Freemuse Defending Artistic Freedom
A street performer dressed as Winnie the Pooh was banned from a public square in Madrid to avoid embarrassing Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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Theatre
Belarus: Theatre students arrested, fined for LGBT artistic stunt
Three student activists were arrested and fined for dressing as police officers with rainbow epaulettes in a performance about homophobia in Belarus.
All Arts
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights turns 70 on Human Rights Day 2018
Highlighting seven statistics from our new report on women and artistic freedom to mark seven decades of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
All Arts
Cuba: Decree 349 comes into force, will be implemented gradually
Cuba’s controversial new Decree 349 has officially come into effect, but how it will be enforced is yet to be determined.
All Arts
Cuba: More artists arrested over Decree 349 protests
Cuban police have arrested performance artist Tania Bruguera and several other Cuban artists over Decree 349 protests.
Film
Egypt: Legal action dropped against actress who wore see-through dress
Lawyers have dropped legal action against Egyptian actress Rania Youssef, who they accused of "inciting debauchery" for wearing a see-through dress.
Film
Turkey: Film director arrested, detained on terror charges
Film director Kazım Öz was arrested by Turkish authorities on charges of “membership in a terror group” and “terrorist propaganda”.
All Arts
November 2018: Women and artistic freedom report
Freemuse has launched its report on women and artistic freedom 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'.
Music
Freemuse urges Somali authorities to investigate killing of cleric and worshippers over music
Freemuse urges Somali authorities to investigate killing of cleric Sheikh Abdiweli Ali Elmi and 17 worshippers for playing music.
All Arts
Cuba: Artists arrested before public meditation in Havana park
A group of Cuban artists was arrested before a scheduled public meditation as part of their campaign against the controversial new Decree 349.
Music
Russia: Rapper’s jail sentence overturned after Kremlin intervenes
Russian rapper Husky has been released from jail after a court overturned his 12-day prison sentence following intervention by Kremlin officials.
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Spain: Winnie the Pooh street performer told to stay away from Chinese President
11 December 2018 -
USA: Radio station stops playing ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’
6 December 2018 -
Russia: Police seize schoolchildren’s drawings of LGBT couples
5 December 2018 -
UK: Cat street art removed for ‘attracting antisocial behaviour’
26 November 2018 -
Serbia: Cartoon exhibition shut down following criticism by state officials of caricature in local newspaper
16 November 2018
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Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised
19 November 2018Alankrita Shrivastava’s film Lipstick Under My Burkha was initially denied release in India for …
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The State of Artistic Freedom 2018
15 March 2018 -
Art Under Threat in 2016
8 February 2017 -
INSIGHT publication: Targeting the Arts 2016
10 May 2017 -
Freemuse report on the effects of terror on arts and culture
26 October 2016
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November 2018: Women and artistic freedom report
4 December 2018Freemuse has launched its report on women and artistic freedom 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'.
Read More » -
New Executive Committee takes office 11 November 2018
13 November 2018 -
October 2018: Detained artists, Freemuse at WOMEX
30 October 2018 -
September 2018: Artists arrested, imprisoned and on trial
28 September 2018 -
August 2018: Free Shahidul Alam, two poets jailed, and Freemuse events
28 August 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.
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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
Three of Belarus Free Theatre ‘Studio Fortinbras’ students were arrested and fined for "holding an unauthorised mass event" when they dressed as police officers with rainbow epaulettes in a public performance piece. #LGBT
“These arrests are completely disproportionate to the supposed offense and an indication of the Belarusian authorities’ determination to clamp down on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly,” Belarus Free Theatre said in a statement on 13 December.
“These arrests are meant to intimidate us and all human rights defenders and ordinary citizens into silence and to remind us that the police and the laws in Belarus are not there to protect the people but to protect the state from its own citizens.
“However, we will not be silenced and will continue to call out human rights violations, wherever they happen.”
freemuse.org/news/belarus-theatre-students-arrested-fined-for-lgbt-artistic-stunt/
Belarus: Theatre students arrested, fined for LGBT artistic stunt
freemuse.org
Three student activists were arrested and fined for dressing as police officers with rainbow epaulettes in a performance about homophobia in Belarus.What is artistic freedom to you?
UNESCO
What is artistic freedom to you?
➡ Find out what artistic freedom means to artists, policymakers and cultural professionals on.unesco.org/2zXoin9 #SupportCreativity
This afternoon, we're discussing Jordi Cuixart's case in Denmark with Freemuse, NGO defending artistic freedom.
#HumanRights
#FreedomOfExpression
#FreeSpeech
Thank you for receiving us, Freemuse. It was a pleasure talking to you and sharing common struggles for freedom of expression. We wish you all the best.
A street performer in Winnie the Pooh costume was told to stay out of sight to avoid embarrassing Chinese President Xi Jinping as his motorcade passed through downtown Madrid.
Winnie the Pooh has been used to parody the Chinese president since 2013, and it has become a symbol of the resistance in China.
freemuse.org/news/spain-winnie-the-pooh-street-performer-told-to-stay-away-from-chinese-president/
Spain: Winnie the Pooh street performer told to stay away from Chinese President
freemuse.org
A street performer dressed as Winnie the Pooh was banned from a public square in Madrid to avoid embarrassing Chinese President Xi Jinping.Srirak just spoke on behalf of civil society organisations to the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee of the 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
He called on the IGC to:
1. Prioritise the safety of artists and audiences, as attacks on artists and artistic freedom continue to rise.
2. Urge state parties to use legal and policy measures to protect women, LGBTI and minority artists from attacks and violations of artistic freedom.
3. Publicly recognise artists as human rights defenders and coordinate protection with existing international protection mechanisms.
Read more here 👉https://en.unesco.org/creativity/governance/statutory-meetings/intergovernmental-committee/12th
We're at Bremen Teater in Copenhagen for a concert held by Amnesty International Danmark to celebrate Human Rights Day and the UDHR turning 70 🔊🎤
Looking forward to artists performances with only a piano 🎹
Freemuse is marking #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—today, 10 December 2018—by spotlighting seven statistics from our newly released report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'. #standup4humanrights
7. Top violators - countries
Read more here 👉 freemuse.org/news/the-universal-declaration-of-human-rights-turns-70-on-human-rights-day-2018/
Freemuse will mark #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—on 10 December 2018—by spotlighting seven statistics from our newly released report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'. #standup4humanrights
6. Art forms
In January 2018, UK student artist, Megan Angus created an art work depicting women holding hands, kissing and some partial nudity. ‘Censored’ stickers were used to cover the images by the Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough, England. The school later apologised for what Angus described as a “homophobic” act, but insisted that “sexually explicit” images are usually censored.
Read more here 👉 freemuse.org/news/the-universal-declaration-of-human-rights-turns-70-on-human-rights-day-2018/
Freemuse will mark #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—on 10 December 2018—by spotlighting seven statistics from our newly released report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'. #standup4humanrights
5. Rationales
In March 2018, Bolivian artist Rilda Paco faced public outcry and received death threats over her painting depicting the Virgin of Socavon in red underwear and black stockings surrounded by people in colorful costumes dancing with alcohol bottles in their hands. According to the artist, her intention was to create a painting as a form of protest against the objectification of women in Bolivia. The artist was reportedly declared persona non grata by authorities in Oruro, and thus officially regarded as a public enemy.
“I have not committed any crime; I am not a murderer; I am not a violator; I have not beaten anyone,” Paco said.
Read more here 👉 freemuse.org/news/the-universal-declaration-of-human-rights-turns-70-on-human-rights-day-2018/
Freemuse will mark #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—on 10 December 2018—by spotlighting seven statistics from our newly released report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'. #standup4humanrights
4. Digital space
Censorship by social media platforms is often seen under the guise of ‘nudity’ when women’s nipples are displayed online. Freemuse experienced this when attempting to post an image from Icelandic artist Borghildur Indriðadóttir’s 'DEMONCRAZY – Drosophila' artistic performance.
Indriðadóttir had already been censored on Facebook in June 2018 when over 1500 of her Facebook friends disappeared and some of her personal pictures, likes and comments were deleted after sharing a promotional video for 'DEMONCRAZY'.
Read more here 👉https://freemuse.org/news/the-universal-declaration-of-human-rights-turns-70-on-human-rights-day-2018/
What is artistic freedom to you?
Next week, UNESCO in Paris will host 'Create | 2030' – a series of talks with artists, academics, policy makers and entrepreneurs from around the world to discuss how investments in creativity can have a direct impact on achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This short film "What is artistic freedom to you?", based on interviews made in Norway, Senegal and Indonesia, will be presented during a public debate on artistic freedom on Thursday 13 December.
Watch the film below before the discussion kicks off, and check out the full Create | 2030 program (in English and French) here 👉 en.unesco.org/creativity/events/create-2030This short film was developed in conjunction with n interactive documentary project aiming to mobilize the international debate on freedom of artistic expres...
Now presenting at the Safe Havens conference: our State of Artistic Freedom report 🔊
👇 freemuse.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Freemuse-The-state-of-artistic-freedom-2018-online-versio...
Freemuse will mark #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—on 10 December 2018—by spotlighting seven statistics from our newly released report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'. #standup4humanrights
3. Main violators in severe cases
Incensed by the possible introduction of new regulations that would severely curtail women’s reproductive rights and reverse family planning laws in Iran, artist Atena Farghadani drew a cartoon depicting members of the Iranian Parliament as animals. In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps arrested her in August 2014.
Farghadani was released on bail after two months and then posted a video online about her treatment in detention, which led to her rearrest and subsequent sentencing to 12 years and nine months in prison for “gathering and colluding against national security”, “spreading propaganda against the system”, “insulting members of parliament through paintings” and “insulting her interrogators”.
In 2016, under strong international pressure, an appeals court in Tehran reduced her sentence. She was released from prison on 3 May 2016.
Classic Christmas tune 'Baby, It’s Cold Outside' has been pulled from rotation on several radio stations in North America after some listeners took issue with the song’s lyrics.
Star 102 Cleveland in Ohio, USA was the first to stop playing the Academy Award-winning song, with local media reporting "that listeners said the song was inappropriate and at odds with the #MeToo movement".
But a poll on the station’s Facebook page shows 94 per cent of respondents think the song should be played during the holiday season.
freemuse.org/news/usa-radio-station-stops-playing-baby-its-cold-outside/
USA: Radio station stops playing ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’
freemuse.org
Several radio stations in North America have stopped playing the holiday classic 'Baby, It’s Cold Outside' following complaints about its lyrics.
One thing to consider here is that many modern recordings have already changed the 'offending' lines in the lyrics to some other phrases: youtu.be/6bbuBubZ1yE
What the hell is that! The song is a classic and there were many covers for it, including the one for Martina McBride, that I really love!
Friday 7 December is the last day to apply to be our Music Freedom Day coordinator, helping prepare and organise events in various countries during a three-month consultancy based in Copenhagen, starting January 2019: freemuse.org/jobs/music-freedom-day-coordinator-2/
We're at the Safe Havens conference in Malmo!
The next two days will be full of conversations, presentations and workshops on artistic freedom of expression.
Keep up with our activities on all our social media platforms 🔊
Freemuse will mark #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—on 10 December 2018—by spotlighting seven statistics from our newly released report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'. #standup4humanrights
2. Severe violations
In February 2018 theatre actor Sumbul Khan was killed by three men in Pakistan who shot and killed her after she refused to perform for them at a private event in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
In April 2018, Pakistani singer Samina Samoon (also known as Samina Sindhu), was shot by a male fan for refusing to stand and dance whilst performing at a wedding ceremony in the Sindh province. She was pregnant at the time.
Read more here 👉 freemuse.org/news/the-universal-declaration-of-human-rights-turns-70-on-human-rights-day-2018/
More Cuban artists have been arrested as protests continue against the controversial new Decree 349, which is due to come into effect this month. Police detained performance artist Tania Bruguera and several other Cuban artists including Yanelys Núñez and Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara on Monday.
"I love you all because we are all fighting for the same for no to 349!" Tania Bruguera said upon her release.
freemuse.org/news/cuba-more-artists-arrested-over-decree-349-protests/
Cuba: More artists arrested over Decree 349 protests
freemuse.org
Cuban police have arrested performance artist Tania Bruguera and several other Cuban artists over Decree 349 protests.These schoolchildren’s drawings depicting same-sex couples and #LGBT rainbows were seized by Russian police and checked by psychologists to see if they propagate “non-traditional values”.
The 17 seized drawings were in a school competition marking international day for tolerance.
freemuse.org/news/russia-police-seize-schoolchildrens-drawings-of-lgbt-couples/
Russia: Police seize schoolchildren’s drawings of LGBT couples
freemuse.org
Schoolchildren’s drawings depicting same-sex couples have been seized by Russian police and checked to see if they propagate “non-traditional values”.UPDATE: Three lawyers have dropped their legal action against Egyptian actress Rania Youssef following her public apology.
“First, when we took legal action against the artist Rania Youssef, this was not for the purpose of personal gains or benefits, nor was it intended to deprive her person, but was out of concern for public order and ethics and sensing the danger facing the Egyptian society as a result of that incident, committed by a popular public figure with an audience that will try to imitate them, which may lead to the spread of chaos and the violation of standards of values and ethics,” they said in a statement announcing their decision to “waive legal measures”.
Read the latest 👉https://freemuse.org/news/egypt-actress-charged-with-inciting-debauchery-for-wearing-see-through-dress/
Egyptian actress Rania Youssef could be jailed for five years for wearing this dress to the Cairo International Film Festival. She will face trial in January 2019, accused of “inciting debauchery”...
Three of @BFreeTheatre ‘Studio Fortinbras’ students were arrested and fined for "holding an unauthorised mass event" when they dressed as police officers with #LGBT rainbow epaulettes in a public performance piece in Minsk.
Belarus: Theatre students arrested, fined for LGBT artistic stunt
Three student activists were arrested and fined for dressing as police officers with rainbow epaulettes in a performance about homophobia in Belarus.
ow.ly
Thank you all for solidarity these days. All students now released. By judging this artistic stunt as 'unauthorised mass event', the police lived up to the 'intimidator-image' the students attempted to deconstruct. Bravo !
What is artistic freedom to you?
➡ Find out what artistic freedom means to artists, policymakers and cultural professionals https://t.co/mljSsdeAra #SupportCreativity
Fantastic. Good luck Nikan! Looking forward to hearing new music.
Welcome to Nikan Khosravi from the Iranian metal band Confess - arrived safely last week in Harstad as the city's new ICORN resident - free to continue to play and record his music!
@HarstadKommune @pen_int @Freemuse98 @safemuse
https://t.co/rEqhbfHe02
A street performer in #WinniethePooh costume was told to stay out of sight to avoid embarrassing Chinese President Xi Jinping as his motorcade passed through downtown #Madrid. Winnie the Pooh has been used to parody the #Chinese president since 2013.
Spain: Winnie the Pooh street performer told to stay away from Chinese President
A street performer dressed as Winnie the Pooh was banned from a public square in Madrid to avoid embarrassing Chinese President Xi Jinping.
ow.ly
This afternoon, we're discussing @jcuixart's case in #Denmark with @Freemuse98, NGO defending artistic freedom.
#HumanRights #FreedomOfExpression #FreeSpeech
@BFreeTheatre @pen_int @AtRiskArtists @Freemuse98 @aiww @hrw Do support the brave people of Belarus Free Theatre who are standing up on behalf of #LGBTQI rights in the face of the most extreme provocation, intimidation, victimisation, arrest and violence. A retweet at least would be a welcome act of solidarity
Srirak just spoke on behalf of civil society organisations to the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions at @UNESCO HQ in Paris.
A #GenderGap persists in the cultural sector!
Women do not get equal pay & are under-represented in leadership positions
More details on UNESCO's Global report on the protection & promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions ➡️https://t.co/sP7q3RaKvm #SupportCreativity
Everyone, including you, has the right to make and listen to music. Today is #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Learn about artistic freedom for women worldwide in this new report by @Freemuse98: https://t.co/pIpdhbfXsv
On the 70th anniversary of the UniversalDeclaration of #HumanRights, let's recommit to implementing all its articles, including Art 27: the rights to take part FREELY in cultural life, enjoy the #arts & share in #scientific advancement #StandUp4HumanRights https://t.co/5KRdGGUPB4
We're at @BremenTeater for a #HumanRightsDay #UDHR70 concert held by @amnestydk! Looking forward to the performances by various artists to only a piano 🔊🎤🎹
Freemuse is marking #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights #UDHR —today, 10 December 2018—by spotlighting 7 statistics from our new report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'.
Update: Our student who was arrested on Saturday was brought to court in handcuffs over 5 hours ago & still waiting hearing. See pinned tweet for details - follow us for updates. #StopViolence #EqualityForAll #HumanRightsDay #UDHR70
Cuba’s controversial Decree 349 officially came into effect on 7 December. Read performance artist Tania Bruguera's open letter on #NoAlDecreto349 here 👇
Cuba: Decree 349 comes into force
Cuba’s controversial new Decree 349 has officially come into effect, but how it will be enforced is yet to be determined.
freemuse.org
Please ReTweet ! Breaking news! BFT student arrested & 2 in hiding for standing up for #LGBTQI rights in #Minsk. Arrested for performance of 'LGBTQI Police' in rainbow epaulettes @pen_int @article19org @AtRiskArtists @freemuse98 @stephenfry
Freemuse will mark #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights #UDHR —on 10 December 2018—by spotlighting 7 statistics from our new report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'.
Freemuse will mark #HumanRightsDay and the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights #UDHR —on 10 December 2018—by spotlighting 7 statistics from our new report 'Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised'.
Good news. Tania Bruguera & the other Decree 349 protest artists freed & Cuban govt acknowledges the decree is problematic. Congrats to the artists for taking such a brave stance. Yet there's still need for vigilance. @UNSRCulture
Tania Bruguera and fellow artists released from Cuban jail
Cuba's culture ministry waters down Decree 349, a new controversial censorship law
www.theartnewspaper.com
The report also highlights individual women artists such as Alankrita Shrivastava (India), Borghildur Indriðadóttir (Iceland), and Monirah Hashemi (Afghanistan). Read more about the report and @Freemuse98: #ArtIsNotACrime #FreeExpression #UDHR70 https://t.co/qIdukKagco
Creativity Wronged: How women’s right to artistic freedom is denied and marginalised — ARC
ARC supports writers, musicians, journalists, cartoonists, and all artists facing threats to their freedom of expression
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