Freemuse Defending Artistic Freedom
A controversial bill making it a crime to disrespect the Chinese national anthem has been presented to lawmakers in Hong Kong.
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Literature
Somalia: Poet charged with ‘insulting the police and the government’
Poet Abdirahman Abees has been charged in Somaliland over his poetry readings about "police brutality", "arbitrary detentions" and "poor leadership".
Music
China: Sanubar Tursun, voice of the Uyghurs, missing presumed detained in Xinjiang’s internment camps
Uyghur singer Sanubar Tursun was due to perform in France in February, but she hasn't been seen in months.
All Arts
Uganda: Artists should not have to seek government approval to make their art
Freemuse joins over 100 musicians, writers and artists calling on the Ugandan government to drop a draft law limiting artistic freedom of expression.
All Arts
Freemuse urgently calls on the Ugandan government to reconsider new artistic regulations
"This will strangle artists and everyone who has the right to cultural expression and artistic freedom," Executive Director Srirak Plipat said.
All Arts
January 2019: China’s internment camps and the forced shut down of Moroccan cultural organisation Racines
Jailed poet Galal El-Behairy starts hunger strike, a pop idol detained in a Chinese internment camp, Racines battles a court-ordered closure and more.
Music
Ferhat Tunç: “I want democracy, human rights and freedoms to win”
Ferhat Tunç could soon be sent to jail, but the musician continues to fight for 'arts and artists to be able to freely express themselves'.
Music
China: Uyghur pop idol Zahirshah Ablimit detained in Xinjiang
Celebrated Uyghur singer Zahirshah Ablimit and his parents are reportedly being detained in re-education camps in Xinjiang.
Music
Turkey: Musician sentenced to jail for ‘making terrorist propaganda’ with music video
Turkish musician Azad Bedran has been sentenced to three years and nine months in jail over a music video.
All Arts
Moroccan court orders shut down of cultural organisation Racines
A court in Casablanca has ordered the dissolution of Racines, a cultural organisation that promotes culture and advocates for freedom of expression in Morocco.
Dance
Yemen: Hip-hop dance group detained, banned from dancing in public
Members of Yemeni hip-hop dance group WaxOn Crew were detained by police and made to sign a document saying they would stop dancing in public.
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China: Push to make disrespecting Chinese national anthem a crime in Hong Kong
25 January 2019 -
Pakistan: Satanic-looking statue removed from museum after complaints it is too scary
21 January 2019 -
Israel: Protesters clash with police, demand removal of ‘McJesus’ artwork
16 January 2019 -
Brazil: Artists take performance to the street after government cancels exhibition
16 January 2019 -
Turkey: Wedding singers in court over alleged terror propaganda
9 January 2019
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January 2019: China’s internment camps and the forced shut down of Moroccan cultural organisation Racines
1 February 2019Jailed poet Galal El-Behairy starts hunger strike, a pop idol detained in a Chinese internment camp, Racines battles a court-ordered closure and more.
Read More » -
December 2018: Cuba’s Decree 349, Russian rappers and LGBT police
20 December 2018 -
November 2018: Women and artistic freedom report
4 December 2018 -
New Executive Committee takes office 11 November 2018
13 November 2018 -
October 2018: Detained artists, Freemuse at WOMEX
30 October 2018
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Freemuse and ARC call for Singapore government to drop charges against artist Seelan Palay
24 September 2018Freemuse and ARC call upon the Singapore government to drop all charges against artist Seelan Palay over his October 2017 peaceful performance.
Read More » -
Take action: PEN International and Freemuse protest the continued detention of Shahidul Alam
29 August 2018 -
Freemuse and CADAL joint letter to the European Union’s EEAS
4 June 2018 -
New regulations in Cuba to comprehensively control artists and their expression
8 August 2018 -
Equatorial Guinea: Artist, Finally Free, Leaves Country
30 May 2018
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Drop charges against musician Ferhat Tunç in Turkey
27 September 2018Ferhat Tunç is being prosecuted for his peaceful expression … again. Your actions are important and can make a difference in Ferhat’s life and the lives of others like him in Turkey. Stand in solidarity with these artists and demand that Turkey drop all the charges against Ferhat Tunç. Ferhat is now having to defend himself in an appeal of the recent ruling and two other pending cases against him. Together, the charges of all three amount to more than 13 years imprisonment.
Read More » -
Open letter to the President of Equatorial Guinea: Release artist and writer Ramón Esono Ebalé
16 November 2017 -
Let Women Sing
21 July 2017 -
In prison for a year in Iran; artists call for musician’s and filmmaker’s release
1 June 2017 -
Turkey: Seven members of Grup Yorum arrested
3 December 2016
Music Freedom Day 2019 is only one week away!
Together with artists around the world, we are gearing up for Music Freedom Day. Here is Mehdi Rajabian – an Iranian composer and musician - speaking about what music means to him. Rajabian was imprisoned in Iran for his peaceful artistic expression.
Support freedom of artistic expression by tagging @Freemuse98. We are excited to see your Music Freedom Day posts!
More than a month after he was arrested and detained, British-Somalilander poet Abdirahman Abees has been formally charged under Article 269 of the Somaliland penal code for “insulting the police and the government”.
Abees was arrested on 12 January 2019, the day after he recited poems about police brutality, arbitrary detentions and poor leadership at a poetry reading event in Hargeisa.
freemuse.org/news/somalia-poet-arrested-after-poetry-reading/
Somalia: Poet arrested after poetry reading
freemuse.org
Poet Abdirahman Abees has been charged in Somaliland over his poetry readings about "police brutality", "arbitrary detentions" and "poor leadership".
If he actually insulted the police and the government, I'm sure that all the Somalis I know would agree and support him! Reluctant police and ineffective governments that can only imprison and harass peaceful people, and doesn't protect civilians from terrorist groups like alshabab.
We're looking for a communications officer to join the Freemuse team in Copenhagen. Find out more and apply here 👉https://freemuse.org/jobs/communications-officer/
Christina Freeman, artist and guest editor for issue 7 of Culture Push, Inc.'s online journal PUSH/PULL, is unpacking the first ever print edition ahead of its launch at Queens Museum in NYC on Saturday 16 February.
This issue focuses on artistic freedom and expanded notions of censorship, including conversations with Dread Scott, Svetlana Mintcheva of the National Coalition Against Censorship, and Freemuse's Srirak Plipat.
Read more here 👉 queensmuseum.org/events/culture-push-push-pull-launch
Our friends at Turning Tables Kenya are throwing a Music Freedom Day concert in Nairobi on 1st March. We hope you'll be there to help kick off the global celebration! 🙌 #MusicFreedomDay #MusicFreedomDay2019 #MFD2019MUSIC FREEDOM DAY 2019 IN KENYA
For the third consecutive year Turning Tables Kenya and Freemuse are proud to present the cream of progressive Kenyan artist in concert Friday March 1 from 6PM at The Blues, Barclays Plaza, Loita Street, Nairobi ✊.
#MusicFreedomDay is an annual global celebration of the human right to musical expression, with artists and organisations uniting to support musicians who simply insist on their right to express themselves.
Freemuse is looking for a research student consultant (short term). The application deadline is tomorrow—12 February! Find out more about the role and how to apply here 👉 freemuse.org/jobs/research-student-consultant-short-consultancy/
Uyghur singer Sanubar Tursun was booked to perform in France this weekend, but she hasn’t been seen or heard from in months.
In an article for Freemuse, Rachel Harris says news began to circulate in December of Sanubar’s detention and a possible five-year sentence. It came amidst a wave of reports on the detention of prominent artists, singers and comedians at internment camps in Xinjiang, China. In line with the government policy of secrecy and denial, there has been no formal charge, not even an announcement of her detention.
freemuse.org/news/china-sanubar-tursun-voice-of-the-uyghurs-missing-presumed-detained-in-xinjiang...
freemuse.org
Uyghur singer Sanubar Tursun was due to perform in France in February, but she hasn't been seen in months.Freemuse is looking for a research student consultant (short term). The application deadline has been extended to 12 February! Find out more about the role and how to apply here 👉https://freemuse.org/jobs/research-student-consultant-short-consultancy/
Freemuse joins Index on Censorship, PEN America and more than 120 musicians, writers, artists and British and Ugandan members of parliament who have signed a petition calling on the Ugandan government to abandon its plan to introduce new regulations restricting artistic freedom of expression.
Under the proposed legislation, new songs, videos and film scripts will be vetted prior to their release. Musicians, producers, promoters, filmmakers and all other artists will also have to register with the government and obtain a licence that can be revoked for a range of violations.
Signatories to the petition include U2’s Bono and Adam Clayton, Brian Eno, Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell and authors Wole Soyinka and Margaret Atwood.
Read the letter in fulll here 👉 freemuse.org/news/uganda-artists-should-not-have-to-seek-government-approval-to-make-their-art/
Uganda: Artists should not have to seek government approval to make their art
freemuse.org
Freemuse joins over 100 musicians, writers and artists calling on the Ugandan government to drop a draft law limiting artistic freedom of expression.Read more about how films and filmmakers have been threatened, censored or blacklisted over the last two years, as presented by Freemuse at International Film Festival Rotterdam - IFFR.
www.screendaily.com/news/industry-urged-to-support-filmmakers-at-risk-of-political-persecution/51... Via Screen International.
Industry urged to support filmmakers at risk of political persecution
screendaily.com
Kirill Serebrennikov, Oleg Sentsov and Wanuri Kahiu are just a few of the filmmakers who have been threatened, censored or blacklisted over the last two years.If you're in New York next weekend, head to Queens Museum for the launch of the first print edition of 'PUSH/PULL', the Culture Push online journal on 16 February. This issue will focus on artistic freedom and expanded notions of censorship, including conversations with Dread Scott, Svetlana Mintcheva of the National Coalition Against Censorship, and Freemuse's Srirak Plipat.
christinafreeman.net/2019/01/29/push-pull-launch-at-queens-museum-february-16/
While you're there, check out artist Christina Freeman's work 'UltraViolet Archive' as part of 'Queens International 2018: Volumes'. It's a collection of endangered creative works including films, graphic novels, music, literature, visual and performing arts that were formerly banned, challenged, or partially censored.
PUSH / PULL Launch at Queens Museum February 16
christinafreeman.net
Join Culture Push and artist Christina Freeman, whose work UltraViolet Archive is currently featured in Queens International 2018: Volumes, for the launch of the first print edition of PUSH/…Read more about Uganda's proposed Stage Plays and Public Entertainments Act, which will restrict artistic freedom of expression in the country. Via Music in Africa.
www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/freemuse-condemns-ugandas-censorship-law
Freemuse condemns Uganda's censorship law
musicinafrica.net
Freemuse has condemned Uganda's proposed Stage Plays and Public Entertainment Act.Facebook has banned Musées d'art et d'histoire de Genève from using promotional images of these two statues due to nudity. "Maybe it's time for this platform to change its policy for museums and cultural institutions?" the Swiss museum said on social media.
SAFE #4 is out!
Abazar Hamid is the Sudanese peace singer who was driven away from his country because of the music he made. On a January morning he met with world renowned pianist Bugge Wesseltoft to share what they both have dedicated their life to - music.
SAFE is a Safemuse series about artistic freedom and what happens when you lose it. Read more at www.safeseries.no
www.safeseries.no/?fbclid=IwAR2mmhhkKUN4GjwwH1PfJJ8goyis-BcxsnxxMbE5Hw5EZiwt-KVoaMZVgu0
.Safe - historier om musikk som fengsler - SafeSeries.no
safeseries.no
"historier om musikk som fengsler" - .Safe is a series of minidocumentaries that portraits the meeting between established Norwegian artists and threatened artists. We mark the end of the series with ...Freemuse urgently calls on the Ugandan government to reconsider introducing new regulations restricting artistic freedom of expression in the country.
The regulations demand all artists register with the government, obtain a revocable practicing license and seek governmental permission to perform abroad. They also require artists to submit film and theatre scripts and song lyrics to the authorities for prior approval; any content deemed lewd, offensive or plagiarising someone else’s work will be censured.
freemuse.org/news/freemuse-urgently-calls-on-the-ugandan-government-to-reconsider-new-artistic-re...
Freemuse urgently calls on the Ugandan government to reconsider new artistic regulations
freemuse.org
"This will strangle artists and everyone who has the right to cultural expression and artistic freedom," Executive Director Srirak Plipat said.This Sunday 3 February, Safemuse will launch SAFE #4 - a meeting between Sudanese peace singer Abazar Hamid and renowned pianist Bugge Wesseltoft.
See the full video on Sunday at www.safeseries.no
“I am convinced that we can only survive, standing, by spreading goodness and courage among ourselves. This is why my songs are sounds of peace."
Musician Ferhat Tunç talks to Freemuse about being arrested in Istanbul earlier this month, the continued fight for artistic freedom and his hopes for the future.
freemuse.org/news/ferhat-tunc-i-want-democracy-human-rights-and-freedoms-to-win/
Ferhat Tunç: “I want democracy, human rights and freedoms to win”
freemuse.org
Ferhat Tunç could soon be sent to jail, but the musician continues to fight for 'arts and artists to be able to freely express themselves'.Catch up on all the 'rights, camera, action' from Srirak's presentation at the International Film Festival Rotterdam - IFFR👉 ow.ly/hdid30nuS7K
International Film Festival Rotterdam: 26 January 2019 - Freemuse
freemuse.org
On 26 January 2019, Srirak was at the International Film Festival Rotterdam for the IFFR PRO debate Call to Action: Support for Filmmakers at Risk and closed think tank session. With the crackdown on ...
Together with #artists around the world, we are gearing up for #MusicFreedomDay 2019. Here is #MehdiRajabian – an Iranian #composer and #musician - speaking about what music means to him. Rajabian was imprisoned in Iran for his peaceful artistic expression.
British-Somalilander #poet Abdirahman Abees has been #charged with “insulting the police and the government”. He was arrested in January after he recited poems about police brutality, arbitrary detentions and poor leadership at a poetry reading event.
Somalia: Poet arrested after poetry reading
Poet Abdirahman Abees has been charged in Somaliland over his poetry readings about "police brutality", "arbitrary detentions" and "poor leadership".
ow.ly
We're looking for a communications officer to join the Freemuse team in Copenhagen. Find out more and apply here 👉https://t.co/VihHCkF8Pi
Sunday March 3rd we are celebrating #musicfreedomday with @Freemuse98 and some truly fantastic artists! Join us @kulturhusetoslo and Rock In from 17:30 PM!
Christina Freeman, artist and guest editor for issue 7 of @culturepusher online journal PUSH/PULL, is unpacking the first ever print edition ahead of its launch at @QueensMuseum in NYC on Saturday 16 February! Find out more 👉https://t.co/XBttCusDih
Are you ready for #MusicFreedomDay2019 in collaboration with @Freemuse98 at @TheBlues , Barclays Plaza, Loita Street ? 😃
@kelvinatura @EdithVivian9 @LilWONGA @Carrolnjeri1 @SautiZaMabinti @mcsharon @Ma_gode @oksydemusik 🎸
Freemuse is looking for a research student consultant (short term). The application deadline is tomorrow—12 February! Find out more about the role and how to apply here 👉 https://t.co/5VuWtetzBQ
Uyghur singer Sanubar Tursun hasn't been seen or heard from in months. Sanubar’s friend and collaborator Rachel Harris writes about her concern for the missing artist, who could be detained at an internment camps in Xinjiang, China.
China: Sanubar Tursun, voice of the Uyghurs, missing presumed detained in Xinjiang’s internment camps
Uyghur singer Sanubar Tursun was due to perform in France in February, but she hasn't been seen in months.
freemuse.org
Our #campaignfocus today for #EUelections2019 is on freedom of artistic expression. Last year @actforculture co-organised a debate on the state of artistic freedom in Europe with @Freemuse98 and MEP @julie4nw. Read the full report ➡️https://t.co/WqJXCxaH3z #actforculture
#Uganda: artists should not have to seek government approval to make their art:
@Freemuse98 @swhyatt
Uganda: Artists should not have to seek government approval to make their art - Index on Censorship
More than 120 musicians, writers and artists, together with many British and Ugandan members of parliament, have signed a petition calling on Uganda t...
www.indexoncensorship.org
Freemuse is looking for a research student consultant (short term). The application deadline has been extended to 12 February! Find out more about the role and how to apply here 👉 https://t.co/aav6aEpQn3
Check out the awesome line-up and activities for #MusicFreedomDay 2019 in Tenerife, Canary Islands!
#MusicFreedomDay #2019 el 3 de marzo en el #AguereCultural #LaLaguna #Tenerife. No te pierdas este evento para proteger la #libertadeeexpresionartistica y visibilizar la labor de @Freemuse98
Freemuse joins more than 120 musicians, writers, artists and British and Ugandan members of parliament who have signed a petition calling on Uganda to abandon its plan to introduce new regulations restricting artistic freedom of expression.
Uganda: Artists should not have to seek government approval to make their art
Freemuse joins over 100 musicians, writers and artists calling on the Ugandan government to drop a draft law limiting artistic freedom of expression.
ow.ly
Read more about how films and filmmakers have been threatened, censored or blacklisted over the last two years, as presented by Freemuse at the recent International Film Festival Rotterdam @IFFR. Via @Screendaily
Industry urged to support filmmakers at risk of political persecution
Kirill Serebrennikov, Oleg Sentsov and Wanuri Kahiu are just a few of the filmmakers who have been threatened, censored or blacklisted over the last t...
ow.ly
If you're in New York next weekend, head to @QueensMuseum for the launch of the first print edition of PUSH/PULL, the @culturepusher online journal. This issue focuses on artistic freedom and #censorship, including a conversation with @Freemuse98.
PUSH / PULL Launch at Queens Museum February 16
Join Culture Push and artist Christina Freeman, whose work UltraViolet Archive is currently featured in Queens International 2018: Volumes, f...
ow.ly
Read more about Uganda's proposed Stage Plays and Public Entertainment Act, which will restrict artistic freedom of expression. Via @MusicInAfrica
Freemuse condemns Uganda's censorship law
Freemuse has condemned Uganda's proposed Stage Plays and Public Entertainment Act.
www.musicinafrica.net
Facebook has #banned @MAHgeneve from using promotional images of these two statues due to #nudity. "Maybe it's time for this platform to change its policy for museums and cultural institutions?" the Swiss museum said on social media.
Freemuse is looking for a research student consultant (short term). Get your application in by Friday 8 February 👉 https://t.co/e2sAlVMRjP
SAFE #4 by @safemuse is out! @abazarhamid is the Sudanese peace singer who was driven away from his country because of the music he made. He met with world renowned pianist @BuggeWesseltoft to share what they both have dedicated their life to — music.
.Safe - historier om musikk som fengsler - SafeSeries.no
"historier om musikk som fengsler" - .Safe is a series of minidocumentaries that portraits the meeting between established Norwegian artists and threa...
ow.ly
Freemuse urgently calls on the Ugandan government to reconsider introducing new artistic regulations. "This will strangle artists and everyone who has the right to cultural expression and artistic freedom," Freemuse Executive Director Srirak Plipat said.
Freemuse urgently calls on the Ugandan government to reconsider new artistic regulations
"This will strangle artists and everyone who has the right to cultural expression and artistic freedom," Executive Director Srirak Plipat said.
ow.ly