LATEST FROM INDEX ON CENSORSHIP
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The world’s “coolest dictator” is ruthlessly opposed to free speech
Under Nayib Bukele, El Salvador has the highest global incarceration rate
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The week in free expression: 14-20 June 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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Escaping Afghanistan was painful but staying meant silence – or worse
As an exiled journalist, I urge the UK government to provide real protection for those forced to flee their countries for telling the truth
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I was once a journalist in Gaza – now I’m a refugee in Egypt
Denied the right to do my job, I’ve gone from reporting on the frontlines of the Israeli military campaign to fighting for my survival in exile
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Who’s the Boss? Trump and Springsteen’s war of words
It is ironic that the US president, a supposed champion of free speech, has threatened Bruce Springsteen for expressing his thoughts
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Georgia: Independent media face increasing repression as new laws come into effect
Laws on foreign funding and broadcast content empower authorities to censor, prosecute and close media that provide vital news to the public
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Protest is becoming perilous in the USA
The freedom to demonstrate is being dismantled
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The week in free expression: 7–13 June 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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The Reckoning: A new play brings Ukrainians’ war stories to life
Using real testimonies, the London production shines a light on the experiences of victims of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
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The female TikTokers silenced through murder
Women influencers around the world are killed for simply speaking online
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The week in free expression: 31 May–6 June 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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UK journalists face growing personal threats and say media freedom is at risk
A new Reuters Institute report on the British media landscape found that nearly half of those surveyed think the truth is shaped by people in power
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The threat minorities face in Syria
Recent violence in the coastal regions of the country has seen the Alawite community targeted. What does the new leadership mean for coexistence of...
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The EU is losing patience with Hungary
Will the bloc stand up to Viktor Orbán’s oppressive anti-LGBTQ+ laws?
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The week in free expression: 24–30 May 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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Afghanistan’s silent healthcare crisis
A ban on female healthcare workers is leaving women’s health and maternity services in a dire situation under Taliban rule
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On Russia’s naughty list
Amnesty International, tech giant Apple and the Russian-language news outlet Meduza have an unfortunate bond
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Corruption in Nigeria silences healthcare whistleblowers
A lack of protection for health workers is widening the West African country’s inequality gap
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The week in free expression: 17–23 May 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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Arrested for criticising Hamas – in London
Campaigner Peter Tatchell was detained on Saturday in a case that shows all that’s going wrong with free speech in the UK today
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How Lukashenka uses healthcare against political prisoners
On the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Belarus, Index explores how healthcare is being used as a weapon to silence diss...
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Ten years in Saudi prison for a tweet
British national Ahmed al-Doush has been sentenced over a seven-year-old deleted post
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The week in free expression: 10–16 May 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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Donna Ockenden: “There has got to be an absolute commitment to listening to women”
The senior midwife speaks to Index about the culture of silence surrounding maternity care failures in the National Health Service
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Annabel Sowemimo on the silent killer in the NHS
The doctor, writer and activist discusses the difficulties of speaking out against institutional racism in UK healthcare settings
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The female keyboard warriors taking on Myanmar’s military junta
Inside and outside the country, digital activists are using the power of the internet to expose human rights abuses
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Celebrated author Margaret Atwood wins The British Book Award for Freedom to Publish
The Handmaid's Tale author was awarded the prize in partnership with Index on Censorship
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Kashmiris are disappearing from the streets
India's government is ramping up repression in the Jammu and Kashmir region
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Young people in Turkey are defying decades of oppression
Mass youth protests have mobilised a fragmented society into action and enlivened the political opposition
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Kashmir’s residents are living under the watchful eye of surveillance
Since the disputed region had its semi-autonomous special status revoked in 2019, communities have faced increased scrutiny
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The week in free expression: 3–9 May 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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Uniting in Budapest to cleanse the image of Hungarian universities
Hungary's approach to academic freedom is being rewritten with the help of a prominent British educational magazine, argues Sally Gimson
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The Turkish government’s grip on journalism is tightening
With 90% of the country’s media now controlled by the state, it is becoming harder and harder to report independently
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When music becomes a battleground
From Kneecap to Jonny Greenwood, recent gig cancellations reveal how fragile free expression has become in the shadow of war
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World Press Freedom Day: Remembering Victoria Roshchyna
We remind ourselves of the sacrifices of journalists around the world
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Greek democracy is being dismantled
Greece has been rocked by accusations of government corruption and a phone-tapping scandal involving opposition politicians and journalists
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The week in free expression: 26 April-2 May 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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Myanmar’s deadly earthquake highlights the country’s media restrictions
Reporting from Thailand, Index looks at how the military junta has denied international journalists entry to Myanmar following the disaster in March
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In Mexico and Honduras, state agents target journalists while governments claim to protect them
Wendy Funes, winner of the Index 2018 Freedom of Expression award for journalism, is among those who have been consistently threatened for doing th...
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World Press Freedom Day 2025: Journalists reflect
With the annual celebration taking place on 3 May 2025, six journalists from around the globe tell Index what press freedom means to them
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Press freedom is deteriorating in Turkey
Ahead of World Press Freedom Day, a journalist with experience of imprisonment in Turkey speaks to those who have been arrested repeatedly
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Venezuela’s prison problem
From inhumane conditions to unjust detentions, Index explores the plight of political prisoners in the Latin American country
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Left speechless: How trauma is leaving children in Gaza unable to communicate
The psychological toll of living in a warzone is causing young people to lose their ability to speak
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The silence around sexual assault in India’s universities
Rape victims on campuses are being urged to keep quiet, with people's reputations prioritised over stopping sexual violence
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Tunisia’s Spring is over
President Kais Saied's rule is becoming increasingly authoritarian
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The week in free expression: 19–25 April 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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When trade wars become culture wars
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly under pressure to repeal hate speech laws in order to secure a favourable trade deal with the USA
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RFK Jr could be a disaster for American healthcare
It is deeply troubling that the USA’s new health secretary believes in conspiracy theories and is hostile towards modern medicine
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Mahmoud Muna: “There is a policy of oppression towards cultural institutions”
Index interviews “the bookseller of Jerusalem” about the recent raids on his bookshop and the ongoing crackdown on literary free expression in Isra...
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The week in free expression: 12–18 April 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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Celebrating Europe’s biggest bullies
Who’s made the most effort to throw legal threats at the little guys? A tongue-in-cheek round-up of the European SLAPP Contest 2025
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Tariffs and tight control
Chinese censors are feasting on the chaos that is Donald Trump’s trade war
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Whistleblowers silenced over failings in NHS pregnancy care
Index investigates the culture of secrecy shrouding maternity services and women’s healthcare in England
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The harassment of Chinese-Australian artist, political cartoonist and activist Badiucao must end
More than 40 organisations from around the world stand in solidarity with the award-winning cartoonist
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The week in free expression: 5–11 April 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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The Roma women abused under Czechoslovakia’s haunting legacy
Under Soviet rule, Roma women were subjected to forced sterilisation. Today, they are still facing discrimination in their reproductive care
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The TV station the Taliban would love to ban
A satellite channel has set up shop in Paris to broadcast educational and lifestyle programmes to women and girls in Afghanistan
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UK court rejects Home Office bid to hear Apple encryption case in secret
Index on Censorship, Big Brother Watch and Open Rights Group welcome ruling over UK Government attempts to gain backdoor access to data
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Autocrats above the law
In today’s geopolitical climate, even lawyers need lawyers
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The week in free expression: 29 March–4 April 2025
Index rounds up of some of the key stories covering censorship and free expression from the past seven days
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Has Donald Trump’s hit list been inspired by Viktor Orbán’s?
As the US president continues his attacks on universities and the media, it’s worth noting that a democratic leader has done this before
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The Kurdish journalists being targeted in Syria
Media workers in the Kurdish-led autonomous region in northern Syria have long suffered attacks by Turkish forces and extremist groups
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President Museveni’s crackdown on Ugandan TikTokers
Social media spaces are shrinking as freedom of speech is further eroded in Uganda, leaving no safe haven for critical thoughts
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The freedom to travel is becoming a privilege, not a right
Countries once considered liberal are increasingly denying dissenters entry at their borders
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The week in free expression
Index rounds up some of the biggest stories in the global free speech landscape from the past seven days
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Mother’s Day 2025: Celebrating the women taking on authoritarian regimes
From Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to Laila Soueif, we pay tribute to mothers around the world who are fighting unimaginable battles for free speech and...
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Power to the people?
Our fundamental right to protest is being eroded in the UK and USA
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USA urged to protect press freedom and keep journalists safe after order to gut United States Agency for Global Media
The US President has signed an order calling for the USAGM to be “eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law"
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The extraordinary decency of Athol Fugard
Filmmaker and actor Gavin Hood reflects on his relationship with the late South African novelist, playwright and director, who has died aged 92
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The end of impunity for Rodrigo Duterte
Justice has finally caught up with the former Philippines president
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Standing in solidarity with VOA, RFE/RL and RFA
The Trump administration is moving to shutter these essential media outlets. This will aid autocrats and further silence voices of dissent
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Rights groups call for Apple’s closed appeal against the Home Office’s encryption-breaching order to be opened to the public
Representatives of rights groups have written to the President of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal to call for Apple's case to be made public
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Students versus the state in Serbia
As huge protests continue to take place, harassment and violence are escalating
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This World Book Day, let’s fight for the freedom to read
Following an Index investigation into banned books in UK school libraries, the annual celebration has taken on a new meaning
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Hollywood: the Pentagon’s secret weapon
Roger Stahl speaks to Index about the Department of Defense’s continuing influence on Hollywood movies
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Iran’s silenced musicians
As the list of those persecuted in the country grows, it is obvious that Iran’s leadership is systemically opposed to musical free expression
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The existential threat to international aid and consular assistance
With the UK modelling the USA's approach to aid cuts, independent journalism and political prisoners could be in a perilous position
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Jimmy Lai, the troublemaker
A new biography details the life of Hong Kong’s most outspoken political prisoner – the book's author Mark Clifford talks to Index about Lai’s reso...
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One year on from his death, Alexei Navalny’s legacy is still alive in Russia
Thousands of brave Russians continue to pay their respects to the late opposition leader and speak out against Putin’s regime
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Australia is turning up the heat on environmental activists
Climate protesters in Australia face a higher risk of arrest than those in any other country, and direct action is becoming harder
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Trump, Zelenskyy and the war on truth
Donald Trump's assertions about the Ukrainian president convey an alarming normalisation of false realities and an affront to accuracy
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Why can’t we just ban politicians from lying?
An outright ban on intentional deception would be unenforceable, lead to self-censorship and do nothing to tackle the disinformation plaguing socia...
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Index pays tribute to Israeli journalist and human rights activist Oded Lifshitz
Lifshitz, who was killed after he was taken hostage during the 7 October massacre, was an ardent campaigner for Palestinian rights
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“In a fascist regime, culture becomes propaganda”: concerns over growing censorship in Israel
Israeli filmmakers and academics have responded to the government’s crackdown on cultural institutions that depict the events of 1948 and showcase ...
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Elon Musk’s attack on public broadcasters is destroying Reagan’s Cold War legacy
Once lauded as bastions of American patriotism, media outlets such as Radio Free Europe and Voice of America are now being labelled enemies of the ...
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Could Donald Trump’s administration be a double-edged sword for free speech?
We speak with the USA-based non-profit Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) about the new president's complicated approach to fre...
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Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The people of Belarus are showing the dictator that they want him gone”
Following January's sham election, political activists and journalists willing to challenge Aliaksandr Lukashenka face prison, exile or worse – but...
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Index calls for the immediate and unconditional release of author and bookseller, Mahmoud Muna
Author Mahmoud Muna and his nephew Ahmad Muna were arrested by undercover Israeli police with dozens of their books being confiscated
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Under the Taliban, Afghanistan’s musicians have fallen silent
A complete music ban has meant both professionals and amateurs must stop playing or risk their lives. We explore the impact on those in exile and t...
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Golazin Ardestani: “They controlled my voice, my body, my agency”
Since Iranian singer-songwriter Gola fled her home country in 2011, she has continued her fight for women's rights in exile
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Big Tech shouldn’t punish women for seeking abortions
With Trump now in office, state and local governments in the USA must push tech companies to protect women’s private data
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Joe Mulhall, Solá Akingbolá and Hanna Komar champion silenced musicians
Index on Censorship launches the latest issue of its magazine with a powerful night of poetry and music
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Bobi Wine still standing up to oppression in Uganda, politically and musically
Yoweri Museveni’s most formidable challenger refuses to be silenced and remains on the frontline of protest
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The war on drill
The police are disproportionately censoring and criminalising music by young Black men, with drill at the forefront
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Afghanistan’s female lawyers are the latest target for the Taliban
Pursuing a legal career has become impossible for women in the country. Some of those women told Index their stories
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Editor in exile: One journalist’s daring escape from Myanmar
Index travels to Germany to meet exiled newspaper editor Kyaw Min Swe, who faced torture and imprisonment at the hands of the military junta
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Liam Payne’s death signals an epidemic of silence in the music industry
While the future looks brighter, the mental health of artists has long been neglected
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Lukashenka’s election plan is to shut down the internet – again
In the run up to the Belarusian presidential election, Index's Belarus researcher reflects on her own experience during protest crackdowns in 2020
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How might Donald Trump’s executive orders impact free speech?
The new president has signed more than 100 directives that will alter the course of US policy. We look at how they will influence free expression i...
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How did you do in our banned books quiz?
Were you one of the five winners in our year-end competition? Find out the answers to those fiendish clues
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Index on Censorship welcomes the release of Palestinian human rights defender and lawyer Diala Ayesh
Ayesh was released from administrative detention on 14 January 2025 by Israeli authorities
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Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 2034 World Cup is just another attempt at sportswashing
Undemocratic states that seek to exploit soft power to hide their human rights abuses should be condemned, not celebrated
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How can Gaza rebuild its culture?
With a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas now imminent, Index reflects on the damage done to Palestine’s cultural institutions
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A story of forgotten fiction in Vietnam
The country's rich literary history has been plagued by censorship and book bans
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Will Meta’s changes to content moderation work?
Are Mark Zuckerberg's recently announced plans to ditch existing fact-checking policies motivated by winning political gain?
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What could Assad’s downfall mean for freedom of expression in Syria?
Syrian journalists have been subjected to free speech violations for decades. Could the future hold hope for a more open media landscape?
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Bashar al-Assad has fallen: now I must continue writing
A formerly imprisoned, exiled journalist talks about his plans to return to Syria and resume reporting
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It’s been quite the year for freedom of expression
We’ve seen severe violations by repressive governments – but we’ve also seen remarkable acts of defiance by political activists, journalists and pr...
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Pakistan faces increasing internet censorship
Internet shutdowns are nothing new in the country, but authorities appear to be using them as a form of control now more than ever
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Book censorship is rife on Amazon.com, according to a report from The Citizen Lab
The research laboratory has identified that books with LGBTQ+ and religious themes are being restricted for sale online in the Middle East
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Can academic freedom survive Donald Trump’s plans for thought control?
The president’s aim to remove power from universities and punish so-called “woke” ideology has chilling implications for free speech globally
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Will Syria’s future leaders restore human rights for all?
Bashar al-Assad’s government was toppled by Syrian rebels this week, bringing the dictator’s 24-year-reign to a close
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Decolonisation in name only: Sedition and free expression in India
As Mohammed Zubair’s case shows, the “world’s largest democracy” is still holding on to outdated and repressive laws that class journalism as a threat
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Hanna Komar explores the trauma of oppression through her new play
The Belarusian poet wrote Body in Progress to expose how persecution has a profound impact on the body and mind
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Media regulator fails to properly protect freedom of expression in online safety draft guidance
Index on Censorship criticises Ofcom’s inadequate ‘passing references’ to users’ privacy rights and warns of legal battles if draft guidance on enc...
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Belarus is a prison for freedom
Freedom of expression in Belarus is costly and the price is years off your life
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Human Rights Day 2024: A tribute to human rights defenders
Index on Censorship spotlights four people standing up for human rights around the world
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Human rights organisations condemn criminal complaint lodged against award-winning journalist Mohammed Zubair
Index on Censorship and other organisations highlight the continued use of sedition to target independent reporting and public interest speech
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The power of protest
Peaceful demonstration is a fundamental form of self expression, and a crucial mechanism of any democracy
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Science in Iran: A catalyst for corruption
Index looks at why being a scientist in Iran is so dangerous, and what is left behind when advancement is hindered
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Index launches year-end banned books competition
Solve fiendish cryptic clues from the mind of author Marc Nash to identify the book titles and win one of five 12-month magazine subscriptions
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Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi released from prison
Joint statement by the International Counsel Team at Doughty Street Chambers, Index on Censorship and Human Rights Foundation
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Venezuela: a blueprint for tackling a rigged election
A citizen-led movement to capture accurate voting tallies revealed that Nicolás Maduro did not win the country's election
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COP29: Azerbaijan’s flagrant human rights abuses undermine its role as climate conference host
The men in black who patrolled the corridors of Baku’s Olympic Stadium indicated the level of surveillance that activists are now under
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The dangers of boycotting Russian science
As physics laboratory Cern ends co-operation with Russia and Belarus over the Ukraine war, Index talks to exiled scientists
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Boualem Sansal faces life imprisonment if found guilty of national security charges
The Algerian novelist has long been a controversial figure for his criticism of his home country and extremist Islam
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A big week to remember
The past week has been busy for Index and in Hong Kong. It is up to us all to ensure award winners and political prisoners are not forgotten
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Index on Censorship announces 2024 Freedom of Expression award winners
Campaigners, artists and journalists from Iran, Palestine, Russia and Uganda are named in awards ceremony in London this week
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The reappearance of Stalin’s ghost in modern Russia
Denouncements of citizens for anti-Russian sentiment and punitive psychiatry are rising in the former Soviet Union
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How Putin’s Russia is weaponising psychiatry against its critics
The Russian leader is revisiting the Cold War playbook by using mental manipulation to silence dissidents and its use is growing
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Democracy, but not as we know it
Donald Trump’s re-election is indicative of a broader global trend towards a new age of veiled authoritarianism.
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Who will protect freedom of expression now?
What terrible things will happen while we are all distracted by the clown in the White House?
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Anything is possible: 35 years on from the fall of the Iron Curtain
As we mark the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989, we should remember that democratic change can come very quickly
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Mozambique faces protest crackdown following disputed presidential election
The police have killed at least 20 people during a march led by an opposition leader, whilst hundreds more have been injured or arrested
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In India, the money from state advertising is too tight to mention
Angana Chakrabarti reports from the North Eastern region, where government advertising is used as a tool to control the media
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Donald Trump’s re-election is disastrous for free speech
Today is a day of despair – but it is also a day for those of us who genuinely care about free expression to come together to protect and promote it
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Index on Censorship announces 2024 Freedom of Expression award shortlist
At a time of growing conflict, threats and censorship, the shortlist for this year’s Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression award highlights the...
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On the brink
Freedom and democracy are on the ballot in the US presidential election
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The UK Government must defend its citizens around the world
As the new Prime Minister vows to protect press freedom and tackle impunity, we're reminded of the many British citizens who are unjustly imprisone...
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Celebrating the music of Toomaj Salehi
This week marks two years since Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was arrested, and although his death sentence has been reversed, he still languishes i...
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Rap is not a crime, yet my cousin remains behind bars in Iran
Two years ago today, Toomaj Salehi was arrested because his music was unjustly seen as a threat.
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Press freedom and journalist safety in peril, rising polarisation and a climate of fear – findings of the press freedom mission to Georgia
After a fact-finding mission to Georgia on the state of free expression, a consortium of organisations, including Index on Censorship, present thei...
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Film censorship risks emboldening those who threaten violence
Cinema screenings are fairly cancelled in the interests of public safety - but does this further relinquish the voices of those seeking to expose i...
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Platform on Safety of Journalists demand reform in Ireland following anti-SLAPP conference
Partners of the Platform call on Irish authorities to continue to prioritise media freedom and better protect journalists.
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Living in gangster times
Reporting on organised crime in the eastern state of Bihar is a deadly business
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Tainted scientists
Katie Dancey-Downs talks to the scientists who have been censored for questioning the effectiveness of animal testing
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Journalists have a “right to life”
The rich and powerful are increasingly acting with impunity to silence, sometimes permanently, those who seek to shine a light on their activities
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Georgian dream – or nightmare?
Ahead of a national election next week, Index CEO Jemimah Steinfeld visited Georgia's capital Tbilisi. She observed that the country, formerly one ...
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Be nice, or you’re not coming in
The Indian government is revoking the status of its overseas citizens and denying visas for those critical of Modi
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The show must go on
Ravish Kumar was one of the biggest independent voices of Indian channel NDTV before he dramatically resigned to set up his own YouTube channel in ...
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Ukraine: Index and partners mourn death and demand justice for Victoria Roshchyna
Organisations welcome the opening of an investigation into the death of the Ukrainian journalist who died in unclear circumstances while in Russian...
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Detained, blindfolded and threatened with death: a week in the hands of Ukraine’s Russian occupiers
Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna was on her way to Mariupol when she was taken hostage. She recounts her ordeal here
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All the news that’s fake to print
Index on Censorship's new editor rounds up the stories that have made headlines this week including disinformation around the Florida hurricane
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Index pays tribute to Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna who has died in Russian detention
The war reporter wrote from the front line for several Ukrainian news outlets before she was captured by Russian forces last year, and has now died...
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Al Jazeera’s closure sets a dangerous precedent for journalism, says union
The shutdown of the West Bank news centre has been labelled a security step by Israeli officials, but a worrying form of press suppression by media...
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One year on from 7 October: free speech violations in Israel and Palestine
Amongst the horrendous loss of life and destruction, journalists and peace activists have been persecuted. We summarise Index's coverage of censors...
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Telling fact from fiction
Journalistic "black holes", such as in Gaza and Sudan, curtail people's ability to understand geopolitics and conflict
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Georgia: Press freedom and the safety of journalists in peril
Findings of a recent press freedom mission to Georgia by the Council of Europe’s Safety of Journalists Platform, of which Index is a member
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Israel’s closure of Al Jazeera’s West Bank office is a blow to press freedom
This is just another example of Israel’s suppression of Palestinian journalists, which stops them from documenting the brutal war in Gaza
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British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah denied freedom once again
The political prisoner remains behind bars after serving a five-year jail term, but his family won’t stop campaigning for his release
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Is jail time for Just Stop Oil protesters justified?
When countries like the UK and the USA start punitively punishing peaceful but disruptive protesters, the world needs to be on watch
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The hypocrisy of how Western democracies respond to protest
Nations in the "Global North" continue to crack down on protests and freedom of expression, while condemning similar actions abroad
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ODEE and Fishrot: Index signs letter in support of artistic freedom
An artist is being sued by one of Europe's largest fishing companies and now dozens of organisations are asking for the case to be dropped
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United Nations member states must call for Toomaj Salehi’s release
The family of Toomaj Salehi are calling for Iran to immediately and unconditionally release the jailed Iranian rapper
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The most ridiculous book bans
For Banned Books Week 2024, Index staff share some of the most absurd examples of literary censorship
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Who holds the pen on scrutinising the most powerful?
The influence wielded by newspapers has come into sharp focus in the past week
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The corporate silencing of the truth about Ukraine’s “Holocaust by bullets”
Index co-hosted the private UK premiere of an important film about the Babyn Yar massacre to persuade CBS News to release key footage
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Breaking end-to-end encryption would be a disaster
Index launches campaign to highlight why politicians should not rush to add a "back door" to messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal
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Iranian filmmakers pull it out of the bag
An exploration of some of the innovative strategies employed by Iran’s directors to circumvent censorship
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Two plus two equals five in US presidential debate
The adjective Orwellian is overused but the surreal ABC News debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris can only be described that way
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Silenced Afghan women raise their voices in hope
Women gather in Albania in defiance of the Taliban's new "vice and virtue" laws which aim to stop them from being heard
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Fictitious legal letter threatening legal action is sent to every sitting MP
UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition, of which Index is co-chair, launches campaign as Parliament delays establishing anti-SLAPP protections
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Bread, Work, Freedom
Afghan women gather in Tirana for global summit to defy the Taliban
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Back to school: a hard lesson for Hong Kong
Secondary school students are now going to be educated in Xi Jinping Thought to promote patriotism for China
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Israel’s trajectory into a nascent police state
Israel’s push towards authoritarianism by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition is not slowing down during the country’s ever-expanding mil...
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The enforced silence of Afghanistan’s women
Taliban-enacted "vice and virtue" laws have taken away both voices and human rights
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Modi’s plans to muzzle India’s internet
The Indian government may have withdrawn the latest version of its Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, but Modi still intends to bring his onl...
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The great X-odus
People are leaving X by the droves and with good reason. But it still has many strengths, not least in connecting Index to dissidents
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The painful death of Syria’s independent media
A number of independent media outlets opened in the wake of the Arab Spring but lack of funding and poor governance has seen them fold
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Why Project 2025 is a threat to a free media
A prototype for Donald Trump in power will restrict local independent journalism
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Banned: school librarians shushed over LGBT+ books
A special investigation reveals more than half of UK school librarians surveyed by Index have been asked to remove books from their shelves
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Violent repression and torture in Zimbabwe on eve of major development conference
Index reports on the government’s increasing brutality towards protesters and human rights activists
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The importance of local journalism to understanding the UK riots
Mill Media with its network of local journalists was able to spot the rising far-right threat to asylum hotels well before their national counterpa...
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Belarus: If you want freedom, take it
Today marks the fourth anniversary of the disputed election in Belarus that saw Alyaksandr Lukashenka take a sixth term as president
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Russia, disinformation and two Olympic boxers
Female boxer Imane Khelif is guaranteed a silver or gold today at the Paris Olympics but her achievement has been marred by false claims that she i...
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How many letters can they shred?
The Belarusian president-elect in exile, denied her victory by Lukashenka, writes exclusively for Index on the country's political prisoners
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Undercover freedom fund
We talk to the founders of Bysol, a non-profit humanitarian foundation using cryptocurrency to help dissidents in Belarus and aid the Ukrainian war...
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UK journalists fall victim to new police tactics
Journalists covering protests in the UK are still being arrested, even before they have arrived at the demonstrations
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Vladimir Kara-Murza: The dissident spirit of Russia
The historian and writer represents views which run counter to the authoritarian tendency that has dominated the country for so much of its recent ...
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The unstilled voice of Gazan theatre
Laura Silvia Battaglia recalls the last play she saw in Gaza and talks to its director today about how theatre is still providing a voice for the d...
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Russia: Index welcomes release of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Evan Gershkovich from jail
The vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and the Wall Street Journal reporter are among a number of people released as part of a prisoner exchange
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First they came for the Greens
A look at the violent attacks being carried out against Germany’s Green Party as politicians standing on an eco-ticket in the European Parliament e...
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The Bangladesh government has been killing student protesters but reporting it has become nearly impossible
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ministers are trying to cover up what the government has done and is blaming external “terrorists” and opposit...
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Kenya: Young reporters and NGOs targeted as part of clampdown on Gen Z protests
Our reporter talks to a young journalist and the director of a young people’s organisation who have been threatened and censored for their work
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Iran: Complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in response to the ongoing judicial persecution of Toomaj Salehi
Index on Censorship, Human Rights Foundation and Doughty Street Chambers make submission on behalf of rapper's family
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Ukraine | A chronicle of censorship
A TV giant in the USA is preventing a documentary film about the Babyn Yar massacre being shown
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The latest rubbish joke from China
An unexpected view of China and the Wall Street Journal’s sacking of a reporter named chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association hit the headli...
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How Russia is shaping the Syrian media narrative
The way that announcements about illnesses and deaths are reported shows signs of external influence
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It’s radio silence around Venezuela’s election
Venezuela is heading to the polls on 28 July but both national and international media are being stifled when it comes to reporting on the election
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Rwanda polls: The Kagame “landslide” that would embarrass other dictators
A lack of meaningful opposition is behind the incumbent president's re-election
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Encouraging signs on freedom of expression after Starmer’s first week
Appointments to and actions from the new Cabinet suggest a shift in approach
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Report pinpoints role of likely Russian troll networks in European election disinformation
Thousands of social media accounts promoted pro-Russian propaganda and conspiracy theories
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Exhibition about Russian political prisoners cancelled over Israel-Gaza row
A London art gallery has pulled an exhibition about Russian dissidents because an Israeli artist refused to condemn "the Zionist regime"
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Fears mount over health of Azerbaijani political prisoner
The son of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu speaks to Index about the deteriorating health of his father, who was imprisoned on fabricated charges in 2023
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Lukashenka unexpectedly releases political prisoners
Despite the announcement, more than 1400 remain behind bars in Belarus leaving questions over leader's motives
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General Election 2024: We can’t assume Keir Starmer will be a champion of all things anti-censorship
Index has a long history with the UK's new Prime Minister but we will still hold him to account on free expression
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Football can’t escape the free speech debate
UEFA’s plan to keep politics out of football at this summer’s European Championships has been difficult to enforce
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Julian Assange released: What now?
The plea deal reached between the WikiLeaks founder and the US government sets a worrying precedent
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Has Russian disinformation caused Europe’s lurch to the right?
A tsunami of disinformation from Russia may have helped far-right and Eurosceptic groups in this month's European Parliament elections
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A chilling update from Belarus
Despite Lukashenka's regime running trials in absentia for its critics overseas, the opposition remains vocal
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Our manifesto: the next UK government’s necessary actions to restore freedom of expression
From protecting protest rights to addressing transnational repression, the upcoming government has a lot to do to fully restore freedom of expression
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Iran’s supreme court overturns death sentence given to Toomaj Salehi
Decision welcomed by Toomaj Salehi's family, Index on Censorship, Human Rights Foundation and Salehi's international legal team
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Index on Censorship seeks new Communications and Events Manager
Role sits at heart of the organisation, helping to lead the communications strategy through social media management, events and media
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Iranian cartoonist Atena Farghadani sentenced to six years in prison
Facing “harshest punishment” for her activism, Atena Farghadani must be released immediately
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Fears of censorship grow as Modi begins third term
Despite the BJP’s reduced number of seats, there are fears that journalists and India’s civil society will be further silenced
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The silencing of media in times of war
National security arguments cannot become a tool to control free expression in democratic societies
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No D-Day for the Channel Islands
The recent inquiry into slave labour camps on Alderney showed much of the story of the islands remains untold
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Looking forward: Challenges facing online speech regulation in India
With the Digital India Act on the horizon, Index is working to ensure the country's proposed regulatory regime can protect free expression for ever...
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Slovakia: democracy just bearing up
The country is one of the smallest members of the European Union and sometimes struggles to develop a vision for itself
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Are people in Israel getting the full story on Gaza?
The world is seeing a completely different war from the domestic audience
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Israeli military censor bans highest number of articles in over a decade
The sharp rise in media censorship in 2023 comes as the Israeli government further undermines press freedoms, especially amid the Gaza war
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Bahrain: Joint letter on human rights situation to the United Nations Human Rights Council
Index joins more than 30 other organisations to raise concerns over the situation in the country 13 years after popular uprisings were quashed
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South Africa votes amid corruption and rampant abuse of power
Thirty years on from the dismantling of apartheid, the country's electorate are still waiting for real change
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On never being able to stop
Our outgoing CEO Ruth Anderson shares her thoughts as she hands over the freedom of expression baton
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Are we sleepwalking into Orwell’s nightmare?
Forty years on from Nineteen Eighty-Four, a panel of freedom of expression experts has explored the relevance of the dystopian novel to now
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Georgia’s foreign agent bill: an existential threat to democracy
Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets in an attempt to stop the country's slide into authoritarianism
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How artificial intelligence is influencing elections in India
Deepfake videos and other content is appearing with increasing regularity and regulators are too slow - or are unwilling - to act
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New magazine Atar fills information void in Sudan
As a brutal war rages in Sudan a new publication fights to share stories which would otherwise be lost
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The death of North Korea’s propaganda chief marks the end of an era
Kim Ki Nam spent decades shaping the narrative of the totalitarian state and building a personality cult around the ruling Kim dynasty
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Sting, Margaret Atwood, Elif Shafak and Coldplay join more than 100 artists, musicians, writers and leading cultural figures to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi
Musician faces death sentence after three years of judicial harassment, including arrest, imprisonment and torture
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Protesting to save democracy in Georgia
All those across the world who care about freedom need to demonstrate solidarity with protesters on the streets of Tbilisi determined to defeat a n...
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Urgent appeal filed with United Nations for Iranian rapper sentenced to death for his music
Toomaj Salehi, who was beaten and tortured in jail, has just 20 days to appeal charges of "corruption on Earth"
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Nobody is safe from Iran’s protest crackdown
Protests over Toomaj Salehi's sentence have rightfully begun, but his is not an isolated case
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Burkina Faso has chosen the tool of the tyrant
A report into the death of 223 civilians in the African state has led to a clampdown on the media
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We the screamers
The atrocity deniers are everywhere and we need to scream over them with the truth
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Statement: Iranian dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi sentenced to death
Index on Censorship has issued a joint statement with ARC and PEN America condemning a decision by an Iranian revolutionary court
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The death penalty is the new normal in Iran
Our weekly newsletter leads on the announcement of a sentence we all feared for rapper Toomaj Salehi
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Toomaj Salehi: A voice of defiance
Our 2023 Freedom of Expression Art Award winner was jailed for the power of his words. Now he faces the death sentence
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Review | Storyteller: Photography by Tim Hetherington | Imperial War Museum until 29 September 2024
An exhibition of the work of the acclaimed late photojournalist has opened in London. The recipient of the fellowship that bears his name visits
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Why we cannot afford to look away
We are at risk of disaster fatigue around the war in Ukraine as new atrocities crowd the story out of the news
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We must not forget what is happening inside Iran
The Iranian authorities have cracked down hard on domestic protest, particularly by women, says exiled film-maker
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India’s hate speech trackers are being blocked
Even from exile in the USA, a Kashmiri journalist critical of India’s ruling BJP is being silenced
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Vladimir Kara-Murza: The family man who has spent two years in prison
Campaigner Bill Browder calls the jailed Putin critic "the type of person that our world needs the most"
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Tiananmen’s Zhou Fengsuo and the Hong Kong democracy movement’s Nathan Law: Always looking behind
Index spoke to two prominent Chinese dissidents about their experiences of moving abroad to protect themselves from persecution
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Why critics like Jay Rayner have a role in battling self-censorship
Our CEO ponders the challenges of being a reviewer after reading the latest column from the Observer's restaurant writer
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Kara-Murza’s detention, two years on: A tale of resilience amid Russian authoritarianism
On the two-year anniversary of the journalist and activist's detention in Putin's Russia, we call on the UK to take action
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More than 60 experts call for the Anti-SLAPP Bill to be amended
Leading editors, lawyers, journalists, academics and experts say bill should be amended to ensure it can protect everyone speaking out in the publi...
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Index on Censorship appoints Jemimah Steinfeld as its new Chief Executive Officer
Steinfeld will succeed Ruth Anderson, who is leaving Index to focus on her role as a Labour Party shadow minister in the House of Lords
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Desperation mounts for Afghanistan’s persecuted journalists
A year on from our call to action in Spring 2023, the situation for journalists under the Taliban is bleaker than ever
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Israel’s civil and human rights are under siege
The shuttering of Al Jazeera is just the latest in a series of restrictions introduced in response to the war in Gaza
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Reflections six months on from 7 October
Our CEO says that we must address the root causes of a conflict that has led to the deaths of more than 31,000 people
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When the old fox walks the tightrope
Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act is a poisoned chalice – and not just for the nation’s LGBTQ+ community. Our East Africa contributing editor discuss...
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Joint letter to mark 1000 days of hunger strike by Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace
Index has joined with more than 25 other human rights organisations to call for the release of the Bahraini human rights activist
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Evan Gershkovich: We must be as loud as possible
The unlawful imprisonment in Russia of the WSJ reporter has huge implications for media freedom worldwide. We can all play a part in bringing about...
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Solidarity, Assange-style
Our editor-at-large opens up about his personal, complicated relationship with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
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The SLAPP stickers
A conversation between a wokey comedian, Rosie Holt, and her wonky lawyer brother, Charlie Holt, co-chair of the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition, on how op...
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When is a landslide not a landslide?
It’s a question which Vladimir Putin has clearly been thinking about after what would ordinarily be considered a decisive win in last week’s Russia...
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The journalists being threatened with artificial intelligence
Perpetrators of gender-based violence are wielding a new digital weapon against Pakistani journalists
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Iran: do you want the good or the bad news?
A great privilege of working at Index is, and always has been, the amazing people we get to encounter, such as Iranian musician Toomaj Salehi
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Why withdrawal of labour is the ultimate expression of freedom
Forty years on from the miners' strike, our CEO says we are duty-bound to uphold and defend the right to express dissent
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New Assange film hopes to spur action
The director of a forthcoming documentary on Julian Assange speaks to Index about how he hopes it will motivate people to take action before it’s t...
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Navalny told them not to give up – and they didn’t
People across Russia risked arrest to pay their respects to the dead opposition leader during a 'climate of terror'. We spoke to some of those who ...
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Remembering the women who pay the ultimate price for freedom
On International Women's Day, our CEO Ruth Anderson reflects on another deadly 12 months for female dissidents
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Mexico: Obrador’s attacks on freedom reach new heights
The Mexican president is attacking independent institutions and publicly shared a critical journalist's telephone number
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Calls to sanction architects of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act grow
Uganda's LGBTQ+ community live in fear for their lives following the passage of draconian legislation in Uganda last year. The international commun...
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Ukraine’s resilience shows us how to stand up to oppression
The two-year anniversary of Russia's illegal war in Ukraine reminds us that even in the depths of war there must always be hope
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UK, USA continue attack of protest rights
Recent incidents add to an already worrying picture of the protest landscape in the respective countries
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Index reiterates our urgent call for Assange to be freed
The final stage of Assange's UK appeal begins today. The international community must unite in their support to free him
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Pakistan election surprise highlights ways to fight censorship
During the recent elections Pakistan saw internet blackouts and a media narrative dictated by the military. But opposition leaders showed how to fi...
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Alexei Navalny dead
Putin's fiercest critic has died in an Arctic Circle penal colony. An Index writer remembers his fond and foolish friend
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Love in the time of dissent
A week in which many are celebrating their love has turned the focus on those dissidents who are forced to be separate from their partners and fami...
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The deadly challenges of reporting on Sudan’s “forgotten war”
The simple act of asking questions, or holding a camera, places a target on your back and hundreds have been attacked and even murdered
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China’s feminists walk a tightrope
Within China's extremely censored environment, some conversations on feminism are seemingly untouched while others are shut down straight away. The...
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Joke’s on Lukashenka speaking rubbish Belarusian. Or is it?
Belarus’ belligerent leader is both tyrannical and comical. It’s fodder for the nation’s comics – when they’re not being muzzled
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We have a duty to protect our politicians
The threats faced by Mike Freer and Nikki Haley are not isolated incidents but symptoms of a broader trend towards intolerance and extremism
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Why a manipulated image of a politician is the tip of the AI-ceberg
The role of traditional media as a trusted source of news is under threat from artificial intelligence as this story from Australia shows
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Sport faces growing censorship problem over the Israel-Gaza war
Governing bodies are becoming increasingly heavy-handed in their attempts to remain neutral in the conflict
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The fragility of freedom
Recent history has shown us our own naïveté of hoping for an end to horrors like the Holocaust
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Index on Censorship launches search for new chief executive
Freedom of expression charity seeks new leader to help write the next chapter in the organisation's more than 50-year history
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Moments of Freedom winner announced
Agfhan reporter's flight to safety in Paris from the Taliban is the moment you chose as part of our year-end campaign
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How censorship wins
Publishing with freedom has become impossible in Belarus
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The suffering of Wael al-Dahdouh in “deadliest conflict for journalists”
Al Jazeera's bureau chief has lost many family members in the Gaza conflict including his son Hamza, one of 76 Palestinian journalists who are repo...
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Fined thousands for a joke
Malaysian Comedian Rizal Van Geysel tells Francis Clarke how jokes landed him with a court case which inspired his recent show
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Explained: Ecuador’s state of emergency and free expression
A notorious gang leader's escape from prison has plunged Ecuador into chaos, prompting the president to declare a 60-day state of emergency
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Jimmy Lai’s “co-conspirators” speak out after being named in Hong Kong trial
Bill Browder and Benedict Rogers are among those singled out in the Hong Kong-British businessman’s trial on charges under the national security law
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Chinese election interference tests Taiwan’s capability to defend freedom of speech
Analysts say Taiwan needs to strike a balance between defending free speech and addressing the impact of China’s disinformation campaign
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The unravelling of academic freedom on US campuses
When the lines between speech and action have been ambiguous, US colleges have moved too far towards clamping down on what people say. Now pro-Pale...
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From the Danube to the Baltic Sea, Germany takes an authoritarian turn
German authorities are increasingly silencing pro-Palestine activism in an effort to stamp out anything they fear could be seen as antisemitic
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The world needs to learn from Masha Gessen moments
The Russian-American writer was at the centre of a controversy yet things were not exactly as they first seemed
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What does Tusk’s victory mean for oppressed groups in Poland?
The ousting of the Law and Justice party after eight years in power is cause for celebration, but change will not happen overnight
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Putin’s control threatens Russian dissident voices
Whilst war rages in Ukraine it is easy to lose sight of those saying loudly that the Russian state doesn’t act in their name
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Hacking is far more than a security issue. It chills free speech
The recent sanctioning by British and US governments of Russian intelligence operatives sheds light on a growing tactic used to intimidate and sile...
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Art institutions accused of censoring pro-Palestine views
Ai Weiwei and other artists speak to Index amid a spike in censorship within the art world right now as a result of the Middle East conflict
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We must not stay silent on Iran’s use of the death penalty
Hundreds have been executed in Iran this year as the regime continues to punish those involved in the protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death
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UK’s hostile environment continues to silence already persecuted people
By pushing ahead with its controversial Rwanda plan, the UK government is breeding a culture of fear for asylum seekers
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Saying goodbye to Kissinger the criminal
The forgotten dead of the nations that ‘realpolitik’ devastated are still crying out for justice
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The UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition welcomes Wayne David MP’s Anti-SLAPP Bill
A Private Members’ Bill being presented today is a crucial milestone for the UK to stamp out all SLAPPs targeting public interest reporting
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Moments of Freedom in a bleak year
Our CEO Ruth Anderson talks about our year-end campaign, launched next week, which will focus on the times when light breaks through the darkness
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New online platform provides free education to girls in Afghanistan
Afghan girls are being denied access to higher education. The Begum Academy is trying to change that
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New report: Juries in defamation cases in Ireland
A new report from Index on Censorship looks at whether the Irish courts should dispense with juries in defamation cases
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If X is so hateful, why are we still on it?
When Elon Musk bought Twitter, we decided to wait and see whether it would remain a bastion of free speech as he promised. How's that going?
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Argentina’s Milei ushers in atrocity denialism, trolling and attacks on the media
After a campaign marked by online abuse, the libertarian president-elect could embolden the most violent elements of the far right
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Qatar fails to deliver on World Cup promises
One year on from the 2022 World Cup, improvements to human rights in Qatar have yet to materialise
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Life and death in Iran’s prisons
The human rights activist Narges Mohammadi faces yet more charges for her activism and her refusal to wear hijab
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Message to Cameron: No more fish and chips with Xi please
David Cameron is now Foreign Secretary of the UK. Following criticism over his links to China, Index looks at what should be on his agenda
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Punishment cells and limited legal recourse
The numbers of journalists and human rights defenders in jail in Belarus has heavily increased since 2020, while conditions inside have worsened
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Curtailing creativity today will lead to greater censorship tomorrow
Hungary's banning of photos that promote LGBTQI+ lifestyles and the sacking of the head of the country's National Museum are chilling reminders tha...
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The Magufuli hangover
Tanzania's civic space was hopeful for reform after the death of John Magufuli in 2021 but early optimism under President Samia Hassan has evaporat...
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Silent Palestinians in Gaza and Israel
It’s not just anti-war voices that are being gagged in a conflict that threatens to spiral out of control
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Why academic freedom and freedom of speech are not the same thing
The right to debate ideas in universities does not give free rein to voice hateful ideas outside that environment
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The stakes are high for free expression in Israel-Hamas conflict
Journalists have been attacked and killed, individuals have been silenced and protests banned as a result of the conflict
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Index CEO writes open letter on EU plans for political advertising rules
Ruth Anderson addresses European presidents on the chilling effect on freedom of expression of proposed new legislation
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Standing together for peace in the Middle East
Activists working for peace in Israel and Palestine came together this week to raise their voices
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Rights are still under attack globally
While the world is watching one conflict, our gaze is diverted from other important stories, writes the Index CEO
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Campaigner for Afghan girls’ education takes the path to freedom
A week after winning an Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression award, Pen Path’s co-founder has been released from a prison in Afghanistan
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2023 Freedom of Expression Award winners announced
Index on Censorship has recognised activists and campaigners from Afghanistan, India and Iran for their work at its annual awards ceremony
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X marks the spot where Israel-Hamas disinformation wars are being fought
The Elon Musk-owned social media platform used to be the go-to in times of crisis but its strengths for truth-telling are eroded and all but gone
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Myanmar’s growing doxxing problem
As a new Myanmar Witness report shows yet more evidence of critics being targeted online, the organisation’s lead investigator outlines the scale o...
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Media freedom groups call for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia
Index joins call for improved media safety on sixth anniversary of investigative journalist's murder
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Israel and Palestine – the key free speech issues
Freedom of expression looks certain to be a casualty as the Gaza Strip explodes into conflict
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1,000 days behind bars: In solidarity with Andrei Aliaksandrau
Andrei’s friends and former colleagues stand in solidarity with him as he remains imprisoned by Lukashenka’s regime for over 1,000 days
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“There is no book so dangerous that it should not be available in a library”
The banning of books has repeatedly proven to be a key tool in the arsenal of tyrants and repressive regimes, writes our CEO
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Why we need Banned Books Week more than ever
In just one year, book bans in the USA have increased by a third – largely targeted at works containing content on LGBTQ+ rights, race and racism, ...
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Questioning of journalist at UK airport highlights increasing overreach of border forces
Matt Broomfield's interrogation by police at the UK border is evidence of a worrying trend which threatens the ability of journalists to travel fre...
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How to celebrate Putin’s 71st birthday? At the Ukrainian festival telling him to ‘fuck off’
Next weekend, Kyiv's hipsters will be fed a diet of stand-up comedy, music, fashion and food as they raise a finger to their aggressive neighbour
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Trump raises the stakes on media freedom
Former President threatens to cancel the licences of media outlets he perceives to be critical of him should he be reelected in 2024
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The Embassy Murders: A new short story
Marking 50 years since Pinochet's coup and 33 years on from our introduction to political prisoner Paulina Salas in Death and the Maiden, she retur...
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India’s Right to Know under threat as social media giants bend to censorship
The big platforms are kowtowing to Indian government pressure to censor dissent while hateful content is promoted
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Botswana’s trans activists battling silence with creativity
Botswana has made progress on LGBTQ+ rights, but many still feel silenced. A growing movement of activists are using art as a vehicle for change
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Shortlists announced for the 2023 Freedom of Expression Awards
Artists, activists and journalists from Afghanistan, India, Myanmar and Somalia are among the nominations for this year's awards
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Britain’s legal system silences sexual assault victims
The Brand allegations highlight how British courts can be used by the rich and powerful to silence the victims of sexual assault
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Over 60 editors, journalists, writers, publishers and experts call on the UK Government to commit to a standalone anti-SLAPP law
The UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition, of which Index is a co-chair, has co-ordinated and sent a letter to the Government ahead of the King's Speech on 7 Nov...
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Parliament’s China spying scandal breaks the bond of trust
The arrest of a parliamentary researcher will have worrying implications for Chinese dissidents and their families
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‘There simply is no moral high ground anymore’ – Stella Assange
WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange is running out of options to avoid extradition, despite growing efforts from the Australian government to get th...
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‘People are scared to come, but we want writers, journalists and artists to visit’
The Lviv BookForum curator on organising a festival during a war, the importance of countering Russian colonialism and remembering fallen friends
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50 years on wounds still raw from Chile coup
The country is still divided over the dictator's legacy, as violence over the weekend shows
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“An attack on encryption unprecedented in any democracy”
The Online Safety Bill returns to the House of Commons for the first time in eight months on 11 September. This is the last chance the Government h...
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Vladimir Kara-Murza: ‘Putin has elevated his status’
As the Russian dissident turns 42 today in jail with a 25-year prison sentence ahead of him, it's important the world knows his name
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Online Safety Bill loophole opens door to unprecedented investigatory powers
On 11 September, the House of Commons will review the Online Safety Bill for the first time in nine months
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Zimbabwe’s ‘crocodile’ crushes dissent ahead of Wednesday elections
Human rights have been under attack since President Emmerson Mnangagwa came to power
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The day the music died
When Kabul fell to the Taliban two years ago today, musicians were among the first to experience repression
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“They simply do not care about us”
A male-dominant political sphere contributes to a toxic environment for women in Nigeria. Some are speaking up, but the barriers are high
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Is X really a bastion of free expression?
The Center for Countering Digital Hate says the social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, is not doing enough to tackle online hate
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All lose out when books are banned
We should be celebrating books that seek to challenge our world view, not banning them
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Report: At what cost? Chinese funding and academic freedom in Europe
Read our publication on Chinese funding and academic freedom in Europe as part of our #BannedByBeijing campaign
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It is time for the EU to be an ally for freedom of expression
As Spain assumes the presidency of the European Union, the bloc needs to reflect on the draft political advertising regulations
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Pakistan’s political vandals
As Pakistan gears up for a general election, Ahmadi Muslims are experiencing vandalism at the hands of police and extremist politicians
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Afghans who supported the British government’s mission now face death
We have turned our backs on those left behind in Afghanistan. It is not too late to act
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What is the Marxist vision of journalism?
China has launched an education platform for would-be reporters that requires them to pledge loyalty to Xi Jinping
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Chilling intimidation campaign against journalist outside Chinese borders
Anonymous efforts to silence a Dutch reporter are signs of increasingly shameless psychological warfare by the Chinese
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Britain’s Holocaust island
The peaceful island of Alderney was involved in the darkest chapter of World War II. Both residents and politicians have tried to keep a lid on thi...
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“For Hong Kong, may freedom reign”
Our CEO Ruth Anderson reflects on a shocking week when China's transnational repression efforts escalated
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Belarus, the country where journalists are terrorists
Index speaks with the chair of the country's journalism association, which has now been labelled extremist
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Targeted activists vow “the voices of Hongkongers will never be eliminated”
After Hong Kong authorities issued arrest warrants for eight exiled pro-democracy activists, a panel including Christopher Mung and Finn Lau gather...
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Death of a storyteller
John Sweeney remembers Ukrainian novelist turned war crimes investigator Victoria Amelina, who has died in a Russian rocket attack on a watering ho...
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The international community must resist Hong Kong’s attempts to threaten human rights across the globe using the National Security Law
Eight pro-democracy activists living in exile in the UK, USA and Australia, including Nathan Law (pictured), are the subject of arrest warrants and...
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Seeking the real story of Prigozhin’s challenge to Putin
Finding the truth about what is happening in Russia is almost impossible but the country's remaining independent media are working hard to do so
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“Wherever I take this exhibition, they follow me“
Chinese dissident artist Badiucao highlights how he is targeted overseas by Beijing in their bid to silence him
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Celebrating the work of investigative journalists
Our chief executive reflects on the value of dedicated and determined reporters in unearthing the stories that must be heard
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The dangers in Europe’s proposals for political advertising
Our CEO Ruth Anderson says big tech platforms could be inundated with vexatious requests to remove content
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Index on Censorship host event Beijing would rather you didn’t see
Hear from Uyghur campaigner Rahima Mahmut and see art from Badiucao, Lumli Lumlong and vawongsir
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Afghan journalist speaks out on the UK’s “shameful silence”
An expert panel met last week to discuss the plight of Afghan women, journalists and refugees, and highlighted the urgent need for more pressure to...
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Twitter ‘Blue’: Sex workers, censorship and the fight for online visibility
After being shut out online, sex workers saw Twitter Blue as a tool for more visibility. However, it's had the opposite effect
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A lot of hot air: Johnson, Braverman and climate protests
Distate of tactics used by groups such as Just Stop Oil should not be used as an excuse to further erode public assembly and protest rights
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Maria Ressa: “Journalism research has no integrity if it endangers journalists at risk”
Rappler editor-in-chief breaks silence over Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism report on digital news
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There is no right to be heard
Our CEO defends the right of people, with views and values different to her own, to express themselves
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Tiananmen Square? Don’t mention it
Efforts by Beijing to wipe out any memory of the Tiananmen Square massacre continued to expand the past week. But ways to remember expanded too
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This is no joke
In China a comedian risks jail time for mocking the army. Dr Qian Gong and Dr Jian Xu chart the rapid rise and potential fall of stand-up in the co...
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Turkey and Thailand: Two elections, different outcomes
One poll remains deadlocked while another has seen the population vote for a change of direction
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Sir Salman Rushdie wins Freedom to Publish Award
Author says has freedom of expression has never been under greater threat in the West in his lifetime
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Coronation crackdown: It couldn’t happen here…could it?
The heavy-handed treatment of anti-monarchy protesters at King Charles III's ceremony is ominous
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Turkey’s elections: “No rule of law anymore”
The country’s human rights landscape has disintegrated since Erdogan took over in 2003
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Turkish youth turn to YouTube amid stifling of information
In the weeks leading up to the election, young professionals lean on YouTube to gather varied and impartial news
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Don’t give up on Myanmar
The country has a vibrant future believes author Oliver Slow, despite the military junta's attacks on dissent
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Argument for urgent intervention in Jimmy Lai case laid bare in new report
Pressure on UK government to intervene in Lai case highlighted in a new report, which exposes the destruction of media freedom in Hong Kong
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Defying the Taliban – A stark reminder of the collapse of Afghan women’s rights
Last Thursday, human rights organisation Anotherway Now hosted a screening of the Sky News documentary ‘Defying the Taliban: women at war in Afghan...
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India tightens grip on social media platforms
New rules that force platforms to "fact-check" content relating to government business are deeply concerning, say digital rights activists
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Modi’s India: The age of intolerance in the world’s biggest democracy
Recent estimates suggest that India has now overtaken China in population size, but where the world's most populated country should be a beacon of ...
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The daily risks taken by Afghanistan’s female journalists
Life for women in the media has been bleak since the Taliban takeover, and experts don’t see that changing anytime soon
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Facebook policies put human rights defenders at risk
Laws designed to stop political ads being used for misinformation on Facebook are being used to target opponents to Egypt's government
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Salma al-Shehab becomes the latest Saudi prisoner to go on hunger strike
The 34-year-old mother of two was sentenced to 34 years for exercising her freedom of expression
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Destroyed ballot boxes, arrests, assaults – Nigeria reels from latest elections
Violence around Nigeria’s elections was aimed at voters and at journalists. The country’s media professionals are still shaken
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In Mexico, a journalist is attacked every 13 hours. The government is to blame
Under fire from organised crime and from the government, reporters working in Mexico have been subject to nearly 700 attacks in the past calendar y...
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The harsh reality for Afghanistan’s journalists
Two reporters share a plea to the world not to forget them as they face intimidation from the Taliban and restrictions on their ability to work
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Media outlets excluded from UK Home Secretary’s trip to Rwanda
Index raises second Council of Europe alert over exclusion of journalists seen as critical of Government's immigration policy
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Journalists battle for truth after Turkish earthquakes
Since February’s earthquakes, free speech NGO the Media and Law Studies Association has been monitoring attacks on journalists in Turkey. The resul...
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‘Thank Gary Lineker for being a true advocate for refugees’
A sports journalist, who can't work safely in Afghanistan anymore, tells us why Gary Lineker's stance meant so much to him
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Israel: Free expression hangs in the balance
The attack on the Supreme Court is just one way in which due process and dissent are coming under fire
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Open up your doors as you promised
Even journalists who escape Taliban rule face deportation, starvation and imprisonment so the UK needs to honour its commitment to Afghan journalists.
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The UK Government must honour its pledge to resettle Afghans at-risk
The number of Afghan journalists and media workers who are in imminent danger remains incredibly high, inside the country and beyond
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Bunker Cabaret: From the bomb shelters of Kyiv to Somerset House
Ukranian collective explores the making of art in time of war
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Academic freedom under threat for more than 50% of world’s population
The ability to express and discuss ideas openly is being curtailed in univerisites, new data published by the Academic Freedom Index reveals
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UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition welcomes end of Realtid case
Index and other coalition members continue to call for urgent action to be taken against SLAPPs after settlement of case against Swedish business p...
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UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition reiterates its support for Carole Cadwalladr
Index joins other members of the coalition in welcoming court’s dismissal of majority of appeal in legal action against journalist in Arron Banks case
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Censoring Roald Dahl is not the answer, just a problem
Rewording Dahl's classics sets a worrying precedent. Instead of censoring his works we should invest in promoting new, diverse talent
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Do Chechens really support Putin’s war in Ukraine?
Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine mirrors the two bloody wars for independence in Chechnya. But those speaking out publicly against Ramzan Kadyro...
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The silence after the earthquake in northwestern Syria is deafening
Bahar al-Assad is using the natural disaster that has killed thousands to launder his reputation internationally while ordinary Syrians suffer
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The shock waves from Turkey’s Twitter restriction
Criticism of the Turkish government in the wake of this week's deadly earthquakes led to the blocking of the social media platform
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CCP undermining the right to protest in the birthplace of European democracy
Activists in Greece protesting China’s hosting of the Winter Olympics in 2022 were arrested
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Iran protests: “Mahsa” Amini does not exist
The name of the woman murdered by Iran’s “morality police” was Jina Amini but Kurds in the country cannot use their real names, says British-Kurdis...
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“I have gone through hell”: assault, starvation, discrimination
An Afghan journalist says her escape from the Taliban to Pakistan has only gone to show why the UK government must do more
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Hong Kong’s travesty of a show trial begins
The Hong Kong 47 are now on trial. There is nothing free or fair about this
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Iran’s erased women remembered
A new exhibition by Soheila Sokhanvari celebrates Iranian freedom and womanhood
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Two years on: The dwindling freedoms following Myanmar’s military coup
On the second anniversary of the coup, democracy in the country is slipping further away. A Burmese-led organisation and an exiled journalist descr...
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Brazil is falling into an abyss
Attacks on free expression in the country are the worst since the dictatorship ended in 1985, writes a journalist from Brazil
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Those who refuse to despair
Today, 27 January, is the birthday of our former colleague Andrei Aliaksandrau, another one spent in jail thanks to his opposition to the regime of...
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New play gives a voice to the forgotten Crimean Tatars
The powerful work tells the stories of indigenous Tatar dissidents and their families on the Russian-occupied peninsula
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We need to end SLAPPs now
The UK’s legal structure continues to let oligarchs bully reporters
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Major new global free expression index sees UK ranking stumble across academic, digital and media freedom
A major new global ranking index tracking the state of free expression is published today
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Ntwali’s death is a huge loss for Rwanda’s challenging media landscape
The journalist was one of the few to challenge the long-standing president. Who will speak out now?
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‘We won!’ Maria Ressa’s victory is a win for global media freedom
As a Philippines tax court acquits veteran journalist Maria Ressa, she and Rappler celebrate - and continue to hold the line
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Crown Confidential
The UK Royal Family’s obsession with secrecy is blurring history and making it hard for us to get the full picture
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Royal secrecy surveyed
As part of our special report Index sent a survey to 28 historians and journalists who work with archives related to the Royal Family. We received ...
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Join our Twitter storm of protest against Salma al-Shehab’s 34-year sentence
On Sunday 15 January, we mark the two-year anniversary of the arrest of the University of Leeds student on her return home to Saudi Arabia
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Tyrant of the year 2022 named
You voted in your thousands and there was a clear winner, Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador
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Belarus: Free Andrei and Irina now
Index on Censorship and ARTICLE 19 call for charges against human rights defenders to be dropped
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Remember their names: The protesters executed by the Iranian authorities
Four men have been executed following unjust show trials in Iran. Here's what we know about them
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Secrets, lies and a costly legal battle
A historian has paid dearly in his quest to access archives on Mountbatten, which should have been readily available. Here he writes about the pers...
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What the royals don’t want us to see
We trawled through hundreds of blocked archives on the UK Royal Family to present a flavour of what is off limits
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Ramita Navai: No turning back from Iran’s women-led uprising
The British-Iranian journalist and author of the award-winning City of Lies speaks about the growing protests in her homeland
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Pavel Litvinov: A dissident hero
An interview with Red Square demonstrator Pavel Litvinov on his role in founding Index, Russian imperialism and the war in Ukraine
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In memory of Viktor Fainberg, 1968 Red Square demonstrator
The dissident fought hard for free expression and paid dearly. Here we shed more light on his amazing life
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Seeing Auschwitz is a timely reminder of the importance of documenting atrocities
A new exhibition in London takes a different viewpoint on the horrors of the Holocaust
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Why end-to-end encryption is essential for national security and public safety
As the Online Safety Bill makes its way through Parliament, we look at why at least one element of the proposed legislation has not been thought th...
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The Saudi problem: can human rights ever trump trade?
As we mark 23 months since University of Leeds dental student Salma al-Shehab was arrested after returning home on holiday, we ask whether the UK F...
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New South Wales’ chilling landscape for environmental protest
Australian authorities are dramatically ramping up the sentences faced by peaceful climate crisis protesters
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An insidious and unlegislated form of policing?
The Metropolitan Police has made hundreds of requests to remove online content in the past year. Every single one of them related to drill music. T...
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China’s tradition of inventive protest is in full swing
Protesters in China unhappy with Xi Jinping's government and its policies are getting creative with their messages
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Who is 2022’s Tyrant of the Year?
Choose from our shortlist of 12 despots and vote on who you think has done most to crack down on freedom of expression this year
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Landmark report finds China using arts “to silence critics and drive censorship”
Major new investigation from Index on Censorship reveals the scale and reach of the CCP’s international soft power push across the European arts la...
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New legal opinion on the Online Safety Bill
Index on Censorship has commissioned a legal opinion by Matthew Ryder KC and finds that the powers conceived would not be lawful under our common l...
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Letter to Justice Secretary: Adoption of a UK Anti-SLAPP Law
Editors, journalists, lawyers and academics write to Dominic Raab to express support for the Model UK Anti-SLAPP Law launched by the UK Anti-SLAPP ...
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A new generation of protesters in China?
Trying to make sense of the protests in China right now is hard but one thing's certain - they hint at the existence of greater dissent than the CC...
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Failed empty gesture 0 – 1 Strong silent stand
The Iranian team's defiant stand against oppression at the World Cup in Qatar puts everyone else to shame
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Italy: a call in support of Roberto Saviano
The Italian writer is facing a lawsuit for aggravated defamation initiated by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
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“The Online Safety Bill will fundamentally undermine rights to freedom of expression”
Index and other organisations ask UN Special Rapporteurs to intervene on proposed UK legislation
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Junket journalism is taking off in China
China’s attempts to woo foreign journalists and bloggers in bid to control conversation
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Questions that Sunak should have asked Mohammad bin Salman at G20…(but probably didn’t)
As we continue to mark the ongoing detention of University of Leeds PhD student Salma al-Shehab, we look at what could have been discussed at this ...
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Roberto Saviano: Italian democracy on trial
The Gomorrah author heads to court tomorrow in a case that illuminates the precarious state of media freedom in Italy
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How ‘industrial football’ was used to silence protests
Football fans turned out in large numbers during the Gezi Park protests in Istanbul. They’ve paid the price since
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Xi’s real China dream
China’s leader is football mad and he has put the sport at the forefront of many initiatives. When it comes to the nation’s freedoms that’s been a ...
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Letter to Suella Braverman on policing of Just Stop Oil protests
Index joins other organistions in writing to the Home Secretary to say the arrest of journalists threatens press freedom in the UK
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Detained, cuffed and thrown in a cell for seven hours: reporting protest in the UK in 2022
A London reporter describes the day he ended up in jail simply for doing his job
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Refereeing rights: Why we shouldn’t expect footballers to hand out human rights red cards
Do sports stars have a duty to be politically active? A leading philosopher argues that the responsibility lies elsewhere
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Journalism is at risk from the National Security Bill. We’re fighting back
Imagine a country where the authorities target investigative journalists as spies, and outlaw news and campaigning organisations that receive forei...
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Coalition of journalism organisations slams the National Security Bill
Index, RSF, the NUJ and openDemocracy say the overly broad and vague way the bill is currently drafted could see journalists labelled as spies
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Preparing for a new fight against book bans
Just over a month after Banned Books Week 2022, the risk to literature has intensified. Depending on the outcome of the US midterms, moves from Rep...
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Model UK Anti-SLAPP Law
Advancing robust protection against SLAPPs within the parameters of the MOJ’s proposed legislative framework
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Can a familiar face herald a new start in Brazil?
After spending two years outside his home country, Guilherme Osinski returned to vote in hope of an end to the dark years of shame for Brazil
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World leaders will have “blood on their hands” if Alaa Abd El-Fattah dies
Attendees at COP27 need to raise the case of the British-Egyptian writer before it's too late, say the activist's sisters
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What Russia’s children think about the war in Ukraine
Since the end of February, author Yulia Yakovleva has interviewed children aged five to seventeen. Their testimonies are invaluable
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Winners of Index’s 2022 Freedom of Expression Awards announced
The “bravery and brilliance” of free expression champions from China, Cuba, Russia and Ukraine celebrated at annual awards
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Britain needs to do more to help Jimmy Lai
A panel convened in the House of Lords on Monday to highlight the plight of Hong Kong activist and media mogul Jimmy Lai
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What does Hu Jintao’s Great Hall removal mean?
A who, what, why on the dramatic moment China's last leader was removed from the Party Congress
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Postcard campaign provides comfort to Jimmy Lai in prison
US students are sending the imprisoned activist postcards in act of solidarity
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“Where is the sense of urgency?”
Civil society coalition calls out delays in justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia
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A dark light
In the five years that have passed since Daphne Caruana Galizia's death, her family have had to fight to demand both justice and accountability for...
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Letter to UK Foreign Secretary on Salma al-Shehab
Index and other human rights organisations call on Rt Hon James Cleverly to act in case of jailed Saudi national
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Keep up focus on rights in Qatar argue Index panel ahead of World Cup
“If there is ever an opportunity to try and pretend a country is a nice country, it’s when everyone is diverted by someone kicking a football,” sai...
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How to make the Online Safety Bill work for the British people
A new briefing report on five key areas for UK government decision-makers to consider in order to protect free speech for adults
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Women pay ultimate price for Iran protests
As the world marks the tenth International Day of the Girl, young Iranian women are risking everything to stand up for their rights
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How well do you know the beautiful game?
What do you know about the intersection of human rights and football? Take our quiz and find out
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14-year sentence for Andrei Aliaksandrau “a damning indictment of Lukashenka’s Belarus”
Index and ARTICLE 19 call on Belarusian authorities to quash prison terms and release our former colleague, his wife and others from the BelaPAN ne...
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How China’s limited human rights have collapsed under Xi Jinping
As Xi Jinping likely starts an unprecedented third term in power next week, Jemimah Steinfeld reflects on the China he took over 10 years ago and w...
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Anti-SLAPP measures cannot come fast enough
New rules cannot come fast enough as Kazakhstan university endowment fund associated with former president issues legal proceedings against UK medi...
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Brazil: tragedy, farce and fascism
Brazil's far-right demons are loose and democracy is under attack, writes author Urariano Mota ahead of Brazil's elections
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The woman exposing the propaganda puppet masters
Emma Briant researches the players behind some of the largest misinformation and disinformation campaigns today
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The Online Safety Bill must be completely overhauled
Index calls on the new Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to ensure legislation does not damage rights to freedom of expressi...
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Iran shuts down internet after protests spiral over 22-year-old’s death
Access to popular platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp has been stopped following the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the country's mo...
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Banned Books Week 2022: In conversation with Xinran
In recognition of Banned Books Week 2022, Index on Censorship’s Jemimah Steinfeld interviews author and journalist Xinran about censorship in China
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China must protect the rights of Huang Xueqin and Wang Jianbing
On the anniversary of the detention of two young Chinese human rights defenders, Index joins call for country to uphold its international obligations
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Joint statement on the proposal for the European Media Freedom Act
Index joins with other journalists’, media freedom, and human rights organisations to call for strengthened efforts to increase transparency in med...
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Mexican journalists are still being failed
Mexico has long been a ruthless place for journalists and press freedom. According to the international human rights organisation Article 19, 156 j...
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Saudi Arabia is equating free online expression with terrorism
As we mark 20 months since the arrest of Salma al-Shehab, Index calls for the country’s Specialized Criminal Court to be overhauled
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LIVE: Protest and the Royal succession
The Queen's death has put freedom of expression under the spotlight after anti-monarchy protesters were arrested. Read our rolling coverage of the ...
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‘Bolsonaro represents death’ reflects Brazilian journalist ahead of elections
I was born in the city of Curitiba, in the south of Brazil, and I was always proud to be Brazilian. Since Jair Bolsonaro came to power on 1 January...
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UN report cites serious human rights violations in Xinjiang but ultimately fails the Uyghurs
The UN Human Rights Office report on China's activities in the region has finally been published after long delays and on the day the High Commissi...
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Mikhail Gorbachev: the Soviet leader who learned to love freedom of expression
The former president, who has died at the age of 91, wrote presciently in the pages of Index on Censorship
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Writers and free speech champions celebrate Salman Rushdie’s work
Supporters of the author read extracts of his work to show their support as he remains in hospital following horrific attack on 12 August
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Share your messages of support for Salman Rushdie
Join us in sending messages of support to the author, who was attacked as he prepared to give a lecture in New York state in August 2022
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Index condemns 34-year sentence for Salma al-Shehab
Saudi women’s rights advocate faces longest ever prison term for a peaceful activist after tweeting support for prisoners of conscience
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Read Salman Rushdie from the Index on Censorship archives
On 12 August 2022, Salman Rushdie, the author of the book The Satanic Verses, was attacked as he prepared to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Insti...
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Iranian society has been taken hostage, says exiled documentary film-maker
Vahid Zarezade and Gelareh Kakavand have been forced to flee the country after being interrogated and beaten for their work highlighting conditions...
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Why are the letters of political prisoners in Belarus so cheerful?
Censorship of communications means that those detained by Lukashenka's regime are not free to express themselves openly
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Index supports The Shift News in freedom of information battle with the government of Malta
The media outlet had requested details of dealings between government entities and Media Today co-owner Saviour Balzan
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Theatre censorship: An index reading list
Index on Censorship has always supported the theatre of resistance, and our Winter 2021 magazine even had this issue as its main theme. In Belarus...
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Index on Censorship files media freedom alert after Sinn Féin MLA legal action
Index on Censorship is concerned at the lawsuits that have been filed against journalist Malachi O’Doherty and columnist Ruth Dudley Edwards. Both ...
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Where poetry is labelled extremism
The removal of the Rajapaksa clan will not solve Sri Lanka’s deeply ingrained problem with corruption and the repression of dissent
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The emotional baggage of being a refugee
A celebrated Croatian journalist writes an exclusive essay on what a refugee should pack in their suitcase and how they must be prepared to learn a...
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Fighting tyranny with poetry: Myanmar’s silenced voices
The last time a political activist was hanged in Myanmar was in 1976, when the ethnic Chin student Salai Tin Maung Oo, 25, was executed for seditio...
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Remembering the political prisoners executed in Myanmar
Kyaw Min Yu and Phyo Zayar Thaw were prominent voices in the democracy movement in Myanmar. But on 25 July 2022, state news outlet Global New Light...
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Co-chairs of UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition welcome Government’s action on SLAPPs
Dominic Raab to announce legislative measures that includes recommendations from coalition co-led by Index on Censorship
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A memorial for the man who told the world about the Babyn Yar massacre
Anatoly Kuznetsov is the author of Babi Yar: A Document in the Form of a Novel. His memoir is a masterpiece of Ukrainian literature and a testament...
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Belarus: Andrei Aliaksandrau writes of his “travels”
Our former colleague writes from prison as his trial is suspended for two months
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Peru has a rare thing: a political leader who won’t speak to the press
President Pedro Castillo has not given a statement to the media for more than 100 days. The country’s journalists fear democracy is at risk
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Kurdish journalists arrested as Turkey flexes its muscles
Journalists in Turkey are once again being targeted in one of the country's largest Kurdish-majority cities, explains a director from the Media and...
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You can’t “put the genie back in the bottle”
A panel of activists, journalists and writers from Hong Kong reflect on the rights landscape as the city marks 25 years since the handover and why ...
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Lukashenka’s justice on show
As Andrei Aliaksandrau and his fiance face treason charges, another activist shares her own experiences of Belarus' court system
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The dangers of “red tagging” and other lessons from the Philippines
Rey Valmores, a 25-year-old political activist from Quezon City, on the challenges faced by campaigners in the Philippines in advance of this week’...
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All eyes on “one of the safest countries in the world”
As Commonwealth leaders meet in Rwanda, few believe Boris Johnson's assessment of the country. Index speaks with the adopted daughters of Hotel Rwa...
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Fifty years of Pride and prejudice
Pride started as a way to give voice to the silenced, but it lost its way. Ahead of its 50th anniversary, a new protest movement has emerged
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Cancelling Russian culture is today’s moral imperative
Putin has used Russian culture to further his aims. Promoting it today risks furthering his agenda, writes Marina Pesenti
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Bill of Rights will seriously undermine freedom of expression in the UK
Index joins other organisations in calling for the UK Government to abandon proposals that would weaken or replace the Human Rights Act
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Cancel Putin, not culture
Artists must unite in their opposition to authoritarian regimes and there should be an end to the blanket boycott of Russian culture
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Beijing is rewriting Hong Kong’s handover history. We must not allow it
Residents of Hong Kong are going to be given “fortune bags” this month. Millions of people in the city of 7.4 million will receive bags containing ...
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Index expresses concern over Julian Assange extradition
Home Secretary Priti Patel's decision will have a chilling effect on journalism and put the Wikileaks founder at risk
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‘The Amazon is a lawless land’
Journalist Dom Phillips and Bruno Araújo Pereira went missing in the Amazon in Brazil. Index spoke to one of the people who last saw them
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Cineworld’s cancellation of Lady of Heaven screenings: an unheavenly response
Cineworld has cancelled all UK screenings of a film in what sets a worrying precedent
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“A joker, a poet and an idealist”
Belarusian journalist and poet Sabina Brilo (below) on her friend Andrei Aliaksandrau who goes on trial today
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Egypt: Activist Abdelrahman ‘Moka’ Tarek is free
Human rights groups who have been campaigning for several years for the release of the blogger and human rights defender can finally celebrate
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Belarus: An open letter from Andrei Aliaksandrau on his day in court
Our former colleague writes to his supporters as his trial on charges of treason opens in Belarus
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China’s fifth most wanted democracy advocate looks back at Tiananmen
Zhou Fengsuo was a student at the time of the Tiananmen Square protests. He tells Jemimah Steinfeld how peaceful times turned to horror
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Iran enters the multiverse of madness
The Iranian government is holding propaganda events while attempting to silence protests against corruption following a building collapse in Abadan
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Chad: Return to democracy still seems a distant prospect
A reconciliation dialogue promised after the death last April of the central African country's president is in turmoil
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500 days lost in a Belarusian prison
Our former colleague Andrei Aliaksandrau reaches another bitter milestone as a political prisoner in Belarus
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Belarus: the free press continues despite attacks
The chair of the Belarusian Association of Journalists says reporting is harder than ever because of government crackdowns and war in neighbouring ...
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Awards nominees “celebrate those on the front line in the fight to protect freedom of expression around the world”
Index on Censorship announces shortlist for 2022 Freedom of Expression Awards
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Index on Censorship and Reporters Without Borders welcome High Court’s decision in Realtid case
Swedish business publication and its journalists still face SLAPP cases over articles about Eco Energy World and its founder
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Index raises concerns over exclusion of journalists from UK Home Secretary’s Rwanda visit
Alert filed with Council of Europe over key media being unable to hold Priti Patel to account as she announces migrant plan
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Syria passes draconian cybercrime laws
Country is latest to criminalise vaguely defined fake news to target human rights activists and journalists
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“I believe in a new Russia but Putin is going nowhere”
Russian liberal politician, economist and professor Grigory Yavlinsky has long been a thorn in the side of Vladimir Putin. As the founder of the Ru...
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Online Safety Bill will “significantly curtail freedom of expression”
Gavin Millar QC has produced the first analysis of the implications of the Bill for the British media and journalism, the courts and the UK’s digit...
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Attacks on journalists covering protests increase says new report
The latest annual report from the Council of Europe safety of journalists platform makes for worrying reading on media freedom
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Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter – good for free speech?
The tech entrepreneur has made it clear that free speech is at the forefront of his decision to buy the social media platform. We explore just what...
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Apple’s Chinese and Russian takedowns come under scrutiny
A new report by GreatFire and whistleblower Ashley Gjovik reveals the tech giant complies with far more requests from the two governments than else...
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Shanghai lockdown shows how far Xi will go to control population
Criticism of China's Covid-Zero policy is being censored online
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Dissidents, spies and the lies that came in from the cold
Index on Censorship started at the front line of an ideological war
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Index condemns lawsuit against Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins
21 organisations say lawsuit issued by Russian oligarch Yevgeniy Prigozhin is a SLAPP
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Switching from cute animals to war: A Ukrainian children’s author speaks out
Kateryna Yegorushkina is a Ukrainian children’s writer and publisher from a town close to Kyiv. Here, in our second video on the state of free expr...
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Today’s dissidents in Russia: tech savvy and willing to risk it all
Despite the huge risks attached to defying Putin, a handful of Russians are still speaking up. We profile six here
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Hungary elections 2022: What does another Orban term mean for freedoms?
The godfather of "illiberal democracy" - Viktor Orban - is fighting his fiercest election battle to date. What exactly is on the line when Hungaria...
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Call for an end to beatings and abductions of journalists and protesters in Ukraine
Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Centre for Civil Liberties in Kyiv, condemns the actions of Russian troops
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Beijing’s fearless foe with God on his side
Jimmy Lai Chi-Ying, Hong Kong’s 74-year-old self-made billionaire, is a dissident. His cause is freedom. For championing this cause, he has been ja...
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Andrei Kurkov on Russia’s war against Ukrainian culture
Anyone who believes that Ukraine should remain independent and become part of Europe is already an enemy of Russia, says the celebrated author
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The Buena Vista Social v The Kremlin
The empty chairs at the empty tables in a journalists’ hangout in Kyiv are a tribute to the ultimate price paid for free expression
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Ukrainian reporter forced to film propaganda video before release
Victoria Roshchina, who works for independent media channel hromadske, had to deny she was being held captive
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Margaret Atwood: We are entering a new era of book banning
The multi-award winning novelist, essayist, poet and activist wrote in the 50th anniversary issue of Index on Censorship magazine
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Plays, protests and the censor’s pencil
Shakespeare was no stranger to censorship from the Elizabethan and Jacobean police states. Here we chart how the Bard’s plays amused monarchs and d...
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Mother-tongue abusers
The writer Zinovy Zinik on the moment his granddaughter learnt about Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, and how it devastated her fairytale view ...
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Ukrainian news reporter detained by Russia’s FSB
The whereabouts of Victoria Roschina, who works for independent news channel hromadske, is unknown after her detention
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1972: Nixon went to China, BBC banned McCartney and Index was published
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] You may have heard that the 70s were different. In 1972, when the first issue of Index magazine was launched, n...
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Fight… and overcome
As the war in Ukraine intensifies, we publish exclusive new translations of two Ukrainian poems that highlight the country’s struggle against invas...
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Hong Kong’s National Security Law reaches the UK
High-profile activist Benedict Rogers, who lives in London, is being targeted using the draconian law in what is believed to be its first use outsi...
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How an independent broadcaster in Ukraine is defying the invasion
The TV and YouTube channel hromadske has been forced to abandon its studios but keeps the news flowing
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Does Russia’s war have popular support? Navalny says not
Some 14,000 people, including children, have been detained for protesting the war. Putin's pollsters say Russians support it
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Lament for Hong Kong
Watching the crushing of Hong Kong’s media is heartbreaking and confirms the dictum that censorship inevitably degenerates into absurdity and corru...
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They “have come to rob you of your name and language”
A selection of five pieces on Ukraine from 1972 to 2014 that help shed light on the present conflict and celebrate the country’s rich cultural hist...
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“Russia says it is not killing civilians. That is a lie”
Reporting for Index from Kyiv, John Sweeney says knocking a TV station off air by firing missiles at the transmitting tower is as subtle as Putin g...
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Index condemns the threats to the lives and safety of journalists in Ukraine
Council of Europe Platform partners call for protection of Ukrainian and international reporters following Russia's invasion
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Statement of support for Ukraine
More than 130 human rights and journalism organisations issue statement in condemnation of invasion and attacks on the press
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Why Russian protests against invasion of Ukraine are so vital
Dissent against the action in Ukraine could be crushed just as it was in Czechoslovakia in 1968 but we should not give up hope
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Joe Rogan row shows limits of appetite for free speech
Spotify's response to the Joe Rogan row has been on point. Before that the row waded into difficult waters
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400 days of injustice for Andrei Aliaksandrau
Our friend and former colleague Andrei Aliaksandrau remains behind bars in Belarus
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Landmark report shines light on Chinese “long arm” repression of ex-pat Uyghurs
An Index study highlights the shocking extent of Chinese attempts to repress Uyghur ex-pats living in countries across Europe including the UK
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“Spies were being sent to look for me”
Since returning home to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the winter of 2020, after spending several years travelling throughout Africa, I found ...
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Index is looking for an assistant editor
Index on Censorship is on the hunt for a passionate, driven journalist to join our editorial team in the role of assistant editor.
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No corruption please, we’re British
The UK has developed a parallel vocabulary to avoid labelling anyone with the c-word … until now, says Oliver Bullough
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Will athletes risk the wrath of Beijing to stand up for human rights?
The Olympic Games have a history of protest, but China is going out of its way to stop that. With growing concern over the Uyghurs and Hong Kong we...
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Ukraine journalists fight battle on all fronts
Journalists in Ukraine operate in a harsh environment. As tensions with Russia build, the grave situation demands attention
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The most authoritarian British government since the Second World War?
The right to protest peacefully, the protection of human rights and the ability for journalists to reveal government wrongdoing are all under threa...
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“All this for a simple post on Facebook”
Index award winner reveals ordeal after she shared an article on drug trafficking in Niger
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Greece: Concern over criminal charges against investigative reporters
Seven organisations including Index are closely monitoring the cases of two journalists who reported on a major financial scandal
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Kazakh family share horror of speaking up about Xinjiang
First he fled Xinjiang. Then Kazakhstan. And then Turkey. On 20 January 2021 Serikzhan Bilash, a prominent human rights defender and activist, trav...
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Kazakhstan’s independent media and civil society shiver after protests
Demonstrations over fuel prices have lead to a crackdown and the arrival of Russian troops
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Turkish-Armenian academic faces deportation from Greece over controversial views
Sevan Nişanyan believes he has been added to the country's "list of undesirable foreigners" as a result of his controversial research
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Index reiterates its support for Carole Cadwalladr as she faces SLAPP trial
We join seventeen other organisations in supporting the award-winning journalist who is facing a week-long defamation trial in London this week
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As Russian troops move to border Ukraine history attacked
The closure of Memorial is an attack on Ukraine history, coming at a time of heightened concern about the country's future
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Belarus: Join the campaign to free our friends Andrei Aliaksandrau and Irina Zlobina
It is now a year since our former colleague and his partner were detained following Alyaksandr Lukashenka's disputed election victory
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Just a week into 2022 and already violations are stacking up
From Kazakhstan to Hong Kong the news is full of horrific stories from around the world. We must use our voices to shout about them
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Hope in the darkness
Nathan Law, one of the leaders of Hong Kong’s protest movement, is convinced that the repression will not last forever. Here we publish an extract ...
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Index Chair Trevor Phillips honoured with knighthood
Phillips is honoured with knighthood for his work on understanding Covid-19
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“I wrote a play then lost my home, my husband and my trust”
Turkish playwright Meltem Arikan’s Mi Minör was blamed for the seminal Gezi Park protests that convulsed Istanbul
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Hong Kong arrests series of journalists in large-scale assault on media freedom
The arrests of prominent Hong Kong journalists and activists are an assault on media freedom and we must shout loudly against them
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Censorship is still in the script
In June 2015, a national newspaper in Britain started a campaign to have a play banned. This surprised me for two reasons. One: clearly no one had ...
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Testament to the power of theatre as rebellion
The Belarus Free Theatre, whose 16 members have now gone into exile to escape the Lukashenka regime, are preparing to perform at the Barbican in Lo...
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Call for investigation into historical police handling of Norwegian publisher’s attempted murder
Case is believed to be linked to the publication of The Satanic Verses in the country
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Women journalists caught in middle of Afghanistan’s nightmare
Many journalists – women in particular – have fled the Taliban or are in hiding from the brutal regime
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“Apple poisoned me: physically, mentally, spiritually”
Ashley Gjøvik, who was fired by the tech giant after blowing the whistle on toxic waste under her office, says her fight will go on
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“We need more courageous writers in theatre,” says leading Turkish playwright
Two Turkish writers discuss Index on Censorship's new magazine, which looks at how playwrights and directors are resisting oppression
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It’s unequivocal – the Chinese government is committing genocide. We must all act
The Uyghur Tribunal in London rules that “beyond reasonable doubt” the Chinese government is guilty of genocide. We must all end our silence
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Index condemns the conviction of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi
Index on Censorship condemns the sentencing to four years in prison of Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and calls for all charges to be dropped. She...
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Turning back the tide: the refugee crisis tests Greek media freedom
Dutch journalist forced back to the Netherlands after asking tough questions of the prime minister of Greece over migrant push-back
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Who is 2021’s Tyrant of the Year? WINNER ANNOUNCED
The individual who has been voted the most oppressive in 2021 by Index readers has been named
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Internet shutdowns: Sudan’s censorship tool of choice
The African state regularly blocks access to the web when protests flare up and the recent military coup is no different
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Lawsuits against the author and publisher of Putin’s People are SLAPPs
Nineteen organisations condemn the legal actions against Catherine Belton and HarperCollins
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#WhereIsPengShuai: Tennis world shows it’s OK not to remain silent over China
The silence that usually follows human rights violations is notably absent in the sports star's mysterious disappearance
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Marighella’s delayed release shows censorship is alive and well in Brazil
The country's Constitution outlaws censorship but Bolsonaro's government has ways to apply pressure on film directors
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Hong Kong’s freedoms under further attack as ‘Captain America’ is jailed
Five year and nine month sentence for protestor raises fears over retrospective action of national security law
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Richard Ratcliffe: The UK Government needs to look long and hard at its hostage policy
The husband of jailed British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe talks about the reasons for his hunger strike as it enters its 16th day
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Change in the pipeline?
Despite one high-profile success by indigenous people in the USA, these communities still face an uphill battle when it comes to stopping the const...
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Respect for tradition: Australia’s selective listening on environment issues
First Nations voices are often ignored. Now Yvonne Weldon is hoping to change that as she bids to become the first Aboriginal Lord Mayor of Sydney
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It’s not easy being green
Environmental activism is alive and well in Turkey, despite the peddling of conspiracy theories and government efforts to discredit campaigners
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The rape of Uganda
The nation’s natural resources are being plundered and it’s those doing the damage who are being protected
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Suffering in silence: The poetry of Parwana Fayyaz
Three poems on the lives of women in Afghanistan
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Letter to US Attorney General on Julian Assange
Index joins other organisations in expressing concern over extradition proceedings against Wikileaks founder
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Daphne Caruana Galizia: Four years on from her murder, Malta must be held to account
Index joins the Maltese community, Reporters without Borders, PEN International and others to mark grim anniversary
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Index condemns lawsuits brought by ENRC against Tom Burgis
We join with 14 other organisations to condemn legal action against the journalist, the Financial Times and HarperCollins in London
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Interpol must clarify its involvement in the arrest warrant issued against British journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown
Fourteen organisations join call amid fears reporter may be arrested in Spain following threats by the Malaysian government
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Index on Censorship condemns lawsuit against journalist and author Oliver Bullough
Council of Europe media alert filed condemning legal action against the author of Moneyland
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Call for the immediate and unconditional release of Egyptian human rights defender Abdelrahman ‘Moka’ Tarek
Index and nine other organisations call for Moka's release as he receives the 2021 Freedom of Expression Awards
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Words under fire: When libraries become targets
When those in power want to control access to history and ideas, libraries are often the first to be targeted, reports Rachael Jolley
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Champions of free expression celebrated at Index on Censorship awards
Winners from Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Niger and the UK named at ceremony
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Call for Afghan actors, writers and film-makers to be given safe passage
More than 80 luminaries from the world of film and theatre have written an open letter to The Times
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Secret agenda
A reform of the UK’s Official Secrets Act would mean that journalists with confidential documents could face harsher penalties than the spies who h...
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Members of the LGBTQ+ community sign letter calling for reform to Online Safety Bill
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dear Editor, As proud members of the LGBTQ+ community, we know first-hand the vile abuse that regularly takes pl...
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Afghan journalists facing an impossible choice under the Taliban
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] For five days after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban insurgency, Mariam (not her real name) didn’t leave her ho...
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Why journalists need emergency safe havens
Journalists tell Index how a new type of visa is vital to protect lives and stop media censorship. Rachael Jolley reports
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Belarusian Association of Journalists: facing closure but not extinction
Body representing independent media in country facing liquidation in further crackdown by Lukashenko regime
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Spinning bomb: Fighting the disinformation war
Nerma Jelacic argues revisionists are manipulating free speech defenders
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Speaking for my silenced sister Reality Winner
Winner, a US Air Force veteran, has just been released after being imprisoned for exposing secret papers about Russian interference in the US elect...
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Are we becoming Hungary-lite?
Jolyon Rubinstein fears a British legislative agenda that could stifle protest, satire and the very foundations of democracy
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Right for US students to speak freely off campus upheld
Mahanoy Area High School student Brandi Levy wins Supreme Court case after a profanity-laced post on Snapchat at a local convenience store
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The world must look beyond Cuba’s carefully manufactured PR image
It is important that Western human rights organisations do not allow the distorted image of Cuba as a tropical socialist outpost to muddy their thi...
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Obituary: Peter R de Vries ‘a tireless and courageous fighter for justice’
The veteran Dutch crime reporter has died from injuries sustained in a shooting last week
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Joint call condemning the Belarusian regime’s raids on journalists and human rights activists
Index joins with 11 other organisations to demand the release of those detained
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Afghanistan: Journalists in the firing line
As Western forces leave the country, the free press faces a uncertain future under the Taliban
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Attempted murder of Dutch crime reporter Peter R de Vries “a slippery slope of violence”
The crime reporter was shot earlier this week and is the latest incident in increasing attacks on the media in the Netherlands
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Slovenia no longer a safe haven for the free press
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] As Slovenia takes over the presidency of the council of the European Union, some are questioning the country's ...
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UK whistleblower Jonathan Taylor finally freed from extradition torment almost one year on
Former in-house lawyer for oil firm SBM Offshore now allowed to return home
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Belarus: Human rights organisations urge the UN Human Rights Council to maintain calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Andrei Aliaksandrau
Call comes as Council receives the report of the UN special rapporteur on the situation regarding human rights in the country
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Index on Censorship announces shortlist for 2021 Freedom of Expression Awards
Imprisoned Egyptian human rights campaigner, Russian feminist performance artist, and persecuted Djiboutian journalists among the shortlisted candi...
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Myanmar keeps it poets locked up despite prisoner release
Maung Yu Py, a well known name in Burmese poetry circles, remains in Myeik prison despite the release of 2,300 anti-coup protestors
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Fourteen organisations call for the immediate and unconditional release of journalist and human rights defender Andrei Aliaksandrau
Former Index on Censorship staff member faces up to 15 years in prison
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Belarus: Journalist Andrei Aliaksandrau faces up to 15 years in prison
Former Index staff member faces charges of high treason
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The free speech Euros: Group F
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] In celebration of one of football’s biggest international tournaments, here is Index’s guide to the free speech...
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World Whistleblowers Day: why we must be able to speak freely
On the launch of a new charity to help those who wish to speak out about wrongdoing
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Government’s Online Safety Bill will be “catastrophic for ordinary people’s freedom of speech” says David Davis MP
Leading experts brand Government’s Bill “catastrophic” at press conference today
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As Apple Daily looks set to close down, speech crime comes to Hong Kong
The national security law has been used against journalists for the first time
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Burkina Faso’s media freedom under attack
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Burkina Faso is supposedly one of Africa’s gems when it comes to press freedom. In a continent full of countrie...
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Whistleblower Jonathan Taylor releases further allegations of corruption
Former SBM Offshore employee releases details of multimillion dollar payoffs to a Panamanian company following a cancelled BP deal
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Pentagon Papers: Daniel Ellsberg speaks 50 years on
It is five decades since a government whistleblower leaked a 7,000-page report into US involvement in Vietnam
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Anti-Ha: an exclusive short story by Shalom Auslander
The American author talks about laughter and the power to subvert
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Statement on the Maya Forstater judgement
The case before the Employment Appeal Tribunal was about protecting in law the right to hold certain beliefs
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Index and 21 other organisations condemn lawsuits brought by ENRC against public watchdogs
Lawsuits represent an egregious attempt to curtail freedom of expression and jeopardise anti-corruption efforts
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Why journalists and dissidents turn to Telegram
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As you scroll through your Telegram feed, one image jumps out. It shows crowds of young Hong Kongers, all dresse...
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Tiananmen candlelights a sight too beautiful to last
Hong Kong will be dark on the anniversary of the massacre this 4 June as the National Security Law bites
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Letter from Palestine: “I am either dead or I am muted”
The Palestinian author Abbad Yahya says he is unable to freely express his thoughts
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George Floyd: what has changed one year on?
It is 12 months since police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for nine and a half minutes leading to his death and sparking protests aro...
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Hijack, arrest, torture: Belarusian journalists under attack
The grounding of a Ryanair flight on a fake bomb threat is just the latest escalation of an independent media clampdown in Belarus
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Roman Protasevich is a dissident and an activist, but above all a journalist
Belarus regime staged hijack to silence their most prominent critic
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Urgent letter to Croatian Minister of Justice: Do not extradite whistleblower Jonathan Taylor
Whistleblower's evidence contributed to an oil company paying fines amounting to over $US800 million in a corruption and bribery scandal
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Stop holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of Israel
Claims of a Zionist conspiracy are not protected speech but a racist attack on all Jews, writes former Index editor
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Yulia Tsvetkova’s hunger strike: “I have reached a dead end”
Index award-winner calls on her supporters not to waste any more time "on the farce called Russian justice"
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Destruction of media building in the Gaza Strip “unacceptable”
Index expresses concern over bombing by Israeli military
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Navalny writes from his penal colony: “Books are our everything”
The jailed critic and opponent of Putin is sending messages via Instagram, detailing his ill-treatment
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Standing up to a global oil giant
Celebrated author Ma Jian reflects on the terrible legacy of the Chinese Communist Party in its centenary year
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Index shares its concerns about the Academic Freedom Bill
In response to today's Queen's speech, Index, English PEN and Article 19 have written to the Education Secretary
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UK football social media blackout raises free speech issues
Some clubs, players and the Professional Footballers' Association are in support of social media regulation
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Statement on the Maya Forstater tribunal
Index on Censorship has intervened in a case with important freedom of expression ramifications
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The human face and the boot
Celebrated author Ma Jian reflects on the terrible legacy of the Chinese Communist Party in its centenary year
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Urgent action is needed to defend our media
As the 2021 Council of Europe Platform report is published, Index on Censorship and its partners call for the urgent implementation of the report’s...
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Heberto Padillo’s ‘confession’ 50 years on
As Cuba once again cracks down on artists and intellectuals, twenty have joined together with artist Coco Fusco to recreate the Cuban poet's act of...
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100 days in prison in Belarus: MP calls for Andrei Aliaksandrau’s release
As our former colleague spends his 100th day in detention, Christine Jardine MP joins our call for his immediate and unconditional release
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Ten years on: Celebrating the legacy of Tim Hetherington
Photojournalist's legacy lives on in the Index on Censorship fellowship in his name
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British whistleblower held overnight in Croatian psychiatric hospital
Oil industry exec arrested on holiday in 2020 hospitalised after embassy alerted police
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Russia: Index expresses concern over the arrest of Doxa journalists
Student journalism is a building block of media freedom, says Index CEO
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What price press freedom in Northern Ireland?
Journalists continue to be threatened as tensions escalate in the province
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Russia: Drop all charges against Yulia Tsvetkova
Award-winning artist faces six years in jail for her work promoting body positivity and women's rights
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Myanmar: Poets, celebrities and journalists detained by military
The popular poet and comedian Zarganar, and the co-founder of news channel Mizzima have been detained as junta continues crackdown
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Judges named for 2021 Freedom of Expression Awards
Acclaimed writer Fatima Bhutto, Turner Prize-winning sculptor Anish Kapoor and campaigner Ailbhe Smyth to judge awards
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Impartiality and independence of police watchdog questioned by whistleblower
A report on the policing of protests supported Priti Patel before evidence-gathering was complete and was influenced by bias against non-violent di...
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Xinjiang: “I have no regrets on speaking out”
Newcastle University academic Dr Joanne Smith Finley believes that China has lost “an erstwhile ally” in sanctioning her
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Twenty-four organisations express solidarity with the Swedish media outlet Realtid
Index among those bodies supporting journalists ahead of the first hearing in their UK defamation case
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Jess Phillips: Violence against women and girls begins and ends with censorship
The outpouring of grief in the wake of the death of Sarah Everard is not just because of our sorrow at her loss. Women have been self censoring on ...
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Index welcomes the launch of the National Action Plan to protect journalists
The plan has been developed with the National Committee, of which Index is a member
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Nellie Bly: “I said I could and I would. And I did.”
On International Womens Day, investigative journalist Patricia Devlin shares the story of the woman who is her inspiration
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Film awards season: Journalism and activism in the spotlight
Movies on social justice and investigative journalism dominate the nominations for major awards at the Oscars, the Golden Globes and the Baftas thi...
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Equatorial Guinea: Journalist Delfin Mocache Massoko facing threats over corruption investigation
South African court demands apology from lawyer linked to country's ruling Obiang family
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Journalists held in Insein prison, Myanmar’s “darkest hell-hole”
Reporters covering the pro-demcracy protests are being held in a notorious military-run prison in Yangon
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Index statement on Alexei Navalny
Putin critic has been sent to a Russian penal colony following his show trials
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Student Press Freedom Day: The challenges of Covid and censorship
A combination of the pandemic and restrictions already in place has made reporting for students more difficult
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Daphne Caruana Galizia: a small step towards justice
Vincent Muscat's guilty plea has led to charges against others in the case of the murder of the Maltese investigative journalist
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Lebanon’s journalists face Hezbollah threat
The murder of publisher and activist Lokman Slim is a stark warning to media in the country
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Index condemns the removal of Radio Television Hong Kong’s director of broadcasting
Veteran journalist Leung Ka-wing has been replaced by a civil servant six months before his contract was due to expire
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The Government’s policy paper on higher education: free speech and academic freedom
Index on Censorship responds to seven specific policy proposals, including the appointment of a Free Speech and Academic Freedom Champion
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Belarus: Index strongly condemns actions against journalists and human rights defenders
Belarusian Association of Journalists and the Human Rights Centre "Viasna" have been targeted
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He is loathsome, but I will always defend Ken Loach’s right to offend me
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="116256" img_size="full" add_caption="yes"][vc_column_text]I can think of few public figures I hold in gr...
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The military coup in Myanmar: the media under attack
Journalists are being attacked and pursued for their coverage of the protests
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BBC banned in mainland China
British broadcaster has broken rules on truth and impartiality, says Chinese regulator
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Letter to MSPs on Scotland’s Hate Crime and Public Order Bill
The decision to withdraw amendments on freedom of expression at the eleventh hour will have a chilling effect
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Index raises concerns over UK Freedom of Information
We join media freedom organisations, editors and broadcasters in calling for an urgent review of right-to-know legislation
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Index calls on US Department of Justice to drop Julian Assange appeal
We join 23 press freedom, civil liberties, and human rights organisations in call to drop case against WikiLeaks founder
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International Day of Solidarity with Belarus
Index and 16 other organisations call for all imprisoned journalists to be immediately released
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How farmers’ protests in India are being used to silence the media
Journalists reporting on clashes between police and protestors have faced a fierce backlash
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Index on Censorship calls for the immediate de-arrest of photographer Andy Aitchison
Photographer covering conditions at a Kent asylum centre has had his equipment confiscated
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Biden’s first week in office and what it means for free speech
A flurry of executive orders reverses many Trump-era policies
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Time to act over online privacy
We should all be wary of accepting website terms and conditions, says The Privacy Collective
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Letter to Rt Hon Dominic Raab on Andrei Aliaksandrau
Rt. Hon. Dominic Raab MP First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Dear Foreign Secretary, ...
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Letter to the ambassador of Belarus on Andrei Aliaksandrau
Dear HE Ambassador Yermalovich, Index on Censorship expresses our alarm at the detention in Belarus of our friend and former colleague, journalist ...
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The desperate situation for six people who are #JailedNotForgotten
We revisit the six activists and journalists currently in jail and call for your messages of support
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Index calls for the release of Andrei Aliaksandrau
Former Index writer has been arrested and forced to give a confession for his part in protests
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The Biden presidency: what can we expect for free speech?
We look at Joe Biden's record sheet on free speech to see if we can find clues about his future presidency
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Two countries, one system: why we must drop the pretence
The arrest of more than 50 people involved in last year's pro-democracy primaries means no-one in Hong Kong is safe, write Mark Frary and Benjamin ...
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A win for Assange, but not for free speech
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] This week’s decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, to the USA to stand trial for charges ...
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Major public protest in Cuba might be turning point for free expression
In an extraordinary move, Cuban intellectuals and artists are airing their grievances publicly and collectively. Will it make a difference to freed...
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Ruhollah Zam: 27 July 1978 – 12 December 2020
The founder of the Amadnews channel, a critic of the Iranian government, has been executed for 'spreading corruption on Earth'
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UK online harms proposals could gravely impact free speech
Index has significant concerns about the UK government’s proposals for online harms and their unintended consequences on free speech
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Assange hearing outcome could set an “alarming precedent” for free speech
The UK Assange hearing – which will decide whether there are grounds for Assange to stand trial in the USA – should reach a conclusion on 4 January...
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Slapp lawsuit against Swedish magazine Realtid filed in London
Index and other press freedom organisations call for an end to litigation designed to silence valuable and necessary investigative journalism
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Free expression needs to be at the heart of the Covid vaccine response
Today, as the first people in the UK receive the Covid-19 vaccine, we need more information and engagement with those with concerns
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Let them know they are not forgotten
Join us in sending messages of support to six human rights activists and journalists around the world who are #JailedNotForgotten
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Index launches report looking at the real-world effects of Slapps on journalists
As 60 organisations come together to ask the EU to develop legislation to stop vexatious lawsuits, we publish journalists' accounts of being slappe...
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Slapped down: A report
Six journalists speak about the legal efforts to silence them over their reporting
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Vidal-Hall on 14 years at Index exposing censorship happening under our nose
The former editor of Index discusses working with Noam Chomsky, 9/11 and interviewing Orban before his far right swing
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Index launches interactive tool for journalists facing legal threats
The launch is part of the #StopSlapps campaign against the use of lawsuits to silence the media
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What the Fuck!? podcast new episode: Punk poet Penny Rimbaud
The founder of punk anarchists Crass speaks about Donald Trump, the repressed British and his new album Arthur Rimbaud in Verdun
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“His only crime is to believe that Egyptians deserve the most basic of human rights”
Karim Ennarah, EIPR's criminal justice unit director, is facing fabricated charges of joining a terrorist group and spreading fake news
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“Tanzanians want democracy, respect for their basic human rights and dignity” – Tundu Lissu
The Tanzanian opposition leader, who has been forced to flee the country, talks to Index about the recent election
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Why a naked feminist statue should remain uncensored
Maggi Hambling's A Sculpture for Mary Wollstonecraft has been roundly criticised, with some trying to censor its nakedness
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What the Fuck!? podcast new episode: Harry Potter actor Natalia Tena
The actor who played Nymphadora Tonks talks about why she gets angry about female genital cutting and what she is doing about it
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The bloody consequences of Turkey’s clashes with the Kurds
In September, two men were abducted, beaten and thrown from a helicopter. One died, the other hospitalised. Journalists reporting the story have be...
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“Anxiety has always been part of Hong Kong’s handover story”
A new book on Hong Kong published this November called Making Hong Kong China: The Rollback of Human Rights and the Rule of Law by Michael C. Davis...
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Index launches weekly What the Fuck!? podcast with Alison Jackson
British artist and photographer talks about artistic freedom and driving a fake and half-naked Donald Trump around Manhattan
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“Between the devil and the deep blue sea” – how Nigeria is looking to move forward from the #endSARS protests
Young Nigerians are coming together to make sure their voices heard
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Forced motherhood is an infringement on free expression
As various countries around the world seek to make abortion illegal or hard to get, Orna Herr highlights the free expression implications
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Journalists and media freedom under attack in Lukashenko’s Belarus
Volha Siakhovich writes from Belarus about the current conditions of journalists working in the country
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#FreeNazanin: Charity worker faces new charges on Monday
MP Tulip Siddiq expresses her support by reciting a poem written for Index by Zaghari-Ratcliffe from her cell
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There are still risks to even talking about voting in the USA today
Openly speaking about who you might vote for in the USA can still get people in trouble, says acclaimed author Darryl Pinckney
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Department of Homeland Security visa proposals are “alarming development” for media freedom
The proposals aim to limit the length of stay for foreign journalists through changes to their visa
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Tanzania: will Magufuli return to power in free and fair elections?
The polls say that the country's incumbent president will get a second term but will the result be rigged?
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Coney Barrett’s free speech stance still unclear as nomination goes to Senate
Supreme Court nominee's responses to questioning on key issues during confirmation hearings have not allayed fears
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Yuri Dmitriev: the historian being silenced by Putin
A Russian historian's research into killings during Stalin's regime has resulted in an extreme campaign against him
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The crisis in Kashmir: an Index reading list
A reading list of articles from the Index archive detailing the hardships faced by people in Kashmir
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French exhibition on facial recognition cancelled over claims it violates police privacy
An exhibition to highlight the dangers of facial recognition has been cancelled in northern France after claims it would violate police privacy, ev...
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Remembering Daphne Caruana Galizia: her sister speaks to Index
It is three years since the Maltese investigative journalist died in a car bomb attack
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Index on Censorship receives lifeline grant from Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund
We have been awarded £55,441 as part of a government fund to help those in the arts face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic
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“Who is going to try to seize power?” Caroline Eden talks to Index from Kyrgyzstan
A journalist in the Kyrgyz capital shares her eye-witness account of the protests with Index on Censorship
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What you missed from Banned Books Week 2020
As the annual celebration of the freedom to read comes to a close, we consider the work that still needs to be done
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The grannies are revolting: when the older generation protests
As demonstrations in Belarus continue, we take a look at the times the protests of elderly women were heard loudest of all
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Trump’s Supreme Court nominee: where does Coney Barrett stand on free speech?
The nomination could be vital to free speech laws in the USA
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Choose your moment: the inspirational Ruth Bader Ginsburg
The Supreme Court judge, known as the Notorious RBG, was not afraid to use her dissenting voice
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Heavy fines on social networks for not tackling online abuse may have unintended consequences
Index CEO Ruth Smeeth discusses the proposed Online Harms Bill in a virtual session organised by the Board of Deputies after a rise in anti-Semitic...
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New report on protecting the media against Slapps
What measures can be introduced to protect journalists facing vexatious legal actions?
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Academic freedom in Hong Kong: “It’s a storm and no one wants to go outside, even with an umbrella”
Academics are losing tenure and teachers are being fired as China's national security law bites
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Mehdi Rajabian’s Iran: where making music is a crime
Musician's inclusion of women's voices in his last album has led to his arrest. Here he talks exclusively to Index on Censorship about the challeng...
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Meet the 73-year-old great grandmother squaring up to Lukashenko in Belarus
Nina Bahinskaya has been shoved and restrained, arrested and fined half her pension. What drives her to protest?
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British MP: “We should forge a path for Uighur freedom” – here’s how
“History will judge us for the unforgivable lack of action thus far,” said Shabana Mahmood, an MP from the UK in a speech she delivered in British ...
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Ireland notified by Council of Europe over legal action against media outlet
Index on Censorship have raised a Council of Europe alert amid concerns over current legal action against the Dublin Inquirer
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Remember the victims of Charlie Hebdo
As a trial commences in France to prosecute accomplices to the Charlie Hebdo murders, we remember the victims of the brutal crime
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EU must stand up for independent media in Hungary
One of Hungary's last and biggest independent media outlets, Index.hu, has recently seen its editor fired in another worrying attack on media freed...
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Scotland’s hate crime bill would stifle free speech
The wording of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill is incredibly vague and could lead to people being punished simply for telling a joke
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How did Belarus come to be ruled by “the last dictator of Europe”?
The attack on the people of Belarus today is the result of 26 years of brutal dictatorship, in which basic freedoms were dismantled one by one
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Ruth Smeeth: “The brave men and women who refuse to be silenced”
Summer is supposed to be the quiet time for news - not this year
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“Have you ever felt joy from finding out a loved one is in prison?”
Yury Savitsky is one of hundreds who have been detained in Belarus following the disputed elections. His wife Ekaterina tells Index her heart-break...
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Rowan Atkinson joins Index in call for changes to Scotland’s planned hate crime bill
Comedian is one of 20 individuals who have signed a joint letter, along with Index on Censorship, raising concerns over the wording of a new bill
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Cartoonists being silenced during Covid, report shows
Cartoons make you laugh, wince and - increasingly in this pandemic - angry. We find out why
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Kashmir’s journalists have taken great risks this past year to get news out. We must support them
Journalists in Jammu and Kashmir have been working against the odds for a year now following an internet blackout and other draconian measures. We ...
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We should all know the name Merdan Ghappar
Merdan Ghappar's personal video from a prison in Xinjiang tells the story of millions of people suffering there
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Surveillance a growing problem for journalists worldwide say panellists
In the first online magazine launch, three journalists discuss the impact of surveillance on media freedom across the globe
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Freedom on UK campuses is threatened. We need to discuss how to protect it
As part of a new report on academic freedom in the UK, Index CEO Ruth Smeeth discusses why we are all better for robust debate
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Use your voice to get in good trouble
Civil Rights campaigner John Lewis used his voice in every way to fight for justice. He set a fantastic example
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Interview with Justice for Journalists’ Maria Ordzhonikidze: how Russia is using Covid to clamp down on the media
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] In March 2020, Index on Censorship partnered with Justice for Journalists Foundation to keep track of attacks o...
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Ruth Smeeth: “Index will always be a home for people who want to be heard”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="104009" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]There are so many ways y...
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Who will protect us?
With the re-election of Andrzej Duda as president of Poland, whose campaign featured attacks on the media, independent journalists fear for their f...
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#HoldTheLine Coalition calls on Philippines authorities to drop Maria Ressa charges ahead of 22 July hearing
Rappler founder faces up to a century in jail from the various tax and libel charges ranged against her
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Interview with Özlem Dalkıran of the Istanbul 10: “It was a clear message to civil society in Turkey: Stop”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On 5 July 2017, human rights defenders from a number of different organisations gathered on the island of Büyüka...
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Ruth Smeeth: “We must make sure that journalism survives the pandemic”
The plight of the Uighurs shows that we must ensure their stories continue to be reported
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The Harpers open debate letter: a reading list
The signatories to a letter in Harpers magazine about open debate are familiar to Index magazine
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Interview with Nadine Strossen: “People should feel free to engage in respectful but robust and highly critical debate”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Index on Censorship's editor in chief Rachael Jolley speaks with Professor Nadine Strossen of New York Law Schoo...
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Ruth Smeeth: “Free speech is a force for good”
150 writers and academics have signed an open letter saying the forces of illiberalism are gaining strength throughout the world
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Index joins #HoldTheLine campaign in support of Maria Ressa and independent media in the Philippines
Campaign takes its name from Ressa's commitment to 'hold the line' in response to sustained state harassment and prolific online violence
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Malta: Renewed call for justice 1,000 days after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia
Index on Censorship joins 12 other organisations in calling on Maltese authorities to honour her legacy and ensure that those implicated in her mur...
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Ruth Smeeth: “From Ethiopia to Hong Kong, we will not abandon you”
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="114148" img_size="full" add_caption="yes" alignment="center"][vc_column_text]Following the news this wee...
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The view from Hong Kong in 1997: an Index reading list
A reading list of articles from the Index archive when Hongkongers were wondering what the handover from Britain to China would mean
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We must raise our voice for Hong Kong
As the National Security Law is passed in Hong Kong, read about what is at stake and why we must all speak up against it
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A personal letter from Hong Kong
A writer from Hong Kong tells the world why the security law is a death knell to their free speech in Hong Kong - and elsewhere
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Quiz: How well do you know your privacy facts?
How much do you actually know about tracking apps after months of reading about them? Take our quiz and see
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Was Hong Kong’s biggest ever protest in vain?
On the one year anniversary of the biggest ever protest that took place in Hong Kong to fight against an erosion of freedoms, historian Jeffrey Was...
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English PEN and Index on Censorship condemn prison sentence for Filipino journalist Maria Ressa as a “dark day for media freedom everywhere”
Rappler CEO Maria Ressa has been given a sentence of up to six years in prison under a cyber libel law that didn’t exist when the article in questi...
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Our free speech is under attack, in the UK and across the world, and we need to fight to protect it
Credit: Singlespeedfahrer/Petr Vodicka/Amy Fenton/Executive Office of the President/ Philip Halling/Isac Nóbrega/The White House George Floyd. Dr L...
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Governments using virus as cover to restrict newspapers
Several countries have banned publishers from producing and distributing print newspapers and magazines to stop the spread of the Covid virus despi...
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Tearing down the barriers to discussing slavery and racism
The waves created by George Floyd's death have crossed the Atlantic and toppled Edward Colston’s statue in Bristol. Kiri Kankhwende says it has pro...
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Index welcomes news of Nabeel Rajab’s release but all charges must be dropped
Index welcomes release of Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab on Tuesday but all charges against him must also be dropped
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150 attacks on media freedom reported in 50 days
In the 50 days since Index started tracking incidents where journalists have been attacked or stopped from reporting on Covid-19, we have reported ...
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Quiz: How well do you know your ‘complicity’ facts?
Take our quiz to see how well you know your 'complicity' facts
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Index announces first digital fellowship week
Index has held its first digital fellows week because of the coronavirus, Mark Frary reports
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“You cannot report on anything that is not confirmed by the government,” Indian journalists report
“It’s as if media is an opponent. It is as if asking questions of the government is crime, or a politically motivated exercise,” Indian journalist ...
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How FOI laws are being rewritten during the Covid-19 crisis
Governments are sweeping information requests under the coronavirus carpet. We must not let them
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Attacks on media in Europe must not become a new normal, report says
Launch of the 2020 Annual Report by Index on Censorship and other partner organisations to the Council of Europe Platform to Promote the Protection...
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Coronavirus providing pretext for Modi to increase attacks on press and Muslims
Press freedom in India continues to be chipped away under Narendra Modi in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, while Muslims are being blamed for...
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In emergencies we give away our essential freedoms lightly. Do we need to rethink?
As governments look into contact tracing apps to identify and isolate people with coronavirus, Rachael Jolley discusses whether signing up to apps ...
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#IndexAwards20: Online ceremony reveals Freedom of Expression Awards winners
The winners of the Freedom of Expression Awards 2020 include a Turkish lawyer, Bahraini activist and Russian artist, plus two organisations fightin...
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Will international companies take on Chinese censorship after the pandemic?
Will international companies take on China's attitude to censorship after the pandemic? Charlotte Middlehurst reports
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This Week at Index: Index’s new tracking map is featured on the BBC
World leaders are refusing to answer perfectly valid journalist questions on coronavirus while we answer questions on our media violations tracking...
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Viktor Orbán’s power grab leaves Hungary without true democracy
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán has pushed through emergency laws that have no time limit and enormo...
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The leaders who are dodging questions on coronavirus – and how
A growing number of world leaders are avoiding questions asked by the media about coronavirus, as we report on our global map monitoring media viol...
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“Anyone could be the next Li Wenliang”
A Chinese writer explains what it's like living in a country where information is tightly controlled, and misinformation rife, during the coronavir...
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Turkish writers need to “hold people in power” to account
Turkish author and journalist Kaya Genç answers questions from the Index youth advisory board about watching his colleagues being silenced and how ...
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States’ use of surveillance to fight pandemic must respect human rights
Index on Censorship and 106 other organisations are urging governments to respect human rights as they attempt to tackle the coronavirus pandemic t...
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How coronavirus is affecting free speech in Europe
As coronavirus spreads throughout Europe we are seeing several common tactics to undermine our free expression
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We must make sure UK coronavirus legislation is only temporary
As the UK passes emergency legislation that hugely restricts people's freedoms, we need to check it is reasonable and transient
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Why media freedom is so important during the coronavirus crisis
Index have created a map to track media violations around the world amid worrying news that many leaders are using the coronavirus crisis to silenc...
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Index and JFJ launch global initiative to monitor attacks on the media during coronavirus
Index on Censorship and Justice for Journalists Foundation (JFJ) have announced a joint global initiative to track attacks and violations against t...
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Silencing the Spanish media
Poor job prospects and a deeply divided society are stopping Spanish journalists covering certain subjects, reports Silvia Nortes
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Disease control?
Mapping attacks on media freedom during the coronavirus crisis
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2020 awards shortlist: Digital activism nominees announced
Three organisations from Egypt, Palestine and Canada are shortlisted in this Freedom of Expression awards category
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This Week at Index: 2018 Arts Fellow detained and Woody Allen U-turn
A reading list from the Index archives plus our Slapps survey and 2020 Arts Fellow crowdfunder
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Freedom of expression in India from The Emergency to the present, a reading list
A reading list of articles from the Index archives covering press freedom, shows of patriotism and online trolling
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Index deputy editor on the decision by Hachette to drop Woody Allen memoir (TalkRadio)
Index on Censorship's Jemimah Steinfeld talks to TalkRadio's Matthew Wright about Woody Allen's controversial autobiography
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This Week at Index: awards shortlist revealed and crowdfunding for artists
Activists from Botswana, Turkmenistan, Bahrain and Turkey nominated in campaigning category; our innovative campaign for censored artists
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2020 awards shortlist: Meet our campaigning nominees
Campaigners for LGBT recognition in Africa, a group supporting long-term detainees in Turkmenistan, an exiled critic of the Bahraini government and...
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This Week at Index: Censored artists, awards nominees, libel survey, new law packs
Join our new GoFundMe campaign, journalism awards shortlist and legal guidance on free speech
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2020 awards shortlist: Recognising the journalism that lets all the world’s voices be heard
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="112436" img_size="full"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Journalists are at the f...
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This Week at Index: Dates for your diary
Events at Free Word and the Bloomsbury Institute, plus talks for International Women's Day and Essex Book Festival are just some calendar highlight...
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Free speech is for everyone — even if we don’t like it (The Times)
“The assertion that ‘I believe in free speech, but . . .’ has become depressingly familiar,” said Index on Censorship chief executive Jodie Ginsber...
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Index speaks to New York Times journalist about when he was forced to leave China
As China revokes the press credentials of three foreign journalists, we speak to Austin Ramzy about his own experience of having to leave the count...
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Legal threats to journalists: Call for contributions
Index on Censorship is carrying out research into the scale and nature of vexatious legal threats and actions against journalists in Europe
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This Week at Index: 2020 Awards arts nominees, live facial recognition, and oh, would you like to be our new CEO?
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Free Speech and Index: a love letter
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="105876" img_size="large"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]14 February 2020 – Vale...
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2020 Arts shortlist: Using rap and YouTube satire to protect free speech
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="112380" img_size="large"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hip-hop, satirical YouT...
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This Week at Index: China’s coronavirus cover-up, alert over NI graffiti
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Become the new Chief Executive of Index on Censorship
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We live in the midst of radical changes to the ways people access news and information. When Index on Censorshi...
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How is Chinese censorship affecting reporting of the coronavirus?
China is not just trying to contain the coronavirus; it is trying to contain and control information about the virus.
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Index calls on UK government to respect role of media
Boris Johnson's exclusion of certain members of the press at a briefing on 3 February is another example of media abuses in the UK, as tracked by I...
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This Week at Index: Hear from our new free speech champions
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Lewis Jennings on time at Index: “It taught me that it’s not just about words on a page”
Former editorial assistant at Index Lewis Jennings on how his year-long fellowship at Index, and one magazine in particular, helped him with his ne...
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In the name of liberty…
Editor-in-chief Rachael Jolley argues in the winter 2019 issue of Index on Censorship magazine that a new generation of democratic leaders is activ...
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Project Exile: Turkish journalist still fearful in Germany
Turkish journalist Zübeyde Sari began her career in 2009. By 2018, following President Erdogan's crack down on the media, she was forced to flee.
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Panel explore how macho male leaders stifle dissent
From Russia to Saudi Arabia, the current crop of macho male leaders are stifling dissent in a variety of ways, argue panellists at the Index on Cen...
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Charge, attack, restrict: The main ways Turkey silenced journalists in 2019
The three most frequently used means of targeting journalists in Turkey in 2019, according to new analysis by our Monitoring and Advocating for Med...
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Index on Censorship, Reporters Without Borders UK and Transparency International UK urge Azerbaijan to lift journalist’s travel ban
Azerbaijan authorities should lift a travel ban against award-winning investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova, UK-based rights groups urged on ...
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Social sex entrepreneur, artist and top journalist to judge Freedom of Expression Awards
The awards honour champions of free expression and those battling censorship around the world in the field of arts, campaigning, digital activism a...
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Playlist: The Big Noise
The winter 2019 Index on Censorship magazine reports on how macho male leaders around the world are silencing their critics through attacking the m...
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Urgent reforms needed to protect journalists from vexatious legal threats: Index on Censorship
The UK should make it harder for powerful individuals and companies to bring libel actions or use other vexatious legal threats designed to stifle ...
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Quiz: Which macho man said what?
Take our quiz to find out if you can tell one macho man from another from some of their more controversial quotes.
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This Week at Index: Free speech is for me – the class of 2020
Free speech is in danger of being co-opted by extremists. This has led to all sorts of effects on our societies, from “deplatforming” on social med...
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Podcast: The Big Noise with the Real Donald Drumpf, Leonardo Bianchi, Patricia Campos Mello and Viktoria Serdült
The winter Index on Censorship magazine podcast with Richard Hine (@realdonalddrumpf), Leonardo Bianchi, Patricia Campos Mello and Viktoria Serdült...
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This Week at Index: A look back at 2019, and a new issue
This week, Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that he would resign in January – news which was welcomed by all those who have been prot...
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Index calls on governments to ensure encrypted tools are available to public
Index joined 52 other civil society organisations as well as private companies and security researchers in calling on governments to allow technolo...
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This Week at Index: Muscat is going – but not soon enough
This week, Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that he would resign in January – news which was welcomed by all those who have been prot...
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Monitoring and Advocating for Media Freedom: Policy recommendations for Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine
Governments and the EU must take a stronger stand for media freedom, a new Index report on media freedom in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, Turkey and...
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This Week at Index: Arrest heralds new hopes for justice
Restrictions on the media were once something seen as a problem for other countries but now these concerns are front and centre in the UK, Index CE...
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This Week at Index: Calls for immediate release of re-arrested author
Restrictions on the media were once something seen as a problem for other countries but now these concerns are front and centre in the UK, Index CE...
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This Week at Index: Fears for freedom of the media move closer to home
Restrictions on the media were once something seen as a problem for other countries but now these concerns are front and centre in the UK, Index CE...
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This Week at Index: Looking back at the day the Berlin Wall fell
Thirty years ago this month, the world changed: a border that divided a city for 28 years was brought down.
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Zehra Dogan: I became more widely known after winning the Index Freedom of Expression Award
We caught up with Dogan to find out what she has been working on since winning the Index on Censorship award.
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Battle of Ideas: Is anything private anymore?
“How do we form a contract of trust with those with whom we are communicating?” asked Index CEO Jodie Ginsberg at a debate on privacy at the Battle...
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This Week at Index: Crimes against journalists must be punished
The International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists this November highlights urgency of justice for journalists amid high numbers ...
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This Week at Index: More incidents of violence against journalists in Ukraine
The Index media monitoring project has tracked a significant increase in violence against journalists in Ukraine, including death threats
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Mimi Mefo: The voiceless in my country need me and I have to keep writing
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Winner of the 2019 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Journalism Award, the Berlin-based Cameroonian jou...
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Index magazine on Resonance FM
Index on Censorship magazine editors Jemimah Steinfeld and Rachael Jolley discuss the latest issues on freedom of expression at the border
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Index kicks off US college tour
Index on Censorship will begin a set of college events across the USA on 21 October 2019 as part of its Free Speech Is For Me programme
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Fundación Karisma: The tension around free speech and social media is one of the big issues of our time
We caught up with Carolina Botero Cabrera, executive director of Fundación Karisma, to find out what the organisation has been working on since win...
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This Week at Index: Freedom of expression is under threat, and we need your help defending it
We are facing more demands for our assistance and expertise than ever before and we urgently need more funding to meet that need
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Protest and freedom of expression, a reading list
A reading list of articles about challenges to the right to protest from the Index archives
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Spain and censorship, a history, and a reading list
A reading list of articles about censorship in Spain from the Index archives
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Take our survey into artistic freedom of expression and the internet
Is the freedom the internet initially offered the arts to publish work and find audiences becoming more restrictive? We want your views.
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Spain’s forceful crackdown on critics: it’s not new
Spain's crackdown on critics and protest has been building over the past few years. Rachael Jolley tracks the incidents.
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Why don’t we just… recognise that our free speech is good for all? (Big Issue North)
In an editorial, Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of Index on Censorship says “free speech” is now the rallying cry for those who want to defend big...
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This Week at Index: Meet Badiucao, China’s artful dissident
The rebel Chinese cartoonist was in London last week and we caught up with him for a revealing video interview
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Buy Badiucao’s artwork
Browse and buy the amazing artwork of dissident Chinese cartoonist Badiucao
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Chinese artist Badiucao on why the Hong Kong protesters motivate him to work against the odds
The Chinese dissident cartoonist Badiucao discusses the Hong Kong protesters and how the Chinese government is trying to silence him at a private s...
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This Week at Index: China – 70 years of regressive free speech curbs
As the People's Republic of China celebrates 70 years, we reflect on the curbs to freedom of expression there
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Autumn magazine launch: Facial recogniton presents perils for privacy
“Put your hand up if you’re concerned at the moment about facial recognition”
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US librarian feared people would spit in her food over library books
Libraries are often the first place children experience the joy of reading. But what happens when a community attempts to censor the collection so ...
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Swearing is fucking vital for free speech
Why is swearing offensive? Is fuck only a swearword because we’ve all agreed that it is? Are there any benefits of swearing? Would the regulation o...
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This week at Index: Banned Books Week is upon us
Banned Books Week kicks off on Sunday
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In a country that keeps its media under a dome, Belarus’s independent journalists face mounting fines
Country regularly performs badly on rankings for media freedom
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Playlist: Beats and borders
The autumn 2019 Index on Censorship magazine examines how border officials are demanding access to individuals’ social media accounts at frontiers ...
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YA writer inspired by “lost” books to write latest novel
When Dave Connis worked in his local library in Tennessee, contentious books would frequently disappear. They would, he told Index, just “never com...
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Arthur Miller’s The Sin of Power
The American playwright and author Arthur Miller wrote for Index Magazine in 1978 about The Sin of Power. Here we reproduce that article for the fi...
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This week at Index: Border forces want to be your social media friend
Watch what you say. Border forces are following you online.
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Big Brother at the border
Editor-in-chief Rachael Jolley argues in the autumn 2019 issue of Index on Censorship magazine that travel restrictions and snooping into your soci...
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The fraudulent, the offensive and the idiotic
Significant parts of the left now wish to rule out speech they deem offensive. It's a far cry from when the left were defenders of freedom.
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Podcast: Border forces with Peppermint, Ariana Drehsler and Steven Borowiec
The autumn Index on Censorship magazine podcast with Peppermint, Ariana Drehsler and Steven Borowiec exploring how travel restrictions at borders a...
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This week at Index: Border police can’t be allowed to snoop on our social media
Border officials around the world are increasingly demanding access to our social media accounts and address books. They want to know what we’ve sa...
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Border police can’t be allowed to snoop on our social media (The Times)
Index on Censorship editor-in-chief Rachael Jolley wrote in The Times' Thunderer column today about how countries are increasingly wanting to look ...
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Editor calls for renewed investigation into murder of Irish journalist Martin O’Hagan
An editor at the Irish newspaper, the Sunday World, calls for renewed investigation into journalist's murder.
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What the world can learn from Hong Kong’s protesters
We may not be able to tell others how to win a battle, but people can learn from us on how to mobilise, and how to sustain a mobilisation.
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This week at Index: Censorship won’t lead to a more equitable society
The Tony Blair Institute made proposals that Index found depressing.
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Iran: Satirical writer Kioomars Marzban is sentenced to 23 years in jail
Kioomars Marzban, a 27-year-old satirical writer from Iran, was sentenced to 23 years and 3 months in prison. He was found guilty on five separate ...
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Laugh and the World Laughs with Me
Laugh and the World Laughs with Me is an intimate short story of a young woman who has a schizophrenic brother, set against the backdrop of the Tah...
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Cases against Academics for Peace have become emblematic of the attacks on freedom of expression in Turkey
On 26 July 2019, Turkey’s highest court brought new hope to Turkish academics when it ruled that ten educators who had signed the petition “We will...
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China seeks to influence academic freedom on foreign campuses
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/b21faoXVpM4"][vc_column_text]“Students in the United States must be free to express their views...
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Pakistan’s media forced into self-censorship
Pakistan's journalists have faced harassment and interference, pressure on media owners is common, and the government has taken to interrupting the...
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New free speech campaign to train up advocates in UK and US
Index on Censorship, one of the world’s leading freedom of expression groups, wants to reverse the trend of free speech being pitted against advoca...
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Syrian photographer documents destruction by walking tightrope
His absolute independence is what saved him in all the years that he stayed in Raqqa, even during the years that Isis was in charge
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The people most at risk in Bahrain “are those who choose to freely express themselves”
Index calls on the UK to stand up to the Bahrain government on human rights after police storm the London embassy to protect protester
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Free speech was being suppressed in Kashmir for a long time before the latest crisis
We report on the border region's long-term crackdown on communications well before the latest news blackout. Rituparna Chatterjee, talked to acade...
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Cartoonists Rights Network International continues to monitor the loss of cartoonists from media outlets around the world
Since winning the 2019 Index Award for Campaigning, CRNI has been monitoring the situation with Badiucao, a Chinese dissident cartoonist living in ...
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Banned Books Week: Censorship as nightmare
Toni Morrison -- a revered author, critic, professor, and editor of literature focussed on the African-American experience -- died on the evening o...
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Banned Books Week: Most challenged books of 2018
The top 11 most often banned books of 2018 reveal what kinds of ideas our culture wants to censor -- and what audiences are the most likely to be l...
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Banned Books Week: A short history of comic book censorship in America
Nothing defined 20th-century American culture quite like the comic book. But soon after after comics rose in popularity, the industry drew criticism.
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Trolls and insults: Azerbaijan’s exiled media increasingly under fire
After the total capture of the media environment inside the country, the government of Ilham Aliyev has turned its attention to silencing critics i...
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Russia: As space for independent media shrinks, journalists find themselves under increasing threats of physical violence
This report looks at 175 incidents that Index on Censorship’s Monitoring and Advocating for Media Freedom project classified as threats, limitation...
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This week at Index: Violence as a tool to silence journalists
The latest reports from Index's monitoring project detail physical violence against journalsits in Russia, Turkey and Ukraine
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Turkish journalists facing unprecedented surge of physical assaults
In Turkey, the government uses national security and terror legislation to censor journalists. Arrests, detentions and trials of media workers are ...
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Forest Folktales explore grisly tales of love and adventure
Index on Censorship’s Forest Folktales: Uncensored did not take place in a mystical fairyland, but rather at this year’s Latitude Festival
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In Ukraine, violence is the tool of choice against journalists
This report looks at physical assaults that Index on Censorship’s Monitoring and Advocating for Media Freedom project classified as threats, limita...
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Banned Books Week: Book burner to stand trial in Iowa
Paul Dorr, a director of a Christian organisation, is set to stand trial for burning books he checked out of the Orange City library in Iowa
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Ebtisam Al-Saegh: “I think about justice and justice for the rest of the victims”
“My main objective is to tell about the truth and whatever is going on on the ground,” said Ebtisam Al-Saegh, a Bahraini human rights activist, tol...
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Andrew Graham-Yooll on Argentina
Andrew Graham-Yooll served as editor for the Index on Censorship magazine from 1989-1994. To honour his memory, Index features some highlights of ...
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This week at Index: Dirty, awful and obscene and the joy of reading freely
This week, Index's CEO Jodie Ginsberg appeared in The Telegraph and on the British Library's podcast
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In memory of Andrew Graham-Yooll
Former editor of Index on Censorship magazine Judith Vidal-Hall remembers her friend and former Index colleague
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Edward Snowden: “People think of 2013 as a surveillance story, but it was really a democracy story”
Open Rights Group’s OrgCon 2019 explored privacy and surveillance online.
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Law and the new world order
The distance between national leaders and judges is narrowing around the world. The summer 2019 issue of @Index_Magazine looks at how the erosion o...
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Index at Latitude: Forest Folktales
Join Index for Forest Folktales at the Latitude Festival
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This week at Index: Media freedom needs more than just warm words
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Future of freedom of expression online does not have to be a dark one
UN Special Rapporteur David Kaye speaks to Timandra Harkness about free speech and the internet
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Project Exile: Reporter escaped Russia after beating, burns
Fatima Tlisova didn't make it easy for the Russian government to get rid of her. As a reporter covering Russia's fight against Chechen separatists ...
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Project Exile: Criticising Kurdish referendum forces journalist to leave Iraq
Despite Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region's close ties to the U.S. and billions of dollars in foreign investment, Iraqi Kurdistan is no easy place t...
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Index’s summer magazine launch party takes a look at the Weimar Republic and the lessons for today
The summer 2019 edition of Index on Censorship magazine looks at how governments use power to undermine justice and freedom
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What impact will Erdogan’s defeat in the Istanbul elections have on freedom of expression in Turkey?
Is there a glimmer of hope for Turkey's journalists?
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Stories of Justice: If you are the ‘other’ in Turkey, you should know that you carry death in your pocket
Journalist Nedim Turfent shares his thoughts in justice in Turkey: As one of the “others,” I ask for a “justice for others.” Do you have it, or sho...
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Is blackfacing beyond the pale?
Recently ‘blackfacing’ has been highlighted in many cultural manifestations that may not necessarily have been intended to demean Black or other no...
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Project Exile: Moroccan journalist Hicham Mansouri flees after being stripped and jailed
Efforts to prosecute or intimidate journalists are not unusual in Morocco, and as Hicham Mansouri's story demonstrates, the government of King Moha...
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«Индекс Цензуры» открыл прием заявок на получение «Наград за свободу слова» на 2020 год
[vc_row][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="107432" img_size="full"][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] Награды присужда...
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Nominations open for 2020 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship
Nominations for the Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship are open. Now in their 20th year, the awards honour some of the wor...
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This week at Index: Using power to undermine justice and freedom
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Ex-IRA man takes academic freedom case to the UK’s Supreme Court
Former IRA member Anthony McIntyre has been granted a UK Supreme Court hearing in an attempt to stop the PSNI getting hold recordings of interviews...
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Playlist: How governments use power to undermine justice and freedom
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link="https://youtu.be/cA4H7_d9q20"][vc_column_text] The summer 2019 Index on Censorship magazine looks at the narrowi...
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Project Exile: Tajikistan harasses reporter into exile
"I knew that they have just one goal: they want to see me out of journalism."
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Spend your summer with Index
On Tuesday 2 July, we'll be debating press freedom and Julian Assange at the Frontline Club. Index CEO Jodie Ginsberg joins former Guardian editor ...
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Index announced as official talks partner of Cambridge Folk Festival
Index on Censorship has been announced as the official talks partner of the Cambridge Folk Festival and will host a series of events as part of a b...
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Article 19 launches campaign calling for more transparency and accountability around online content removal
The Missing Voices campaign seeks to counteract censorship and consolidate laws and community standards wherever possible.
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#FlytheFlag: Zehra Doğan’s symbol of resistance
The white scarf is the symbol of resistance against pain.
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Podcast: Judged with Xinran, Stefano Pozzebon and Steven Levitsky
Summer podcast with Xinran, Stefano Pozzebon and Steven Levitsky exploring how governments use power to undermine justice and freedom.
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Project Exile: Wife of kidnapped Azerbaijani journalist puts her career on hold to campaign for her husband’s release
Leyla Mustafayeva is an Azerbaijani journalist and the wife of investigative journalist Afgan Mukhtarli, who was kidnapped in Georgia in May 2017 a...
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Russia: Ivan Golunov’s case shows the power of publicly and resolutely denouncing despotism
Using trumped-up drug charges to silence critics is nothing new for Russian authorities
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Turkey, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Russia among Europe’s most flagrant offenders of media freedom in 2018
In 2018, 17 alerts were submitted to the Council of Europe’s Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists relating to...
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Joy Hyvarinen: The internet shouldn’t become a place just for pre-approved opinions
Under pressure to be seen to be doing something, the UK government has rushed out the proposals in the online harms white paper without thinking th...
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Marking seven years since the arrest of Raif Badawi
Free expression groups came together to mark seven years since the arrest of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi.
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Teng Biao on human rights in China: ‘I cannot be silent, and I cannot give up’
“I realised that I had been cheated by the Chinese government,” legal scholar Teng Biao said describing his drive to pursue a career in human right...
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This week at Index: Local news, global decline
Local news, global decline. Inspired by Index magazine, the Global Journalist podcast explores what happens when local journalists can no longer h...
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State security v freedom of the press: Protecting sources does not mean journalists are pro-terrorism
In discussing the scope of the recent Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, international human rights lawyer Alex Bailin QC called the p...
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Project Exile: Turkish journalist lost home and family
"One thing is broken: my heart."
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Global Journalist: Local news in global decline
Index magazine editor Rachael Jolley joins Global Journalist to discuss the decline of local news all around the world and what this means for demo...
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Project Exile: Editor escaped Sri Lanka after husband’s murder
"You really feel like your country has betrayed you."
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Mehmet Ugur: We will eventually see an erosion of the authoritarian, nationalist and fascist elements in Turkey
"Where will it lead? I can’t tell. Changing and rebuilding the institutions will be a massive task."
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Index and English Pen welcome decision by Northern Ireland’s Lord Chief Justice in Loughinisland massacre journalists’ case
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Update: Update: On 3 June 2019, the criminal investigation into Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey was dropped. ...
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Russian poet Anzhelina Polonskaya: “The world does not mean happiness for most people”
Anzhelina Polonskaya became a recognised writer and poet during the turbulent post-Soviet Union era. Inspired by the works of famous Russian writer...
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Blogger and human rights defender Ismail Nalgiev extra-judicially deported from Belarus
On 8 May 2019 the Belarussian authorities ordered the extra-judicial deportation of Russian blogger Ismail Nalgiev after his arrest in Minsk Airpor...
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Free expression organisations intervene in case of Northern Ireland investigative journalists
A raid on the homes and office of two Northern Irish investigative journalists should be ruled unlawful, freedom of expression groups Index on Cens...
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Legislative restrictions, bomb threats and vandalism are just some of the issues Russian journalists have faced this year
Legislative restrictions, bomb threats and vandalism are just some of the issues Russian journalists have faced this year.
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Index launches new advisory service for arts organisations
Arts Censorship Support Service will provide assistance to colleagues in the cultural sector facing issues of censorship.
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Free expression as a fundmental human right includes speech that shocks, offends and disturbs
Index on Censorship CEO Jodie Ginsberg told Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights on Wednesday 15 May 2019 that that freedom of expression i...
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China and Tiananmen: Dangerous truth
Index on Censorship magazine editor Rachael Jolley marks the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre in conversation with jo...
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Museum of Dissidence: Cuba’s new constitution does not represent us as Cubans, intellectuals or humans
Yanelys Nuñez Leyva and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, members of the Index Award-winning Museum of Dissidence, have been putting themselves on the l...
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Exploring queer identity in Brazil
It should come as no surprise that, when opening an exhibition exploring queer identity, there will be critics.
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The murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet continues to be shrouded in mystery
Ukrainian authorities have remained silent, releasing no new information since July 2017.
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This week at Index: #WorldPressFreedomDay Governments must do more to ensure the safety of journalists
On World Press Freedom Day we call on governments to do more to ensure the safety of journalists
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Serbian protesters voice their dissent against president’s authoritarian drift
Every Saturday, for the past five months, thousands of people have gathered on the streets of Serbian capital Belgrade to voice their dissent again...
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天安门广场 绝食宣言，1989年六月2日
八九学运领袖王丹同著名作家欣然探讨天安门学运结果及其遗产
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Talking censorship at the University of Essex
Trevor Phillips, chair of Index on Censorship, talked about censorship as part of the Essex Book Festival.
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Move to protect free speech on US campuses raises concerns
When conservative Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson was invited to deliver the distinguished Roy H Park Lecture at the University of North Caroli...
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This week at Index: #WeStandWithLyra: The loss of such promise is heartbreaking
Index calls on the UK authorities to bring those responsible to justice.
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Stifling free speech online in the war on fake news
Politicians around the world are trying to stamp out fake news online but at what cost to freedom of expression?
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Zouhir al-Shimale: “I hope that one day I can see Syria under democratic rule”
"As a native freelance journalist, you want the story of your country to be heard, and you get taken advantage of because of that."
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Journalists in northern Syria face intimidation and insecurity every day
In March, the Violation Documentation Center reported on the arrest of two journalists in Jarabulus by the local Turkish-backed security intelligence.
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Is press freedom going to be an issue in the next European election?
Responding to violations of media freedom in Hungary has become a conundrum for the EU. With populist parties poised for large gains in the next Eu...
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Project Exile: Threatened in Mexico, facing deportation in the USA
Journalist Emilio Gutiérrez fled Mexico after soldiers sent him a warning. Now the USA wants to send him back.
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Podcast: Freedom of Expression Awards 2019 Winners’ Roundtable
A special edition of the Index on Censorship podcast celebrating the winners of the Freedom of Expression Awards 2019.
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This week at Index: 2019 Freedom of Expression Awards roundup
“These winners deserve global recognition for their amazing work.”
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Ireland: Students at Trinity College vote against proposition to defund University Times
The controversy followed reporting of alleged hazing at an all-male and secretive sporting club, the Knights of the Campanile
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No sex please, we’re British: Why is no one talking about the UK’s impending “porn ban”?
The Digital Economy Act 2017 has the potential to pose a severe threat to the anonymity of people in the UK.
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Syria’s universities: Tragedy and disaster
Dr. Kassem Alsayed Mahmoud speaks to Emily Seymour about Syrian academic freedom
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Ireland: Trinity College newspaper faces closure over investigation into all-male student society
The initiation ceremony, or “hazing”, was seemingly meted out to those invited to become members of the Knights of the Campanile, an invitation-onl...
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Joy Hyvarinen on the UK government’s online harms white paper (BBC Radio Foyle, 9 April 2019)
Combine a legal duty of care with very large fines and personal criminal responsibility for senior managers, and you get a strong incentive for onl...
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Joy Hyvarinen on the UK government’s online harms white paper (BBC Newshour, 8 April 2019)
“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 thoughtf...
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Joy Hyvarinen on the UK government’s online harms white paper (BBC Today, 8 April 2019)
"The government is under public pressure to be seen to be doing something about this problem," Hyvarinen said.
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Habari RDC: “We must do everything possible so that Congolese society becomes more democratic”
In December 2018, when Index last spoke to Habari RDC, the DRC was gearing up for an election that would name a successor to president Joseph Kabil...
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This week at Index: And the winners are…
Index announces the winners of the 2019 Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowships.
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#IndexAwards2019: Index announces Freedom of Expression Awards winners
A Kurdish artist imprisoned for her paintings of the destruction of a town in Turkey's Kurdish region and a worldwide network monitoring threats an...
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Zehra Doğan: “It is not only art that has had boundaries drawn around it in Turkey”
Winner of the 2019 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Arts Award, Zehra Doğan is a Kurdish painter and journalist who, during her imprisonme...
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Fundación Karisma: “At the heart of Karisma’s work has always been the promotion of access to knowledge and culture”
Winner of the 2019 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Digital Activism Award, Fundación Karisma is a civil society organisation fighting for...
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Mimi Mefo: “This award is not just for me, but also for others who continue to stand up for press freedom”
Winner of the 2019 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Journalism Award, Mimi Mefo is one of less than a handful of journalists working witho...
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Cartoonists Rights Network International: “Like virtually no other profession the cartoonist makes it their business to remind the citizenry that the emperor is naked”
Winner of the 2019 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Campaigning Award, Cartoonists Rights Network International monitors threats and abuse...
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#IndexAwards2019: Here’s what you need to know
Each year, the Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards gala honours courageous champions who fight for free speech around the world.
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ECRF: We believe in human rights for all Egyptians and we are willing to pay the price
The Egyptian government has waged an organised campaign against independent civil society groups and has become increasingly hostile to dissent. EC...
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Wendy Funes: Despite the pain that violence has left in Honduras it is wonderful to see a world with so much solidarity
“Despite my fears and the pain that violence has left in my country, it has been wonderful to see that it has been worthwhile to dream in a world w...
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This week at Index: Four champions of journalism
This week Index profiles the #IndexAwards2019 journalism category shortlist.
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Ukrainian investigative journalism on the eve of the presidential election
Prominent journalists face an increasing pressure from both wealthy oligarchs and corrupt officials
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#IndexAwards2019: Mimi Mefo works without fear or favour in Cameroon’s climate of repression and self-censorship
Mimi Mefo is one of less than a handful journalists working without fear or favour in Cameroon’s climate of repression and self-censorship.
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#IndexAwards2019: Mehman Huseynov refuses to look away from Azerbaijan’s human rights violations
Mehman Huseynov is a journalist and human rights defender who documents corruption and human rights violations in Azerbaijan
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Turkish academic who signed peace petition set to go to prison for 15 months
Turkish academic Zübeyde Füsun Üstel now faces 15 months in prison after signing a petition calling for the Turkish government to change its policy...
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Podcast: Is there a global crisis for local newspapers?
Spring podcast with Karoline Kan, Ian Murray and Sinead Corr exploring the future of local news.
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#IndexAwards2019: Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia stands out as an independent voice
Center for Investigative Journalism of Serbia (CINS) is a group of investigative journalists exposing corruption in Serbia and stands out as one of...
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#IndexAwards2019: Bihus.info fearlessly exposes corruption in Ukraine
Bihus.info is a group of independent investigative journalists in Ukraine who - despite threats and assaults - are fearlessly exposing the corrupti...
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Call to UK Independent Bookshops: Organise your celebrations for Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments on 9 and 10 September 2019
Index on Censorship and Vintage are calling on independent bookshops to coordinate creative publication events for Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments...
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This week at Index: Three courageous digital rights defenders
This week Index profiles the #IndexAwards2019 Digital Activism category shortlist.
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India’s sedition law is a dangerous hangover from British colonialism
It's been 72 years since India gained independence from Britain, but sedition remains entrenched not only in law, but in the mindset of successive ...
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#IndexAwards2019: SFLC.in tracks internet shutdowns in India
Software Freedom Law Centre tracks internet shutdowns in India, a crucial service in a country with the most online blackouts of any country in the...
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#IndexAwards2019: Mohammed al-Maskati provides digital security training to activists in the Middle East and in North Africa
Mohammed al-Maskati is a Bahraini activist and digital security consultant who provides training to activists in the Middle East and in North Africa
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#IndexAwards2019: Colombia’s Fundación Karisma works to enhance digital rights
Colombia’s Fundación Karisma is a civil society organisation devoted to encouraging the use of digital technology and enhancing freedom of expressi...
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This week at Index: Four determined Campaigning organisations
This week Index profiles the #IndexAwards2019 Campaigning category shortlist.
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#IndexAwards2019: P24 aims to neutralise Turkey’s censorship
P24 (Platform for Independent Journalism) is a civil society organisation with an ambitious program to neutralise censorship in Turkey.
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#IndexAwards2019: Media Rights Agenda uses the courts to force Nigeria’s government to improve media freedom
Media Rights Agenda is a non-profit organisation that has spent the last two decades working to improve media freedom and freedom of expression in ...
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#IndexAwards2019: Institute for Media and Society fosters community radio stations
The Institute for Media and Society is a Nigerian NGO that is going to great lengths to improve the country’s media landscape.
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Seizure of journalists’ equipment by police raises concerns for Spanish press freedom
Journalists see the seizure of smartphones by judicial and police as a violation of Spain’s Constitution.
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#IndexAwards2019: Cartoonists Rights Network International defends cartoonists worldwide
Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI) is a small organisation with a big impact: monitoring threats and abuses against editorial cartooni...
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#IndexAwards2019: Artist Zehra Doğan refused to be silenced
Released from prison on 24 February 2019, Zehra Doğan is a Kurdish painter and journalist who, during her imprisonment, was denied access to materi...
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This week at Index: Four amazing artists and arts organisations
This week Index profiles the #IndexAwards2019 Arts category shortlist.
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#IndexAwards2019: Ms Saffaa’s murals confront Saudi oppression
Ms Saffaa is a self-exiled Saudi street artist living in Australia who uses murals to highlight women’s rights and human rights violations in Saudi...
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#IndexAwards2019: ElMadina for Performing and Digital Arts challenges Egypt’s restrictive laws
ElMadina for Performing and Digital Arts is a group of artists and arts managers who combine art and protest by encouraging Egyptians to get involv...
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#IndexAwards2019: ArtLords motivates grassroots to address Afghanistan’s issues
ArtLords is a grassroots movement of artists and volunteers in Afghanistan who encourage ordinary citizens, especially women and children, to paint...
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Habari RDC: Congo’s internet shutdown disrupted news outlets under the guise of tackling fake news
The shutdown lasted for 20 days — from 31 December 2018 until 19 January 2019 — and had major implications for the country, except for select busin...
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Kurdish artist Zehra Doğan released from Turkish prison
Index on Censorship welcomes the release of 2019 Freedom of Expression Arts Award nominee
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Decades of articles by world’s leading writers now free as Index on Censorship magazine archive becomes available without subscription
Index on Censorship is pleased to announce that the online archive of 45 years of publications of Index on Censorship magazine, published by SAGE P...
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Scholars at Risk: Zelalem Kibret forced to choose between silence and speaking his mind
Ethiopian blogger and academic Zelalem Kibret was raised in a country where living in silence or speaking your mind was often a choice between life...
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This week at Index: Philippines must end judicial harassment of Maria Ressa
The arrest of the editor of the Rappler raises concerns for press freedom in the Philippines.
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