Maqbool Fida Husain, hailed by many as India’s Picasso, has been told his paintings will not be displayed at the India Art Summit, the countries biggest art extravaganza for the second year in a row. The 94-year-olds paintings have drawn criticism, as well as lawsuits, from hard-line Hindus who are angered that some depict Hindu goddesses in the nude. The Muslim artist went to exile in Dubai three years ago. Read more here
Two cases of voters having fingers amputated have been reported in Afghanistan following last weeks elections. Prior to voting, Taliban forces in the region had threatened to remove any fingers stained with the ink used to provide proof of having cast a ballot. Investigations are currently ongoing regarding a third case. The news comes amidst reports that security forces obstructed, assaulted, and detained Afghan and foreign journalists enforcing an official gag order on news of violent incidents during the presidential election. Read more here
Chinese authorities have released legal activist Xu Zhiyong and two other activists. Xu Zhiyong, founder of the Beijing-based Open Constitution Initiative, was unexpectedly freed on bail, along with co-worker Zhuang Lu, after more than three weeks in prison on charges of tax evasion. In a separate case, Ilham Tohti, an economics professor who had written about economic discrimination against the Uighur minority, was released after about six weeks in custody. Read more here
Ethiopia’s popular singer, Teddy Afro, was freed from prison last Thursday after serving 18 months of a two-year sentence because of good behaviour. Teddy, whose real name is Tewodros Kassahun, was found guilty of the killing of a homeless man in a hit-and-run incident in 2007 but denied driving the car. Opposition parties and supporters say Teddy had been jailed for his criticism to the government in some of his songs and hundreds protested outside the court during his trial. Read more here