Forty years ago the rule of the last shah of Iran came to an end after millions of Iranians, from all social classes, took to the streets in protest
Student reading list: The Iranian Revolution
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Index on Censorship
Since when was it a police job to impose sanctions on drill musicians? (Guardian, 9 February 2019)
The authorities ban musicians from playing without official approval. The police prevent them from performing a song deemed unacceptable. The courts threaten to imprison them when they do play it. All this not in Russia or Iran but in Britain. Read...
This week at Index: An intolerable intrusion of artistic freedom
More than 130 musicians, writers and artists, together with many British and Ugandan members of parliament, have signed a petition calling on Uganda to drop plans for regulations that include vetting songs, videos and film scripts prior to their release.
Novinare napadaju jer je to nekažnjivo (Vijesti, 6 February 2019)
Činjenica da oni koji prijete novinarima prolaze nekažnjeno, glavni je razlog i dalje velikog broja registrovanih slučajeva zastrašivanja medija u Crnoj Gori, navodi se u platformi koju je objavila platforma “Mapping Media Freedom” (Mapiranje...
Uganda: Artists should not have to seek government approval to make their art
More than 130 musicians, writers and artists, together with many British and Ugandan members of parliament, have signed a petition calling on Uganda to drop plans for regulations that include vetting songs, videos and film scripts prior to their release. Musicians, producers, promoters, filmmakers and all other artists would also have to register with the government and obtain a licence that can be revoked for a range of violations.
Campaigners call for an end to ‘gang injunctions’ against drill artists (Complete Music Update, 4 February 2019)
The signatories of the new letter, published by The Guardian – and who include grime rapper Saskilla, Index Of Censorship CEO Jodie Ginsberg and Black Lives Matter’s Joshua Virasami – say that they “wish to register our serious concern at the...
Proposed UK law could expose journalists’ emails, say critics (Guardian, 30 January 2019)
British police forces could find it easier to access journalists’ private emails as a result of legislation making its way through parliament, according to freedom of speech campaigners, who are urging politicians to make a last-minute intervention...
Cameroon journalist Mimi Mefo shortlisted for 2019 Press Freedom award (Africa News, 4 February 2019)
A Cameroonian journalist Mimi Mefo has been shortlisted for an award for her fearless mode of reportage in Cameroon’s media landscape considered as repressive and self censoring. Read the full article.
Stop criminalising our musicians (Guardian, 3 February 2019)
Sixty-five signatories from human rights organisations, as well as musicians, lawyers and academics, call on the Metropolitan police to stop using repressive injunctions against musicians as a means to reduce gang violence. Read the full letter.
Universities are allowing free speech to be curtailed in favour of ‘rule of the mob’, former equalities chief warns (Telegraph, 3 February 2019)
Universities are allowing free speech to be curtailed on campuses in favour of “rule of the mob”, the former equalities chief has warned, as he says vice-Chancellors must stop behaving like “frightened children” and take a stand. Read the full...
Pervasive and personal: Observations on free speech online
Technology has linked much of the world together, but in its complexity and ubiquity, technology also has deeply personal qualities.
Skengdo and AM: the drill rappers sentenced for playing their song (Guardian, 31 January 2019)
Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of Index on Censorship, points to the long history of the authorities targeting music by people “far removed from those in power … The law already prevents individuals from directly inciting violence, but such wide-ranging bans...