We’re Still Alive: Resistance, Solidarity and Hip-Hop in Iran

9 May 2025

Join Index on Censorship and Some Great Reward for a Listening Party celebrating the music, resistance and solidarity of Iranian rapper, Toomaj Salehi. 

Toomaj is a Farsi-language rapper who has never shied away from using his music to stand up for those raising their voices calling for human rights and democracy in Iran. For his courage and music, he has long been persecuted by the Iranian regime – facing harassment, surveillance, imprisonment and a death sentence as a result. 

Toomaj has been persecuted for his music so there is no more powerful way to stand in solidarity with him than to celebrate his music. That is why we are inviting music fans to come together on the southside of Glasgow to share his songs, learn about his life and stand in solidarity with him and everyone in Iran standing up for human rights and democracy. This is not a ticketed event – just turn up.

About Toomaj Salehi’s persecution 

Over the last four years, Toomaj has faced continuous judicial harassment, including arrest and imprisonment. He has been more intensely targeted following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody September 2022, when he became a vocal supporter of the Women, Life, Freedom movement. After publishing songs in support of the courageous protesters and taking part in the protest himself he was arrested and sentenced to over 6 years in prison. On 18 November 2023, Toomaj was released on bail. But his freedom was not to last. 

Days later he was rearrested after he uploaded a video to YouTube documenting his treatment and torture while in detention. In April 2024, an Iranian court sentenced him to death on charges of “corruption on earth”. It took the Supreme Court to intervene to quash the death sentence, leading to Toomaj being released from prison in December 2024. 

 

Am I Facing a SLAPP?: Identifying the tools and tactics used by bullies to target free speech

9 Apr 2025

Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are abusive legal threats and actions brought by powerful and wealthy people against public watchdogs with the aim of silencing them. Due to the high cost of defending a case, public watchdogs can effectively be silenced even when what they have said is accurate and in the public interest. When SLAPPs successfully drive information out of the public domain, it is much more difficult to hold power to account.

But how do you know if you’re facing a SLAPP? Sometimes it is difficult to tell. That is why Index on Censorship is launching our “Am I Facing a SLAPP?” tool. The tool is aimed at supporting anyone who is facing legal threats or actions and wants to know if their experience could amount to a SLAPP. Using a robust methodology developed by leading anti-SLAPP experts, the tool enables users to inform and empower themselves by quickly and confidentially answering a few questions about their experience.

So whether you are a journalist, whistle-blower, environmental campaigner, social media user, writer or human rights defender you can use the tool to understand more about the threats you are facing. 

This webinar will bring together SLAPP targets from across Europe and the US to share their experiences of fighting a SLAPP. This will be followed by a walkthrough of the new tool.

With speakers:

Amy Jacobsen, Legal Counsel at Greenpeace
Tracy, SLAPP Target
Mark Stephens, Partner, Howard Kennedy and Trustee, Index on Censorship (Chair)

So join us on 27 May for this webinar to learn more about SLAPPs and our new resource aimed at empowering those speaking out in the public interest.

Register here

Left Speechless

8 Apr 2025

The devastation of war extends beyond the loss of civilian lives and destruction of cities.

Often overlooked is the profound psychological trauma that can leave survivors—including children—traumatised and sometimes, speechless. This panel will bring together medical experts and journalists to explore the psychological toll of living in a warzone that affects one’s ability to speak. Focusing on the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, the discussion will examine how war-induced trauma affects the most innocent victims.

This event celebrates the launch of Index’s latest magazine. Free copies available for those who attend.

Speakers

  • Rafael A González, clinical psychologist
  • Kieran King, head of humanitarian, War Child
  • Youmna El Sayed, journalist
  • Gabriella Jozwiak, journalist

 

Click here for tickets

Stand with Belarusian Political Prisoners on Belarus Liberty Day

19 Mar 2025

Join Index on Censorship for a powerful Belarus Liberty Day gathering outside the Embassy of Belarus to demand freedom for political prisoners unjustly detained by Lukashenka’s regime.

In solidarity with those behind bars, members of the Belarusian diaspora will read letters from Index on Censorship’s Letters from Lukashenka’s Prisoners campaign. We will ask attendees to write the names of imprisoned journalists, artists, and human rights defenders outside the embassy—a reminder to them, their friends and family and to Lukashenka that they are not forgotten.

Please join us! Spread the word and RSVP by sending an email to [email protected] if you plan to attend.

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