When does giving a platform to extremist views through art or journalism become an act of terrorism? And should artists or journalists be exempt from terrorism laws, or should inflammatory works be banned?
For July's Draw the Line event, Index hosted a workshop in our offices to debate the question, "Can art or journalism ever be terrorism?" This daunting question provoked some interesting answers, delving deeper into the subject matter the group...
60 NGOs from 13 Human Rights Houses call upon the Azerbaijani authorities, in their joint letter to President Ilham Aliyev, to immediately and unconditionally release Leyla Yunus, Arif Yunus and Rasul Jafarov, and lift all charges held against them.
Index on Censorship was invited to join a meeting of the Lewisham Young Advisers to talk about our Draw the Line programme and discuss "Can art or journalism ever be terrorism?" and how the right to free speech affects every area of our lives. The...
To: Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin Chair, Article 29 Working Party EUROPEAN COMMISSION B-1049 BRUSSELS DG Justice Dear Ms Falque-Pierrotin, We are writing to express our deep concern over the effects of the so-called Right to be Forgotten ruling, issued...
Why we are doing this programme We believe that freedom of artistic expression lies at the heart of artistic practice and the debate about it needs to be kept live and abreast of changes in society. Index on Censorship’s UK Programme “Freedom of...
ArtFreedomWales launched on Friday with the first online conversation about artistic freedom of expression in Wales.
Can a piece of writing lead to someone detonating a bomb? Does art have the power to incite violent acts of terrorism? When does a piece of writing, or a painting, or a film cross the line from being art or journalism into an act of terrorism? On...
This month, Draw the Line will be exploring whether arts or journalism can ever be considered terrorism. Farah Wael writes.
In 1977, the Russian dissident Alexander Ginzburg — whose detention and sentencing almost a decade earlier helped to spur the creation of Index on Censorship — was again arrested by the Soviet authorities.
Index Awards 2017: Celebrating defenders of free expression
Index on Censorship is a nonprofit that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide. We publish work by censored writers and artists, promote debate, and monitor threats to free speech. We believe that everyone should be free to express themselves without fear of harm or persecution – no matter what their views.
Index’s aim is to raise awareness about threats to free expression and the value of free speech as the first step to tackling censorship.
Index relies entirely on the support of donors and readers to do our work.
We work in four ways:
Index on Censorship publishes an award-winning quarterly magazine that has featured some of the world’s best-known writers. We publish original creative writing and articles about free expression from across the globe.
Our website offers additional information to help people understand the current threats to free expression globally. And we reach a wider audience through social media.
Each year, Index on Censorship identifies some of the greatest threats to free speech around the world and develops advocacy campaigns to push for change in legislation or public attitudes. We choose topics where our work can make a significant impact – and deliberately choose areas where others might not be focused. You can see our current areas of focus on our Campaigns and Projects work.
We use a mixture of research, reporting, direct advocacy and media campaigning to achieve our goals.
Index on Censorship believes that free expression encourages more open and tolerant societies. We actively promote debate with an exciting series of events each year to help people better understand the value of free speech. This includes performances, exhibitions, talks and concerts. We are also regularly quoted in international media on free expression issues. Read more about our current events programme here.
Index on Censorship directly supports groups and individuals facing censorship through our Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship. The fellowship offers a year-long programme of tailored support to a small group of fellows selected for their outstanding work in the fields of journalism, arts, campaigning and digital advocacy. Read more about this innovative work here.