Tag: freedom of expression

Egyptian Photojournalist Convicted of Murder for Covering Protests in 2013

On September 8th, 2018, photojournalist Mahmoud Abou Zeid, also known as Shawkan, was convicted for murder and membership in a terrorist organization after his arrest in August 2013 while “documenting the government’s violent dispersal of protesters at Rab’a Al Adweya…

Egyptian Author Fined for Sexually Explicit Excerpt

Egyptian novelist Ahmed Naji was fined LE 20,000 following his third trial for “harming public morality” by republishing an excerpt from his experimental book Using Life (also known as Use of Life) in 2014. Naji was initially acquitted of these…

Pakistan’s First Professional Female Cartoonist on the Impact of Cartoons

Sometimes the most poignant cartoons are those that subtly disclose social issues by depicting the everyday life of the common man and woman. That is the approach Nigar Nazar, Pakistan’s first professional female cartoonist, takes with her immensely popular and beloved…

2016 Freedom of Expression Awards Shortlist

The shortlist for Index on Censorship’s 2016 Freedom of Expression Awards has been announced. An international organization dedicated to free speech around the world, the award celebrates the individuals who have challenged censorship and stood up for freedom of expression.…

Lawyer Challenges Egyptian Constitution over Racy Excerpt

This past weekend, Egyptian writer Ahmed Naji went to court to face charges that an excerpt of his novel The Use of Life violates decency laws. Naji is facing a two-year jail sentence and a 10,000 Egyptian pound ($1,245) fine,…

Egyptian Novelist Sent to Court for Racy Excerpt

Egyptian writer Ahmed Naji faces up to two years in prison and a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately $1,245) for the publication of an excerpt of his novel The Use of Life, which an Egyptian prosecutor considers too racy…

Nominate a Defender of Free Speech for Index on Censorship’s Freedom of Expression Awards!

Index on Censorship, an international organization dedicated to protecting free speech around the world, has opened the floor to nominate artists, journalists, and other activists for the 2016 Freedom of Expression Awards. From the arts and journalism to campaigning and…

Cartoonists On The Front Lines: The Economist Cartoonist on Free Expression in Turkey

Award-winning political cartoonist Kevin Kallaugher has shared his thoughts about United States’ society and politics in The Economist since 1978, but recently, he shared his concerns about the state of free speech in Turkey and the difficulty his fellow cartoonists…