16 Apr 2020 | Awards, Fellowship, Fellowship 2020
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLFoAMW0HoQ”][vc_column_text]Yulia Tsvetkova is a Russian artist and activist promoting women’s well-being and LGBTQ awareness.
Her work has brought about positive change in discussions towards body positivity and gender stereotypes, however this acclaim has made her a target.
In March 2019, her youth arts festival was cancelled after officials accused Tsvetkova of illegally trying to hold a gay pride event under the guise of a youth theatre festival.
In 2018 she began a campaign promoting body positivity which resulted in her being named a suspect in a criminal pornography distribution case. If convicted, Tsvetkova could face six years in prison.
She is currently living under house arrest; banned from communicating with anyone except her mother and her lawyer. Receiving death threats regularly, Yulia fears for her family’s safety.
“For the last year, I’ve been hearing that my work means nothing. That women do not need rights, that body positivity is a pornography that corrupts children and ruins their lives. That I should go to jail and face a sentence, that I should be murdered and I should be burned at the stake because I am a witch.
It is pretty hard to keep the focus of why whatever I was doing was important.
The award pretty much reminds me that not everything is that bad. That there are still people who believe that [what I do] is important. For me, it changes pretty much everything. So thank you.”
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
14 Apr 2020
[vc_row css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1587546551184{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”113272″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/indexawards20live/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1569408985014{margin-top: -50px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_row_inner disable_element=”yes”][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_custom_heading text=”ABOUT THE AWARDS” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column_inner el_class=”awards-inside-desc” width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Index on Censorship’s Freedom of Expression Awards celebrate those who have had significant impact fighting censorship anywhere in the world. There are four categories: Arts, Campaigning, Digital Activism and Journalism
Winners are honoured at a gala celebration in London and join Index’s Awards Fellowship programme and receive dedicated training and support. The judges for the awards have included digital rights champion Martha Lane Fox, bestselling Turkish author Elif Shafak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, actor and activist Khalid Abdalla and former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_video link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnKHi8zsJ0s”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” el_class=”tpl_awards” css=”.vc_custom_1488298822902{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”109738″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Sponsorship-Packages-2020-FOEA-1.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_custom_heading text=”Sponsorship” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:20|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text el_class=”mw600″]
If you are interested in sponsorship you can contact [email protected].
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”109746″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_custom_heading text=”Gala” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:20|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text el_class=”mw600″]
In previous years, more than 200 leading figures from the worlds of journalism, arts and the law have gathered each year for our Oscar-awards style ceremony in central London.
Previous hosts and award presenters include comedian Shappi Khorsandi, columnist David Aaronovitch, entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox and cartoonist Martin Rowson.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” el_class=”tpl_awards” css=”.vc_custom_1569441094124{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”110541″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/awards-seat-sponsor/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” el_class=”tpl_awards” css=”.vc_custom_1569441094124{margin-bottom: 25px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AWARDS FELLOWSHIP” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”mw600″]
The Freedom of Expression Awards Fellowship exists to celebrate individuals or groups who have had a significant impact fighting censorship anywhere in the world. Through the fellowship, Index works with the winners – both during an intensive week in London and the rest of the awarding year – to provide long-term, structured support.
The 2020 fellows are: Russian artist Yulia Tsvetkova (arts); Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei (campaigning); Turkish lawyer Veysel Ok (campaigning); 7amleh (digital activism) and OKO press (journalism).
Previous winners include courageous Honduran investigative journalist Wendy Funes who uncovers corruption and covers the ongoing violations of women’s rights in the country, and anonymous Chinese digital activists GreatFire who have secured significant additional funding since their award.
Click here to find out more about previous winners.
[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner disable_element=”yes”][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”104535″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2019/01/awards-2019/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”105881″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2019/01/awards-2019/”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=”yes”][vc_column][awardsListing name=”Awards” category_id=”8935″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=”yes”][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”30″ element_width=”2″ item=”mediaGrid_Default” grid_id=”vc_gid:1591707569132-05fa19eb-33d3-4″ taxonomies=”37746″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=”yes” disable_element=”yes” el_class=”text_white” css=”.vc_custom_1569443780053{margin-bottom: 15px !important;background-color: #cb3000 !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;border-radius: 1px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Support the Index Awards.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:26|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2Fsupport-the-freedom-of-expression-awards%2F|||”][vc_column_text]
By donating to the Freedom of Expression Awards you help us support individuals and groups at the forefront of tackling censorship.
Find out more
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1559988967479{background-image: url(https://www.indexoncensorship.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/awards-2019fellows.jpg?id=105848) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_custom_heading text=”Arts” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” link=”|||”][vc_custom_heading text=”Yulia Tsvetkova” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2F2020%2F04%2Farts-2020%2F|||”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_custom_heading text=”Campaigning” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2F2020%2F04%2Fcampaigning-2020%2F|||”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_custom_heading text=”Campaigning” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”Veysel Ok” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2F2020%2F04%2Fcampaigning-2020-2%2F|||”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_custom_heading text=”Digital activism” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”7amleh” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2F2020%2F04%2Fdigital-activism-2020%2F|||”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_custom_heading text=”Journalism” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”OKO Press” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2F2020%2F04%2Fjournalism-2020%2F|||”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_single_image image=”113174″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2020/04/arts-2020/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_single_image image=”113172″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2020/04/campaigning-2020/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_single_image image=”113173″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2020/04/campaigning-2020-2/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_single_image image=”113171″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2020/04/digital-activism-2020/”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/5″][vc_single_image image=”113170″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2020/04/journalism-2020/”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Sponsored by Google, SAGE Publishing, Edwardian Hotels, Daily Mail and General Trust and Vodafone.
If you are interested in sponsorship you can contact [email protected]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
31 Mar 2020 | Covid 19 and freedom of expression, News
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”60471″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][vc_column_text]As coronavirus spreads across Europe so too do issues surrounding the transparency and accuracy of information on it. This is deeply troubling given the importance of reliable information about the pandemic. So what exactly are the main roadblocks to accurate facts? Here are the key trends when it comes to coronavirus and free expression in Europe.
Scapegoating
Scapegoating, an unhelpful habit historically used by Russian propagandists to foist blame onto their Cold War opponents, is now being used to suggest that coronavirus may have been brewed in a lab by the Americans in order to cripple the Chinese economy. This is one of many bizarre theories that were spread among the Russian population in a bid to confuse and distract.
Another form of scapegoating has reared its head in France, in particular, in the form of racism against people with Asian heritage. There have been reports of French-Asians suffering racist abuse on the streets, public transport and in school. This has also been an issue in the USA, where President Donald Trump angered Chinese authorities by referring to coronavirus as the “Chinese Virus”.
Criminalisation of “fake news”
In the USA, the term “fake news” can easily be used to discredit accurate reporting that Trump doesn’t like, which is why the criminalisation of news designated as “fake” by world leaders generally is so dangerous. Hungary’s parliament has passed a law to let Prime Minister Viktor Orban rule by decree for an indefinite period of time, and the state has the power to imprison people considered to have spread false information – aka “fake news” – about coronavirus.
This trend is present elsewhere in Europe as governments attempt to control information on coronavirus. Patrick Sensburg, a member of the ruling party in Germany, said in an interview that the government should consider “ratcheting up statutory offenses” to penalise those spreading news considered fake by the state.
Republika Srpska, one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has also introduced fines for publishing false news and allegations that “cause panic and fear among citizens” in the mainstream press and social media.
Opaque about the figures
While high numbers of recorded cases and deaths from coronavirus are something every country would rather avoid, transparency is key to members of the public being fully informed and understanding the risks. According to the Financial Times, Kim Jong Un has publicly denied any cases in North Korea while at the same time quietly soliciting aid from abroad. In Europe, Turkey has displayed signs of being unwilling to disclose accurate figures. On 23 March, after data showed fewer and fewer people were being tested over successive days, possibly to reduce the number of cases on record, the Turkish Medical Association urged the Turkish government to test more people. They believe the government figures may be propaganda, designed to flatter the state’s control of the situation, which a doctor, speaking anonymously, claimed was in fact “out of control”.
Ill-informed leaders
At a time of a global pandemic, world leaders would serve their citizens best by bowing to the greater wisdom of medical experts. Unfortunately, some European leaders have appointed themselves as “experts” in the field of cures for coronavirus, an unfortunate echo of leaders who made false claims about cures for Aids when it swept through Africa. Speaking on state television for instance, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus claimed that people in the countryside should continue working: “The tractor will heal everyone. The fields heal everyone”. Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, said he had found a reason to have an extra drink every day, after he claimed health specialists had told him that coronavirus “doesn’t grow wherever you put alcohol”. Please note: there is no scientific evidence to suggest that drinking alcohol has any effect on coronavirus.
We have previously reported on how censorship in China was impacting the way news about coronavirus was being reported, and vital information being distributed. We are also mapping all of the attacks on the media right now, which are growing sharply by the day. This represents one of the most worrying attacks on free speech in Europe right now.
The incidents on the map are collated by our staff, contributors and readers as well as our partners at the Justice for Journalists Foundation and verified by our team before pubication. Please check out the map here and do notify us via the map of any attacks we might have missed.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
25 Mar 2020 | News, Press Releases, Statements
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Index on Censorship and Justice for Journalists Foundation (JFJ) announce a joint global initiative to monitor attacks and violations against the media, specific to the current coronavirus-related crisis.
According to Rachael Jolley, Editor-in-Chief, Index of Censorship: “In times of extraordinary crisis, governments often take the opportunity to roll back on personal freedoms and media freedom. The public’s right to know can be severely reduced with the little democratic process. Index is already being alerted to attacks and violations against the media in the current coronavirus related crisis, as well as other alarming news pertaining to privacy and freedoms”.
“In our daily work in the post-Soviet region, Justice for Journalists Foundation experts and partners come across grave violations of media freedom and media workers’ human rights. Today, we are witnessing how the corrupt governments and businessmen in many of the regional autocracies are abusing the current limitations of public scrutiny. This major decrease in civil liberties makes pursuing their interests easier and even less transparent, whereas media workers striving to unveil murky practices are facing more risks than ever before”, said Maria Ordzhonikidze, JFJ’s Director.
Index draws on its experience running other mapping projects to enable easy comparisons of media violations in each country, and also so data can be collated and discussed when the global crisis is over.
Justice for Journalists Foundation will contribute to this monitoring effort by expanding cooperation with its existing regional partners who provide data and analysis for the series of Media Threats and Attacks Reports in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
The overall goal of the project is threefold: to increase awareness about the importance of media freedom and the existing state of press freedom at this particular point in history, to support journalists whose work is being impeded, by highlighting the challenges they face to an international audience and to continue to improve media freedom globally in the long run.
Anyone interested to learn more about or contribute to this initiative by providing information on incidents and/or translation, publicity and ideas, please get in touch:
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
