The following article on the troubles Kazakhstan’s Korean Pop group, Ninety One, has suffered on its national tour was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on 23 October 2016, who have kindly allowed Freemuse to re-publish it here: Flashy Boy Band Roils Some As It Tours Kazakhstan It’s not easy …

The imprisoned poet Aron Atabek – who is in ill health – has been tortured or otherwise ill-treated by prison guards. According to the poet’s son, Atabek has suffered regular beatings on the head and neck during his incarceration in Pavlodar prison. This was reported by PEN International. There is …

Newsletter from Article 19, published on article19.org on 14 November 2013: Art, in any form, constitutes a key medium through which information and ideas are imparted and received. Artist Alert, launched by ARTICLE 19 in 2008, highlights cases of artists around the world whose right to freedom of expression has …

PEN International is deeply concerned by news that the poet and social activist Aron Atabek has been transferred from a high security prison in the city of Arkalyk to another – as yet unknown – prison. His family are very worried. PEN International reported on 29 October 2013 that the …

Newsletter from Article 19, published on article19.org on 21 October 2013: Art, in any form, constitutes a key medium through which information and ideas are imparted and received. Artist Alert, launched by ARTICLE 19 in 2008, highlights cases of artists around the world whose right to freedom of expression has …

Aron Atabek has written a touching letter and poem to German PEN from his solitary confinement in Kazakhstan. Kazakh poet and author Aron Atabek was sentenced to two years in solitary confinement in 2012 for writing a book that criticises President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Since August 2013, PEN centres have been …

Theatre director and activist Bolat Atabayev was released from detention on 3 July 2012 in Almaty, and charges against him were dropped. Bolat Atabayev had been detained on 15 June 2012 and charged with “inciting social hatred” in connection with protests by striking oil workers in the western city of …

  Takezhan Oteghaliev, famous rapper in Kazakhstan, was pressured into canceling a concert in support of striking oil workers in western Kazakhstan, reported Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty’s Kazakh Service. Takezhan told RFE/RL the concert was to have been held on 27 August 2011 at the Zhuldyz restaurant in …

Meet the banned! Freemuse conference session on music censorship in Turkey, with Şanar Yurdatapan, Turkey (artist, human rights activist) and Ferhat Tun