[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Indian human rights defender Aseem Trivedi has been arrested, imprisoned and shut out of mainstream Indian media for his powerful ‘Cartoons Against Corruption’ series. When Aseem was imprisoned in 2012, the Guardian’s celebrated political cartoonist Martin Rowson drew a cartoon condemning his arrest. Today, Aseem is a renowned advocate for detained human rights defenders around the world. He has drawn cartoons in solidarity with activists in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kashmir, and more. Aseem will join Martin in London to discuss, draw and debate freedom of expression and solidarity across borders.
Speakers
Martin Rowson is an award-winning cartoonist whose work has appeared in the Guardian, the Daily Mirror, The Times, New Statesman, the Spectator, the Morning Star, the Scotsman, the Irish Times, Index on Censorship, Time Out and many more. His books include graphic novelisations of T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy and Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. His collection of cartoons about the last government, The Coalition Book, won the Paddy Power Political Book Award for Political Humour & Satire. Martin is chairman of the British Cartoonists’ Association and in 2001 was appointed Cartoonist Laureate for London by Ken Livingstone.
Aseem Trivedi is an Indian cartoonist and human rights defender. He played a leading role in India’s 2010 anti-corruption movement with his ‘Cartoons Against Corruption’, leading to the government suspending his website, and charging him with sedition, breaching the IT Act, and ‘insulting’ national symbols. After three days in prison, Aseem launched a campaign against the legislation used to target him and other activists, and went on hunger strike demanding its repeal. In 2015, India’s Supreme Court struck down the legislation. Aseem has since created a comic magazine highlighting human rights defenders around the world. He still faces up to three years in prison for ‘insulting’ the government through his art.
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Join Index on Censorship for a candlelit evening of songs censored and silenced, played live by award-winning Norwegian musician Moddi.
Set in the beautifully restored Victorian Hoxton Hall, this one-night-only celebration will feature banned songs from around the world, from artists including Pussy Riot and Kate Bush. Following a sell-out European tour, this is an exclusive opportunity to see a brilliant musician in one of London’s historic East End venues. Moddi’s remarkable collection reveals untold stories of censorship, persecution and repression. Guests will be greeted with a complimentary beer courtesy of cult craft brewery Flying Dog – and the party will continue long after the songs have ended.
We’re also raffling fantastic prizes including a luxury London hotel stay, a Whole Foods gift hamper worth £200, a month’s supply of Divine Chocolate, a case of Flying Dog beer, autographed books by legendary comedy writer John O’Farrell and much more.
If you can’t make the gig, but still want to be in with a chance of winning, donate now to Index on Censorship. Anyone who donates £10 or more between now and December 7 will be entered in to the raffle. (Entrants must be UK-based and be able to collect their prizes in person from our London office by 16 December.)
The event is in support of leading freedom of expression charity Index on Censorship, amplifying the voices of musicians, artists and others around the world who are currently facing censorship and repression.
Moddi (Photo: Jørgen Nordby)
On Moddi:
“Making banned music dangerous once again.” The Independent
“Music still has the power to confront authority” The Guardian
“Witty and spry” Financial Times
“A brave, thought-provoking, musically adventurous project” The Quietus
“An eye-opening lesson in the importance of music” Mojo
Moddi will be performing songs from his Unsongs album:
Raffle prizes include:
Wireless speaker worth £250 from Cambridge Audio
Luxury London hotel stay with Edwardian Hotels
Whole Foods gift hamper & £50 gift voucher (Total value £200)
£120 gift voucher for inamo restaurant
One of a kind Flying Dog beer gift basket
Case of biodynamic prosecco
Case of beer
Month’s supply of Divine Chocolate bars
Google Chromecast x 3
Hamilton playscript
Harry Potter & the Cursed Child playscript & Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplay
Signed copy of Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad
Autographed books from John O’Farrell
£20 Pret a Manger voucher
Winners will be notified by Monday 12 December.
With special thanks to Flying Dog Brewery and Divine Chocolate.
Indian human rights defender Aseem Trivedi has been arrested, imprisoned and shut out of mainstream Indian media for his powerful ‘Cartoons Against Corruption’ series. When Aseem was imprisoned in 2012, the Guardian’s celebrated political cartoonist Martin Rowson drew a cartoon condemning his arrest. Today, Aseem is a renowned advocate for detained human rights defenders around the world. He has drawn cartoons in solidarity with activists in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kashmir, and more. Aseem will join Martin in London to discuss, draw and debate freedom of expression and solidarity across borders.