Chechnya is trying to block online access to cartoons published by the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The predominant religion in Chechnya is Islam, and Charlie Hebdo is a noted critic of fundamentalist belief in religion, frequently drawing criticism for…
Category: International
Zunar Hopes to Outsmart Police with Next Book Launch
Malaysian political cartoonist Zunar, plagued by repeated police raids and seizures of his work, has struck upon an innovative solution to censorship: at the launch of his newest book Twit-Twit, Cin Cin this week, buyers will receive only a photocopy…
City of Warsaw Revokes Comics Festival Grant After Nationalists Object
The city of Warsaw, Poland has withdrawn a three-year grant supporting an annual comics festival after nationalist groups complained about the content of a comic that was distributed during the event earlier this month. The book Polska mistrzem Polski (Polish…
Index on Censorship Joins Banned Books Week Coalition
As a longtime member of the Banned Books Week Coalition, CBLDF is pleased to welcome our newest partner in the annual event: the UK’s Index on Censorship! As the first international member of the coalition, Index will host several events…
CRNI Asks European Leaders to Seek Justice for Imprisoned Turkish Journalists
Turkish cartoonist Musa Kart and several of his colleagues from Cumhuriyet newspaper have now spent over six months in prison, joining about 130 other journalists similarly detained in the media crackdown following Turkey’s attempted coup last July. In advance of…
Egyptian Court Vacates Ahmed Naji Conviction, Orders Retrial
An Egyptian court yesterday ordered a retrial for novelist Ahmed Naji, who spent 10 months in prison for “violating public modesty” with an excerpt from his book Use of Life which was reprinted in the state-owned Akhbar al-Adab newspaper. Naji…
Farghadani Gives Firsthand Account of Imprisonment for Cartoon
Just over a year ago, Iranian artist and activist Atena Farghadani was released from prison after 18 months. Her so-called crime: drawing Iranian MPs as apes and bovines while they debated a bill toban voluntary sterilization procedures such as vasectomies…
Abducted Hong Kong Bookseller to Reopen Shop in Taiwan
Lam Wing Kee, one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers who mysteriously disappeared in 2015, is resurrecting his store, this time in Taipei, Taiwan. Lam managed Causeway Bay Books in Hong Kong, a small independent shop that specialized in politically-sensitive publications that had…
Ai Weiwei Defines Artists’ Duty to Resist Repression
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has long been a thorn in the side of authorities, defiantly finding ways to critique government corruption and suppression despite constant surveillance, threats, detention, and a four-year revocation of his passport which prevented him from traveling…
Sevinç Kart Speaks at European Parliament for Imprisoned Turkish Journalists
Over six months ago, Turkish political cartoonist Musa Kart and several of his colleagues from Cumhuriyet newspaper were arrested in the midst of their government’s ongoing crackdown on independent media following the failed coup last July. After an unnecessarily long…