Iran: Report from Tehran where banned tunes thrive
“Cab rides in Tehran reveal how many flout the rules banning music genres including metal, R&B, hip-hop and kooche-bazaari,” wrote the British newspaper The Guardian on 7 May 2013. The anonymous writer of the article in The Guardian mentions that Iman Hojjat — one of five Tehran musicians who were arrested in January 2013 on charges [...]
Uzbekistan: Writer released after over 14 years in prison
The award-winning Uzbek writer Mamadali Makhmudov has finally been released after over 14 years in prison, reported PEN International on 23 April 2013. In the late evening of 19 April 2013, Mamadali Makhmudov walked out of prison and met his five grand-children for the first time. His wife told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that her [...]
United Kingdom: Previously banned Swedish play premiers in English
Banned in the United Kingdom for 50 years when first written, Strindberg’s play ‘Miss Julie’ shocked critics across Europe with its frank portrayal of sexuality and inter-class relationships in 19th century society. Now Canterbury’s Gulbenkian Theatre is to host the world premiere of a 21st century English adaptation of it. The Swedish play ‘Miss Julie’ [...]
Morocco: Rapper El Haked is finally free
After being arrested twice and serving a one year jail term for his critical lyrics ‘Kilab ed-Dowla’ (‘Dogs of the State’), Mouad Belghouat, whose alias is El Haked (also spelled: Haqed), is finally free, reported Jadaliyya on 2 April 2013. El Haked’s trial attracted huge crowds and brought international and national scrutiny on the supposed [...]
South African photographer honoured at Index on Censorship awards
South African photographer Zanele Muholi was honoured at Index on Censorship awards for ‘courage and the powerful statements made by her work’. In the last year, four women in South Africa have been murdered because of their sexuality, including Phumeza Nkolonzi, 22, who was shot dead in front of her grandmother and niece, and Sihle [...]
Turkmenistan: Two popular singers released from prison
The two popular singers Maksat Kakabaev and Murad Ovezov were released from prison as part of an amnesty celebrating the National Flag Day in Turkmenistan, reported Freedom Now: “Maksat Kakabaev (also known as MARO) and Murad Ovezov are popular singers who were wrongfully detained in Turkmenistan on fabricated charges. Mr. Kakabaev and Mr. Ovezov were [...]
Pakistan: Manifestations of tolerance and acceptance of music and art
On Music Freedom Day 2013 at a local hotel in Peshawar, music lovers put their voices together to ensure the freedom of artistic and musical expressions. The participants boldly condemned militancy and extremism in all its forms. Also, at the Peshawar Press Club, a seminar and a protest walk was organised to inform about the [...]
Harstad in Norway: First ever safe haven city for persecuted musicians
On Thursday 14 February 2013 at the Nordic music industry conference by:Larm in Oslo, the Norwegian Musicians’ Union presented their new project SafeMuse – and the first ever ‘safe haven city’ within the field of music: Harstad. Imagine that the police would come to the door of the artist and musicians after the concert in [...]
Norway: Festival for freedom of artistic expression
‘RED ZONE – FREE THE ARTS’ is an international celebration of freedom of expression in art and culture, which will be held in Norway from 28 February to 3 March 2013 The famous Middle Eastern artists Tania Saleh, Rim Banna, Mohamad Abla and Syrian Bear Yumal are headlining the international culture-event ‘Red Zone’ which has [...]
Iran: Singer Arya Aramnejad released from prison
Less than two weeks after a group of international artists joined Freemuse in a campaign for the release of the Iranian singer Arya Aramnejad, who was given 91 days prison sentence, he was able to leave prison. According to Freemuse’s sources, he was released due to so called “international reactions”. In 2012, Aramnejad was given [...]
Turkey: Ban on 453 books lifted – new bans on the way
Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor for Press, Kürşat Kayral, decided after an investigation that a ban on 453 books, 645 newspapers, periodicals, brochures, and banners should be lifted, wrote the Freedom of Expression Weekly Bulletin in its 49th issue on 7 December 2012. Under the Third Judicial Pack arrangements by the Turkish Government, publishing, distributing and [...]
Kidjo: Fight against censorship by supporting artists who are silenced
Under the headline ‘Songs of Freedom’, singer Angelique Kidjo writes about music censorship and the power of music in The International Herald Tribune’s special theme issue, ‘Global Agenda: Turning Points’ “The mix of melodies and words carries a message much more powerful than spoken ideas. Why? Maybe because when someone sings, truth speak directly to [...]
Exiled Syrian film producer and cartoonist honoured with award
Exiled Syrians film producer Orwa Nyrabia and political cartoonist Ali Farzat were smiling and making jokes in Copenhagen with good reason. They each received the Danish Poul Lauritzen human rights award and 10,000 euros each for their work on human rights and political freedom in Syria. With the ongoing violence in Syria, the PL Foundation [...]
Iranian film director and human rights lawyer awarded by EU
The European Parliament’s ‘Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2012’ goes to two Iranians as joint winners: the imprisoned lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh and film director Jafar Panahi. Nasrin Sotoudeh and Jafar Panahi will be awarded and receive 50,000 euro on 12 December 2012 during a ceremony at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The Sakharov Prize [...]
Persecuted Iraqi writer given two years’ safe haven in Denmark
The Iraqi writer Suhail Sami Nader arrived with his wife to Copenhagen, Denmark, on 23 October 2012 as the municipality’s first ‘safe haven’ author. The 65-year-old writer is persecuted in his home country because of his writing. In recent years Suhail Sami Nader has been living in Amman, the capital of the neighbouring country Jordan. [...]
Cuba: Banned exiled singers allegedly stricken from censorship list
The BBC reported on 8 August 2012 that several Cuban radio stations confirm they no longer face restrictions on playing music by exiles. The BBC-reporter Sarah Rainsford wrote that the Cuban state-run radio had declared that previously forbidden Cuban-American musical performers such as Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan and Willy Chirino have now been stricken from [...]
Myanmar/Burma: Publication of censored fiction novels
“For the past 50 years, literature lovers in Myanmar have been able to read only the bowdlerised versions of the short stories, novels and poems published by local writers, with much of the best material left on the cutting room floor as a result of the relentless assault of the censor’s red pen. But now, [...]
Tunisia: Culture minister vows to defend artistic freedom
Tunisia’s culture minister, under fire for saying he would exclude sexy Lebanese pop stars from an annual music festival, has promised to protect artistic freedoms which are on the front line of a standoff between secularists and Islamists. By Tarek Amara Tunisia, whose uprising against secular strongman Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali sparked last year’s Arab [...]
