The interactive documentary shows how graffiti artists, cartoonists, dancers and actors are fighting back against rising levels of violence and sexism on the streets of Cairo
Shout Art Loud shortlisted for Amnesty Awards
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CATEGORY: Religion and Culture
Hungary: Rapper and NGOs targeted by state crackdown
Hungarians working with “foreign intelligence” have been labelled “traitors” by the deputy prime minister. The comment follows a spate of cases of government censorship and intimidation over the past year. Aimee Hamilton reports
Padraig Reidy: Creeps with cameras and the first amendment
More often than not, the United States’ first amendment forces some real thought and analysis to take place in public life, writes Padraig Reidy.
Julia Farrington: The Barbican, Exhibit B and “progress zero”
Index on Censorship’s associate arts producer explores the issues around the Barbican’s presentation of Exhibit B, a work by Brett Bailey.
Some of our favourite banned books
Monday was the beginning of Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read and have access to information. Since the launch of Banned Books Week in 1982, over 11,300 books have been challenged, according to the American Library Association.
Eleven free speech controversies at American universities
A Yale student group’s choice to host writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali was met with widespread protest. This is not the only recent example of a free expression dispute at a US campus. Dave Coscia writes
Meltem Arikan: Aren’t women’s voices equivalent to muteness in Turkey?
In a new poem written for Index on Censorship, Turkish playwright and author Meltem Arikan explores the status of women in Turkey.
The godfather of Iranian hip-hop wants grassroots change
Being a hip-hop artist in a country where the genre is banned comes with many challenges Iranian rapper Hichkas explains. Mari Shibata reports
Malaysia: The newspaper that can’t print “Allah”
An appeal for Catholic newspaper The Herald to be allowed to print the word Allah in its Malaysian edition has been turned down. Tom Francis writes
Poland: Dissident theatre director fired by city mayor
Ewa Wojciak and The Theatre of the Eighth Day speak out against injustices. It’s deplorable that they should be repressed by the authorities of their city, writes Index contributor Tomasz Kitlinski
Padraig Reidy: What is the alternative to boycott?
The concept of boycotts, and particularly cultural and academic boycotts, have for a long time been problematic for people engaged in the promotion of free expression.
Padraig Reidy: Blasphemy laws protect only power, never people
Religious persecution is real, and should be fought. Freedom of belief is a basic right. But blasphemy laws protect only power, and never people.
