Freemuse

Geneva, 18 December 2025. On the occasion of minorities day – the anniversary of the adoption in 1992 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities – Freemuse and its partners announce the launch of the fifth edition of the International Contest for Minority Artists (2026). The 2026 theme of the Contest is War and Reconciliation. Artists who self-identify as belonging to a national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minority are invited to submit high-quality electronic images of five works of art related to the 2026 theme of the International Contest for Minority Artists. Women and LGBTQI+ artists belonging to minorities are particularly encouraged to apply. freemuse.org/international-…

ArtsEquator has quietly launched RADAR, the first searchable archive of its kind tracking artistic restrictions across Southeast Asia. Covering six countries and over 800 cases since 2010, RADAR goes beyond monitoring violations. For ArtsEquator, RADAR is a way to resist the slow erosion of cultural memory and preserve the realities shaping creative life in the region. Freemuse spoke to the team behind it. Read the article here: freemuse.org/resisting-eras… #artisticfreedom #artsequator #southeastasia #freemuse

Freemuse joins people around the world in marking the United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November and reaffirming their UN-recognised rights, including self-determination, the right of return, and an independent state free from occupation. 📍After generations of dispossession beginning with the 1948 Nakba and decades of occupation and blockade, the past two years have brought devastating genocide in Gaza and escalating violence and repression across the occupied Palestinian territory. Tens of thousands of lives have been lost many of them children. Entire communities have faced displacement, hunger and deep trauma. The October 2025 ceasefire agreement offers small but important signs of hope. 📍As UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, ‘The Palestinian people have a right to dignity, to justice, and to self-determination. Yet over the last two years, these rights have been violated beyond comprehension’. 📍We recognise that the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People must extend to protecting artistic freedom. While reporting has centred on humanitarian, health, and education crises, the impact on artistic and cultural life has received far less attention. Among the approximately 67,000 Palestinians killed, dozens were artists, writers, and cultural operators. It is estimated that 80% of all structures in Gaza were damaged, this includes archaeological sites, libraries, galleries, art centres, and cultural institutions. 👉 Read the full statement here: Creativity Under Rubble: Art, Culture, and Rights on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People freemuse.org/creativity-und… #internationaldayofsolidaritywiththepalestinianpeople #artisticfreedom #palestine #unitednations

Ahead of upcoming court dates on 11 and 30 November 2025, 20 leading Algerian, regional and international organisations, including Freemuse, reiterate their calls on the Algerian authorities to drop all charges and release poet and activist Mohamed Tadjadit and his 12 co-defendants. freemuse.org/free-mohamed-t…

A court has overturned the ban on “Turn and See Back: Revisiting Trans Revolutions in Türkiye”, an exhibition hosted last summer at Depo, one of Istanbul’s leading independent art spaces. The show, organised by the 10th Trans Pride Week Exhibition Collective, was shut down in July 2024 over so-called “social sensitivities” by Beyoğlu District Governor’s Office. Sharing the news, organisers called the ruling “a sign of hope” at a time when intolerance toward LGBTQ+ identities in Türkiye remains widespread. Read the full article here: freemuse.org/a-fragile-vict… #ArtisticFreedom #Türkiye

Freemuse joins other international human rights and cultural organisations to express deep concern over the deteriorating human rights landscape in the United Republic of Tanzania and its direct, stifling impact on the creative sector. Recent reports, including the Tanzania Human Rights Report 2024 by the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), indicate a regression in the enjoyment and protection of human rights, particularly civil and political rights, which form the foundation of a free and vibrant artistic environment.

The Day of the Dead on 2 November is a tradition observed across Latin America, honouring deceased loved ones and celebrating their lives. This year, Freemuse joins the celebration as an act of resistance and a testament to memory serving artistic freedom. freemuse.org/day-of-the-dea…

Read Emma Shapiro's article in Hyperallergic on the Freemuse report on artistic freedom, alongside Article 19's Global Expression report. As Freemuse's Sara Whyatt says, global attacks on artistic freedom range “from the visible and brutal, such as bannings, trials, imprisonment and even killings, to the insidious and often overlooked, such as exclusion from funding, denial of performance space, online harassment and ostracism ...“The result is a creeping climate of self-censorship, far harder to detect but equally corrosive, and we see these in all forms of governments, from autocracies to democracies.” hyperallergic.com/1043369/new-re…

Webinar: Human Rights and the Production of Disaggregated Data on Roma The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), The ERGO Grassroots Roma Network, the Global Forum on Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent, and the Kalo Ciriklo Collective Against Antigypsyism are convening a webinar to discuss the human rights production and use of disaggregated data on Roma. Date: 22 September 2025 Time: 4:00 PM (Geneva CET) Format: Online Language: English and Spanish Link to register: theinclusivityproject-org.zoom.us/j/84074855565 (and on the QR codes enclosed) This webinar aims to strengthen national and local efforts to generate and use disaggregated data on human rights and Roma communities. Objectives of the webinar include: Discussing data production, data protection, and the ethical dimensions of statistical production involving minority groups; Showcasing existing initiatives to produce Roma-specific data, highlighting both achievements and ongoing challenges; Advocating for the systematic inclusion of Roma in national censuses and other official data collection processes. This event is intended for public officials, researchers, Roma and pro-Roma civil society organizations, and other stakeholders working on data justice and minority rights. Agenda and background at tinyurl.com/y97mbea7.

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) webinar 'Satire on Trial: The Case of Leman and the Shrinking Space for Media in Turkey', held on 28 July, examined growing challenges for satirists. Cartoonist Zehra Ömeroğlu reflected on shifting pressures, saying, “We all know how governments can be, but what’s really surprising is how the public reacts.” Terry Anderson of Cartoonists Rights added, “Humour is subjective and depends heavily on context. A joke or satirical observation can succeed or fail based on its timing, content, where it is seen, and the intended audience. That is a big part of the problem in the 21st century, where a work can easily be stripped of its original context.” Watch the full discussion: youtube.com/watch?v=mqMcVu…

Freemuse is looking forward to the World Forum of Democracy in Strasbourg in November where we will be presenting  our Building Bridges-Defending Artistic Freedom project under the 'Time for Ideas' session. Read more here: coe.int/en/web/world-f…

Sub-Saharan Africa Region: Show Respect! "Be decent. Don’t criticise. Don’t protest." By Lisa Sidambe Key findings from our State of Artistic Freedom 2025 Report: - The enforcement of laws criminalising insult suppressed free expression critical of public officials. - Musician Yahaya Sharif-Aminu sentenced to death in Nigeria remains imprisoned. - Artists’ critical commentary threatened in the lead up to democratic elections. - TikTok expressions were the most affected in 2024, across the entire region. Read the chapter and the full report — link: freemuse.org/state-of-artis… #ArtisticFreedom #Freemuse #StateofArtisticFreedom2025

On 26 June 2025, Turkish cartoonist Zehra Ömeroğlu faces her 14th hearing in Istanbul, accused of “obscenity” for her piece “Sex in the Pandemic” and risking up to three years in prison. Four years into this ordeal, the trial itself has become a punishment. Cartoonists like Zehra are disproportionately targeted, and international organisations and artists must unite against this normalised oppression. freemuse.org/turkiye-zehra-…

I had an opportunity of observing the Kenya Universal Periodic Review by the UN General Assembly at @MageuziHub yesterday courtesy of @panaf_org. #UPRKenya #ArtisticFreedom #PANAFVoices #FreedomOfExpression #Dorphanage

Freemuse’s State of Artistic Freedom 2025 report is out. Across the globe, artists are being silenced, through arrest, threats, and censorship. Even in democracies, self-censorship is rising. The report reveals an alarming trend in political repression and moral policing in 2024. Read the full report: freemuse.org/state-of-artis…

The Norwegian town of Kristiansand, near Oslo, hosts a “European Conference” every year around Europe Day in May. The event aims to emphasise the importance of continuously defending democracy and human rights, by showcasing how these rights impact citizens’ daily lives on a local, regional and at the European level. This year, Freemuse is delighted to be holding a workshop on Artistic Freedom as part of the conference week. coe.int/en/web/portal/…

Monday Muse: What does Artistic Freedom mean to you? Share your truth in the comments Click the link to watch more youtu.be/a2W68QscqXI #UnchainedVibesAfrica #CreativeResistance #UnchainedVoices #PowerOfArt #SpeakThroughArt

freemuse.org/whos-with-the-… At times censorship can backfire, creating public support for the musicians and turning them into symbols of resistance, but this can come at personal cost. ✳️ In February the Indonesian punk band, Sukanti was ordered to remove its song from the internet and were forced by police to make a public apology. ✳️ There was public outrage at accusations that the police had coerced them to say sorry, and the song went viral. ✳️ This led to police reversing the decision and apologising to the musicians. ✳️ But this is not all good news – one of the musicians was fired for being part of the band. 📢 As Ratri Ninditya of Koalisi Seni points out, artists may become symbols of resistance, but they can face long-term harm with little support. There is need for better care infrastructure for artists at risk, alongside the passion that drives cultural activism. Read more here: 👇

📣 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙖𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙎𝙖𝙞𝙙𝙞 𝙉𝙤𝙬! Freemuse joins the ICFR in their call for the immediate and unconditional release of Afghan filmmaker 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐢, sentenced to three years in Taliban prison just last December. Ever since his arrest in 2024, Saidi has been subjected to torture and other brutal treatment, and is currently being denied the healthcare he urgently requires while incarcerated. Read the full statement here: icfr.international/cases/release-… Add your voice by joining Amnesty in this mail campaign: amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions… #SayedRahimSaidi #Afghanistan #AmnestyInternational #ICFR #FilmmakersAtRisk

For creators tackling politically charged, socially taboo, or religiously sensitive topics in Egypt, the cost is often persecution—or worse. Women and LGBTQ+ individuals face heightened legal and societal backlash. This week Freemuse is celebrating the courage and determination of musicians around the world who face repression in the practice of their rights to freedom of expression and to participate in their cultural rights. freemuse.org/egyptian-poet-…