The strict religious views of Iranian authorities have had a dramatic effect on several social issues in country, one of the most problematic being that of sexual education — or lack thereof. Keyomars Marzan, the Iranian satirist better known as Kya,…
Category: International
Egyptian Novelist Ahmed Naji Banned From Travel
Despite his successful appeal for retrial, Egyptian novelist Ahmed Naji, author of The Use of Life, has been prevented from traveling through the Cairo airport by a government travel ban. The travel ban comes in the wake of a series of…
Zunar Pessimistic About Chances for Overturning Travel Ban
Malaysian cartoonist Zunar is pessimistic about the chance of overturning his travel ban after a recent Court of Appeal decision. “Malaysian Court of Appeal today ruled that the right of Malaysian citizens to travel overseas is at the absolute discretion…
Kenya Censorship Board Bans Six “Pro-Gay” Cartoons
Kenya’s Film Classification Board this month banned a total of six animated cartoons, including Adventure Time and Steven Universe, from airing within the country because they were judged to be “pro-gay.” In a statement defending its action, the KFCB claimed…
CBLDF Joins Statement Against Revived Immigration Ban
Back in February shortly after the initial rollout of the immigration ban affecting nationals of seven majority-Muslim countries, CBLDF joined with more than thirty other cultural and human rights organizations to condemn the ban’s impact on artistic freedom, collaboration, and…
Daughter of Detained Bookseller Asks Foreign Governments to Pressure China
The daughter of Hong Kong bookseller Gui Minhai, who has been held in an undisclosed location on the Chinese mainland since October 2015 on suspicion of trafficking in banned books, pleaded once again this week for the governments of Sweden…
Comic Explains Lebanon’s Censorship Problem
A new comic on The Nib provides an illustrated look into the censorship problem in Lebanon. The comic by Ghadi Ghosn and Virginie Le Borgne examines how censorship impacts the country’s vibrant arts community. The comic points out that certain…
A Parthenon of Banned Books
The centerpiece of a new art exhibit in Germany is a life-size replica of the Greek Parthenon made up entirely of banned books. Part of the documenta 14 contemporary art exhibition, the piece was created by Argentine artist Marta Minujin to…
Report Highlights Cartoonists Under Threat Worldwide
Two years after the attack on Charlie Hebdo staff, the world’s free expression focus has largely shifted away from cartoonists. That certainly does not mean the danger has disappeared, however, as a recent 30-page report from the French nonprofit Cartooning…
Awards & Nominations Pile Up for Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye
Singapore’s government may not have appreciated Sonny Liew’s graphic history The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, but everyone else certainly does! Despite losing a promised National Arts Council publishing grant due to “sensitive content” just before the book’s initial…