Tag: political cartoonist

Egyptian Cartoonist Released Without Charge After Overnight Jail Stay

Egyptian cartoonist Islam Gawish was arrested on Sunday, allegedly for operating a website without government authorization, but was released yesterday without charge. Although his cartoons tend towards social rather than political satire, it appears an arresting officer found some of…

On a Loop: Zunar’s Sedition Trial Delayed Once Again

The trial of Malaysian cartoonist Zunar was set to begin yesterday, but has once again been delayed while a separate challenge to the country’s Sedition Act is pending. A new start date has been set for March 9. If convicted…

Turkish Government Bans Brazilian Cartoonist

Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff may have become popular amongst the general population of Turkey, but the Turkish government will stop at nothing to still his pen. In a recent interview with Al-Monitor, the cartoonist discusses the implications of his…

Sedition in 140 Characters or Less: Zunar on the Alarming State of Free Speech in Malaysia

Zunar

“The Malaysian government has no sense of humor.” This is the polite way that cartoonist Zunar describes his home country’s current administration and their controversial and unjust treatment of free expression in a recent editorial piece he wrote for the…

Chinese Cartoonist Deported from Thailand, Jailed in China

Two Chinese dissidents, including political cartoonist Jiang Yefei, were deported from Thailand back to China last month despite having been granted refugee status by the United Nations. Jiang and fellow pro-democracy activist Dong Guangping were imprisoned upon their return to…

Syrian Cartoonists Inspired by Late Colleague’s Bravery

When Syria’s civil war began in 2011 as an outgrowth of the Arab Spring uprisings that swept the region, many citizens were initially optimistic about the outcome, seeing a chance to overthrow the brutal Assad regime. Instead, the instability in…

Zunar in U.S. to Receive CPJ International Press Freedom Award

With his future hinging on a legal challenge to Malaysia’s Sedition Act, cartoonist Zunar is currently in the United States to accept an International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists tonight. Last week he and the other…

Another Cartoonist Arrested in Iran

Iranian authorities arrested another cartoonist this week, allegedly to make him serve out a previous sentence imposed two years ago because the state “had a different interpretation of his cartoons than he had,” according to his lawyer. Hadi Heidari previously…

Zunar Launches Legal Challenge to Malaysia’s Sedition Act

The sedition trial of Malaysian cartoonist Zunar, which was set to begin today, has been delayed yet again as he and two other defendants launched another challenge to the country’s Sedition Act, a vestige of Malaysia’s colonial past. A court…