If enacted, the online harms white paper on internet regulation would make China’s state censors proud, say representatives from six civil liberties organisations. Read the full article
As Egypt’s President el-Sisi and President Trump meet in Washington, all charges and sanctions against Amal Fathy, detained for speaking out against sexual harassment in Egypt, must be dropped.
Combine a legal duty of care with very large fines and personal criminal responsibility for senior managers, and you get a strong incentive for online platforms to remove lots of content.
The vast majority of senior local news journalists are concerned they do not have the resources to hold power to account in the way they once did, a new survey by the Society of Editors and Index on Censorship has revealed. Read the full article
On March 30, 2019, a Lebanese military court ruled that homosexuality is not a crimeand refused to prosecute four individuals accused of the ‘crime’. This landmark decision is the first case of a military court refusing to equate homosexuality with...
“It’s very important that when you propose laws that will affect people on a very large scale, that it needs to be based on evidence and a thoughtful, careful approach because you can do a huge amount of damage,” Hyvarinen said.
While we recognise the government’s desire to tackle unlawful content online, the proposals mooted in the white paper – including a new duty of care on social media platforms, a regulatory body, and even the fining and banning of social media platforms as a sanction – pose serious risks to freedom of expression online.
“The government is under public pressure to be seen to be doing something about this problem,” Hyvarinen said.
Without access to the strands of information that bring people together a local community can feel increasingly disconnected. Read the full article.
New research has revealed the vast majority of local newspaper editors are worried their titles now no longer have the resources to hold power to account on their patches. A study carried out by Index on Censorship magazine, in conjunction with...
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.