We are outraged to learn that 40 state-run media outlets in Iran have raised $600,000 (£420,000) to add as bounty to Ayatollah Khomeini’s death fatwa on the writer Salman Rushdie because of his novel The Satanic Verses (Report, 22 February). We condemn the Iranian regime, its fatwa and the added bounty. We stand with Rushdie and the many Iranian freethinkers and writers languishing in prison, or facing the death penalty, for exercising their right to free expression and thought.

The Iranian regime must face global condemnation for its incitement to murder. Democratic and secular governments should unequivocally condemn the regime’s fatwa and bounty, demand their immediate cancellation, prioritise human rights and free expression, and side with freethinkers rather than appeasing a theocratic regime.

AC Grayling Philosopher

Adil Hussain Activist

Afsaneh Vahdat Women’s rights campaigner

Ali A. Rizvi Author of The Atheist Muslim

Ali al Razi CEMB Activist and writer

Aliaa Magda Elmahdy Activist

Alice Carr President of Progressive Atheists of Australia

Annie Sugier President of Ligue du Droit International des Femmes

Anthony McIntyre Writer and historian

Ariane Brunet Centre for Secular Space

Asra Q. Nomani Author, journalist, critical thinker and co-founder of Muslim Reform Movement

Ateizm Dernegi in Turkey

Author Jesus & Mo

Awat Farokhi Political activist

Becky Lavelle President Hull University, Secularist Atheist and Humanist Society

Behzad Varpushty Human rights activist

Benjamin David President of Warwick Atheists Secularists and Humanists

Boris van der Ham Humanistisch Verbond (Dutch Humanist Society)

Caroline Fourest Author

Chris Moos Secularist activist

Christine M. Shellska President of Atheist Alliance International

Claire Kennedy Curator of TEDxExeter

Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor Co-presidents of Freedom From Religion Foundation

David Silverman President of American Atheists

Deeyah Khan Filmmaker and human rights activist

Derek Lennard Human rights campaigner

Dilip Simeon Labour historian and chairperson of the Aman Trust

Djemila Benhabib Journalist and writer

Elham Manea Academic and human rights advocate

Erin Dopp Activist

Faisal Saeed Al Mutar Iraqi-born writer and activist

Faramarz Ghorbani Political activist

Fariborz Pooya Host of Bread and Roses TV

Farzana Hassan Author

Fateh Bahrami Political activist

Fauzia Ilyas Founder of Atheist & Agnostic Alliance Pakistan

Gita Sahgal Director of Centre for Secular Space

Halima Begum Ex-Muslim researcher and blogger

Harsh Kapoor South Asia Citizens Web

Hasan Salehim Political activist

Hassan Radwan Founder of the Agnostic Muslims & Friends Facebook Group

Ibn Warraq Writer

Ibrahim Abdallah Muslimish NYC organiser

Inna Shevchenko FEMEN Leader

Jane Donnelly Atheist Ireland

Joan Smith Author

Johann Hari Writer

John Perkins Secular Party of Australia

Julie Bindel Justice for Women and the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize

Karrar Al Asfoor Arab Atheists and Forum for Humanitarian Dialogue

Kate Smurthwaite Comedian and activist

Keyvan Javid Director of New Channel TV

Khalil Keyvan Political activist atheist and ex-political prisoner

Kiran Opal Feminist writer and activist

Kojin Mirizayi President of the Kurdish Society at the University of Kent

Lalia Ducos Women’s Initiative for Citizenship and Universal Rights

Laura Guidetti Marea Magazine

Lisa-Marie Taylor Chair of Feminism in London

Lloyd Newson OBE

Maajid Nawaz Author and counter-extremism activist

Madhu Mehra Lawyer and executive director of Partners for Law in Development

Magdulien Abaida Libyan women’s rights campaigner

Marieme Helie Lucas Algerian sociologist and founder of Secularism is a Woman’s Issue

Maryam Namazie Spokesperson for Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain One Law for All and Fitnah - Movement for Women’s Liberation and Bread and Roses TV Producer

Masoud Azarnoush Activist

Mersedeh Ghaedi London Spokesperson for Iran Tribunal

Michael Nugent Atheist Ireland

Mina Ahadi Coordinator of Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany and International Committee against Stoning

Mohamed Mahmoud Director of Centre for Critical Studies of Religion

Monica Lanfranco Marea Review

Mostafa Saber Marxist activist

Nahla Mahmoud Spokesperson of Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain

Naser Kashkooli Activist of the Worker-communist Party of Iran

Nina Sankari Polish secularist and feminist

Peter Flack Leicester Social Forum

Peter Tatchell Human rights campaigner

Polly Toynbee Journalist

Pragna Patel Director of Southall Black Sisters

Ramin Forghani Founder of Ex-Muslims of Scotland

Richard Dawkins Scientist

Roberto Malini Poet, writer and human rights defender, EveryOne Group

Ronald Lindsay President of Center for Inquiry

Rumana Hashem Founder of Community Women’s blog and adviser to Nari Diganta

Safia Lebdi President of Insoumis-es and founder of Free Arab Woman

Safwan Mason on behalf of the Council of ex-Muslims of New Zealand

Sam Harris Neuroscientist and author

Samir Noory Chairperson of Committee for Abolishing Death Penalty in Iraq member of group “No to violence against women in Kirkuk”

Sanal Edamaruku President of Rationalist International

Sarah Peace Fireproof Library

Shelley Segal Singer/Songwriter

AC Grayling Philosopher

Sikivu Hutchinson Author Moral Combat: Black Atheists Gender Politics and the Values Wars

Soad Baba Aissa Association pour la Mixité l’Égalité et la Laïcité

Stephen Evans Campaigns manager of National Secular Society

Stephen Law Philosopher

Sultana Kamal Bangladeshi lawyer and human rights activist

Terry Sanderson President of the National Secular Society

Tom Holland Author and historian

Waleed El Husseini Founder of Council of Ex-Muslims of France

Yasmin Rehman Centre for Secular Space

Zari Asli Friends of Women in the Middle East Society

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com