13 Feb 2009 | Comment, Middle East and North Africa
On 14 February 1989, Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran declared a death sentence on novelist Salman Rushdie after the publication of The Satanic Verses. Twenty years on Lisa Appignanesi, recalls how a ground-breaking, visionary novel was hijacked and transformed into an international political cause
Plus: Bernard-Henri Lévy says the fatwa marked a retreat from tolerance
Kenan Malik on why Rushdie’s critics won the war
Peter Mayer on how Penguin faced down the threats
Malise Ruthven describes a political storm
Salil Tripathi says religious offence stifles debate
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16 Dec 2008
The Index on Censorship Book Award
In his book Soldiers of Light journalist Daniel Bergner records the experiences of a remarkable cast of characters as they look to the future of Sierra Leone and attempt to begin new lives. The book is a lively account of the moral and ethical dilemmas which the aftermath of a brutal atrocity can bring.
The Index on Censorship Film Award
Final Solution by Rakesh Sharma examines the Hindu-Muslim polarisation in Gujarat during the period February 2002 – July 2003 depicting severe human right violations that followed the burning of 58 Hindus on the Sabarmati Express. The film was banned in India.
http://www.rakeshfilm.com/finalsolution.htm
The Index on Censorship/ Hugo Young Award for Journalism
Sumi Khan is a Chittagong correspondent for the Bangladeshi magazine Weekly 2000. For her investigative articles alleging the involvement of local politicians and religious groups in attacks on members of minority communities she had received death threats, and was attacked and critically wounded in 2004.
The Index on Censorship Law Award
The New York based Center for Constitutional Rights works to uphold the rights of people with the least access to legal resources to the standards of the US Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The CCR was involved in the legal battle on Guantanamo issues.
http://ccrjustice.org/
The Index on Censorship Whistleblower Award
The sociologist and criminologist Grigoris Lazos from Greece has made the fight against human trafficking and the corruption it breeds his vocation. He is credited with almost single-handedly putting the issue of human trafficking on the government’s agenda and for mobilising civil society.
14 Apr 2008 | Index Arts
The open call for artists & filmmakers closed on 1 July 2008. We received applications from artists & filmmakers from 30 countries, and we thank all organisations and persons who have assisted us in distributing our open call around the world.
We are currently in the process of selecting artists & filmmakers to participate in the 2009 dialogues, and will announce and introduce the artist pairs as and when they are all confirmed.
www.imagineartafter.net
Curated by Breda Beban, imagine art after is a multi-stage project for internet, gallery & broadcast that brings together artists and filmmakers who made a home in London with those who stayed in their country of origin.
For its second edition, imagine art after is looking for artists and filmmakers from the following places, who either live there, or in London.
Afghanistan | Albania | Algeria | Angola | Bangladesh | Cameroon | China | Colombia | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Eritrea | Ethiopia | Former USSR | Gambia | Ghana | India | Iran | Iraq | Ivory Coast | Jamaica | Kenya | Libya | Nigeria | Pakistan | Palestinian Authority | Romania | Serbia | Sierra Leone | Somalia | Sri Lanka | Sudan | Syria | Turkey | Uganda | Vietnam | Zimbabwe
Click here for application pack
For more information and an application pack, go to www.imagineartafter.net, or email [email protected]
DEADLINE 1 JUNE 2008
18 Feb 2008 | Comment, News
Despite the extension of her visa, novelist Taslima Nasrin remains confined to a room in an undisclosed location, writes Sanal Edamaruku
The good news first: India has granted a visa extension to exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin. For now, the nightmare of an ill and desperate Taslima being forcefully expelled from her adoptive home of seven years. “All I want to do is live peacefully in this country. I have nowhere else to go,” Taslima recently wrote. When the showdown began and time was running out, Rationalist International started an international campaign and appealed to the prime minister of India. Within three days, our appeal had been supported by more than 3,800 letters from India, USA, Canada, Australia and all over Europe. The Forum for the Protection of Free Speech and Expression, led by Mahashweta Devi, Arundhati Roy, Ashish Nandy and Girish Karnad published an open letter to the prime minister, supported by many writers and intellectuals. Under public pressure, the government of India allowed her to stay.
The success, however, is tarnished. Now comes the bad news. While staying in India, Taslima Nasrin’s life will — according to a statement from the foreign ministry — be restricted to the “status quo”. And that is what horrifies her. The “status quo” describes a rather inhuman situation. For nearly three months now, the government of India has kept Taslima in complete isolation at an undisclosed location near Delhi. Nobody, not even she herself, knows her exact whereabouts. Guarded by officials, she has not even been allowed to meet close friends. Her only connections to the outer world are her mobile phone and laptop.
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