Freemuse: News 2008 (original) (raw)

NEWS 2008
Cameroun: Campaign for release of Lapiro
Vigier, the company that has supplied the singer Lapiro de Mbanga with a guitar, launches a new campaign for the release of the Cameroonese musician
17 December 2008
Aziza Brahim
Video interview with Aziza Brahim - a Sahrawi singer who was born in a refugee camp in Algeria - about music censorship in Western Sahara
07 December 2008
Iraq / USA: Interview with exiled oud player
Interview with Iraqi oud player and composer Rahim AlHaj - a former political prisoner of Saddam Hussein who escaped Iraq and relocated to the US, New Mexico, in 2000
26 November 2008
Iran: Rap singer believed to be arrested
The alleged arrest of rapper and singer Tataloo is debated in online Persian rap forums. Rumours says that Tataloo has received a three-year jail sentence
21 November 2008
Iran: Trial against two Kurdish singers
Two Kurdish singers are to be sentenced for �propaganda against the [political] order�, reported Sh�r News from Saqqez in western Iran on 17 November 2008
21 November 2008
Pervaiz Akhtar
Pakistani musician Pervaiz Akhtar, today based in Denmark, explains (in Danish language) about his personal experiences with music censorship in Pakistan
29 October 2008
China: Western religious music banned
Western musicians and tour organisers have encountered difficulties with performances in China due to a tightened political control over the arts and Christianity.
23 October 2008
Somalia: Attacks on music practitioners
Report of a one-day seminar about music censorship and attacks on music practitioners in Somalia, held at Hotel Sahafi in the Somali capital Mogadishu, on 3 July 2008
09 October 2008
Spain: Bilbao festival against censorship
Artists from Iran, Zimbabwe and Palestine are featured at this years� Festival Against Censorship in Bilbao in northern Spain on 18-26 October 2008
09 October 2008
Bellavista Social Club
Video interview with Colombian rappers and protest musicians Don Vito and Medina of Bellavista Social Club about their experiences of persecution
08 October 2008
Pasajeros
Video interview with Colombian rappers and protest musicians Don Vito and Medina explaining why their colleagues in the band Pasajeros were imprisoned and exiled
08 October 2008
Tiken Jah Fakoly
Video interview with the West African reggae singer Tiken Jah Fakoly, recorded in Dublin on Saturday 23 August 2008 in connection with the Freemuse Award 2008 ceremony
04 September 2008
Cuba: Musician Gorki Aguila released
After receiving a fine for civil disobedience, punk-rock singer and musician Gorki �guila could walk out of the court room as a free man on 29 August 2008
30 August 2008
Freemuse: Award ceremony in Dublin
"We have to continue questioning corruption and poverty in Africa," said Tiken Jah Fakoly as he received the Freemuse Award at the Festival of World Cultures in Ireland
25 August 2008
United Arab Emirates: American hit song banned
'I Kissed a Girl' provokes controversy and has been banned from radio stations in Dubai for containing lyrics that 'depict sexuality, lesbianism and promiscuity', reported Gulf News
20 August 2008
Freemuse Award to Tiken Jah Fakoly
The first Freemuse Award is given to Tiken Jah Fakoly from C�te d�Ivoire - an outspoken reggae singer who has tirelessly denounced political corruption.
20 August 2008
Book by Mark LeVine: 'Heavy Metal Islam'
American author and historian Mark LeVine has published a book about the special role of Heavy Metal music in the Middle East and its relationship with Islam: 'Heavy Metal Islam'
16 July 2008
Cameroun: Singer taken to court in chains
Lapiro de Mbanga was in chains when he was brought to a court room on 9 July 2008, accused of causing anti-government riots. His case was adjourned to 23 July
15 July 2008
Cuba/Netherlands: �Cuba Rebeli�N!
A documentary film about the punk-rock and metal musicians rebelling against the bureaucracy and imposed conformity of the Castro regime
01 July 2008
Sweden: Teacher fired because of his music
A Swedish school teacher was kicked out after only one week's employment. The reason? He played in a heavy metal band, reported the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation
27 June 2008
Turkey: Banned rapper did not back down
In 2000, a song by Turkish rapper Sultana was banned, and she disappeared from the lime light. After an eight-year hiatus she is now back on the music stage
18 June 2008
Zimbabwe: Two musicians in hiding from police
Two musicians who are facing charges of singing songs that are �sensitive� failed to appear in court, and now a magistrate court has issued a warrant of arrest for them
12 June 2008
Saudi Arabia: Musicians' freedom expanded
There has been a quiet, yet marked increase in cultural activities in Saudi Arabia during the past couple of months. New music bands emerge and blossom on the internet
27 May 2008
Canada: Jamaica-boycott called off
The Canadian group that called for a boycott of Jamaica unless the country's government take action on homophobic violence has called it off after recieving an official letter
22 May 2008
Myanmar/Burma: Musician Win Maw arrested
International PEN calls for immediate release of Burmese musician Win Maw, arrested in November 2007 and is said to be seriously ill as a result of torture in detention.
15 May 2008
Ethiopia: Popular protest singer imprisoned
On 16 April 2008 the Ethiopian reggae singer Teddy Afro was suddenly arrested and charged with causing the death of a young man. His fans believe he was framed
07 May 2008
It can be cool to be censored
When an artist is banned, it often sparks intense media intention and publicity. Here are just a few examples, including an Australian 'Gallery of bans'
05 May 2008
China: Country profile
In China, the censorship authorities act with the aim of protecting its citizens against "mental contamination" and its government against criticism.
25 April 2008
United Nations resolutions justify censorship
In March 2008 the top United Nations rights body the Human Rights Council passed two resolutions that limit freedom of expression, say numerous human rights organisations
03 April 2008
Mexico: Emo fans under attack
"Kill the emos," shouted assailants who had organised an attack on a trio of skinny long-haired teenage fans of the music style emo, reported AFP
02 April 2008
Kris Kristofferson
Video interview with American folk singer Kris Kristofferson about his personal experiences with music censorship in USA - and in Russia
31 March 2008
Mari Boine
Video interview with Norwegian and S�mi singer Mari Boine about her personal experiences with the religious ban of joik music
31 March 2008
Kuwait: Music shops closed
Music shops in Kuwait have been closed on the claim of defending morals and Islamic obligations, reported Arabic Network for Human Rights Information on 6 February 2008.
05 March 2008
Mexico: Folk musician murdered
The Mexican folk musician Jes�s Pulido and his manager and assistant have been brutally murdered. They add to the mounting list of murdered �narcocorridos� musicians
26 February 2008
Aiab Gul Delshad
Video interview with the head of Afghanistan's Music Union, who is a famous folk singer. He was arrested once, and imprisoned and tortured another time, because of two songs
25 February 2008
Aziz Ghaznawi
Video interview with an authority on music administration in Afghanistan. He talks about how music was censored within Radio Television Afghanistan
25 February 2008
Baktash Kamran
Video interview with the lead singer in Kamran Music Group. He speaks about his experiences with music prohibition during the Taliban period in 1996-2001
25 February 2008
Farhad Darya
Video interview with Afghanistan's star singer who gives examples of songs which were censored in the period of communist parties in Afghanistan, starting from 1979
25 February 2008
Fazl-u-Rahman Wahdat
Video interview with a Pashto folk singer and board member of Afghanistan Music Union. He speaks about the problems which a praisal singer faces when a regime changes
25 February 2008
Ghazal Ahmadi
Video interview with an Afghan film actress who explains that she stopped learning how to play the guitar because it became too problematic for her
25 February 2008
Nairez
Video interview with one of the singers who were forced to sing praisal songs for the Taliban regime. He speaks about his problems with music censorship in this period
25 February 2008
Safdar Tawakoli
Video interview with a Hazara folk singer who explains about his problems as a musician during the Mujahidin period where power in the capital of Afghanistan was fragmented
25 February 2008
Sahar Afarin
Video interview with a 21-year-old Afghan singer who explains how she has been discouraged from music due to pressure from many sides.
25 February 2008
Zhakfar Hussaini
Video interview with a music censor. He worked as a censor in Afghanistan Writers Association in Balkh in 1986-1992
25 February 2008
Zimbabwe: Concert blocked in Norton
'Rock de Vote' concert in Norton was delayed by more than four hours after the council chairman who is a known Zanu PF had called it off the last minute
14 February 2008
Zimbabwe: Rapper advised to change album title
Maskiri, a rapper with an explicit and cutting tongue, has been forced to change the title of his upcoming album in order for him to get airplay from the state broadcaster
25 January 2008
Zimbabwe: Concert blocked in Chiredzi
Police had given permission to a group of musicians to make a 'voter education concert' on 12 December 2007, but the Central Intelligence Organisation blocked the event
24 January 2008
Read more:News 2007