout [[link removed]] has ended. Uncertainty and tension were high while it was happening, with some wondering whether it was a further measure of Taliban repression. The Taliban have denied this was the case, instead insisting the blackout occurred due to the replacement of old fiber lines in the country. The idea that this could cause a nationwide disruption of all internet services is farcical on its face; members of the Taliban have told media outlets [[link removed]] themselves that they had no idea what was happening. It’s much likelier that the blackout was deliberate and then ended after causing enormous amounts of chaos, along with disruptions of financial services and international humanitarian aid.

Finally: the US government is in the midst of an effort to deport hundreds [[link removed]] of Iranian asylum seekers from the United States. While the state has a right to remove individuals who are unlawfully present within its borders, Iranian dissidents will return to a country with an appalling human rights record [[link removed]]. They will face repression along with possible imprisonment or even execution at the hands of its Islamist theocracy. It beggars belief that they, of all people, should be a high priority for deportation.

EXMNA Insights

International Music Day: Islam’s Ban vs. Human Reality

Islam’s canonical texts contain reports condemning music and instruments, such as Sahih al-Bukhari 5590 [[link removed]] and Sunan Abi Dawud 4924 [[link removed]]. Other narrations describe the Prophet allowing music in limited cases, such as frame drums during weddings or festivals [[link removed]]. The result is a contradictory stance: music is broadly condemned, yet selectively permitted in narrow settings. There is no coherent principle explaining why one instrument is tolerated while others are forbidden. This inconsistency reflects the cultural anxieties of 7th-century Arabia rather than reasoned ethics.

Modern science, by contrast, shows music to be profoundly beneficial. Music therapy has been found to reduce depression [[link removed]] and anxiety [[link removed]], improve recovery after stroke [[link removed]], and enhance daily functioning [[link removed]]. A Cochrane [[link removed]] review confirms its effectiveness in treating depression, while meta-analyses [[link removed]] highlight measurable [[link removed]] improvements when music therapy is added to standard care.

For children, music is critical to development and exposure to music strengthens language, [[link removed]] memory [[link removed]], executive function [[link removed]], and social-emotional growth [[link removed]]. Far from corrupting minds, music helps build them.

Culturally, music is a universal language [[link removed]]. Across societies, we mark births, weddings, mourning, and milestones with song and rhythm. To suppress music is to deny one of humanity’s most vital tools for bonding and meaning.

On International Music Day, the verdict is clear: prohibition rests on outdated assumptions, while music heals, unites, and uplifts.

Community Announcements

The Nonreligion in a Complex Future [[link removed]] project is conducting a survey on perspectives and experiences of death and dying.

If you are non-religious and have lost someone close to you in the past 12 months, you are invited to participate. The survey takes about 10–20 minutes and asks about the services your loved one may have used and your overall experiences throughout the dying process.

Your input will contribute to important research on how non-religious people navigate death and dying in today’s world.

Complete the survey here [[link removed]]

For any questions or concerns, please reach out to the research team via email [mailto:[email protected]?subject=Bereaved%20Persons%20Survey].

Don’t forget: California Freethought Day is on October 12! EXMNA will be there, with speakers and community voices highlighting the fight for freedom of conscience. Register [[link removed]] to join us!

Why Not Islam Billboard Campaign: A Look Back

Our Why Not Islam billboard campaign has wrapped, and the impact speaks for itself.

In just one month, the campaign drove nearly 7,000 site sessions from over 5,500 unique visitors. People explored a wide range of topics, with Women in Islam and Scientific Insights drawing the most attention, followed closely by Human Rights, our FAQ, and The Perfection of the Qur’an. Even our Media Kit saw traffic, helping extend our message beyond just site visitors.

The campaign also built lasting connections: 81 new subscribers joined our community. Visitors came from across the globe, with 25 Islamic countries represented and Egypt, Pakistan, and Indonesia leading the way. Overall, traffic from Islamic-majority nations made up about 4.7% of all sessions, showing that our message is reaching people who need it most.

The success of this campaign proves there is real demand for what we are building. Now, we want to hear from you: Where should we go next? Should our next billboards rise in another U.S. city, or should we expand internationally?

Share your ideas [mailto:[email protected]] and help shape the future of Why Not Islam.

Until next week,

The Team at Ex-Muslims of North America

P.S. We’d love to hear from you! Share your feedback at [email protected].

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