As the international community looks forward to the Eurovision Song Contest, Azerbaijan is working hard to present itself as a modern, democratic country. But a new report from Index and partners paints a very different picture
The report by MPs on privacy talks of the importance of free expression, but the measures it proposes fly in the face of that aim, says Index’s John Kampfner
Censorship in Pakistan has ranged from the ridiculous to the downright terrifying. But as the country entered a new phase in 1983, Salman Rushdie hoped for change
Russia’s music icon has spoken out in London ahead of the controversial Eurovision Song Contest. Tena Prelec reports
Tena Prelec: Russian rock legend Yuri Shevchuk says “Hands off! Music is freedom”
The president of Mauritius has said the island’s TV channels are unfair and partial. Mike Dodd reports
Despite official denials, it seems clear that the Lukashenko regime has blacklisted key media and opposition figures, preventing them from leaving the country. Andrei Aliaksandrau reports
Writer, activist and Nobel Prize literature prize winner Nadine Gordimer warns that new legislation will return South Africa to apartheid-era limits on free speech
From Index’s archive
Nadine Gordimer: Standing in the queue
In a “repressive” decision, Moscow city court refuse to release two members of punk feminist group Pussy Riot. Elena Vlasenko reports
With the Eurovision Song Contest looming, Azerbaijanis are becoming more vocal in their demands for change, says Turgut Gambar