Cartoonists Rights Network International continues to monitor the loss of cartoonists from media outlets around the world

Cartoonists around the world continue to be subjected to censorship, imprisonment, violence, threats, harassment and, in the worst cases, even death. Although a small organisation, Cartoonists Rights Network International has had a big impact on challenging these violations and monitoring threats and abuses against editorial cartoonists worldwide. 

Since winning the 2019 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Award for Campaigning in April, CRNI has, among other things, been monitoring the situation with Badiucao, a Chinese dissident cartoonist living in exile in Australia who this year revealed his identity after years of anonymity, Terry Anderson, deputy executive director of CRNI tells Index.

The Index award has so far helped the organisation raise its profile, as well as putting them in contact with allies.  

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Monitoring and Advocating for Media Freedom

This week Index's project monitoring press freedom violations in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine published four of its monthly reports for July. The project monitors threats, limitations and violations related to media freedom to identify and analyse issues, trends and drivers, and explore  possible responses and opportunities for advocating media freedom. The project categorises threats and violations that affect a journalist as they do their job.

As of 31 July 2019
Azerbaijan: 3 incidents in July 2019; 30 incidents since 1 April 2019 (All incidents by month)
Belarus: 2 incidents in July 2019; 27 incidents since 1 April 2019 (All incidents by month)
Russia: 31 incidents in July 2019; 118 since 1 April 2019 (All incidents by month)
Ukraine: 9 incidents in July 2019; 29 incidents since 1 April 2019 (All incidents by month)

As of 30 June 2019
Turkey: 30 incidents in June 2019; 101 incidents since 1 April 2019 (All incidents by month)
The July monthly report for Turkey is still being prepared and will be published shortly.

Also read
Trolls and insults: Azerbaijan's exiled media increasingly under fire
Russia: Journalists find themselves under increasing threats of physical violence
Turkey: Journalists facing unprecedented surge of physical assaults
Ukraine: Violence is the tool of choice against journalists

Censorship as nightmare

“[I] contemplate with dread the erasure of other voices, of unwritten novels, poems whispered or swallowed for fear of being overheard by the wrong people… that thought is a nightmare. As though a whole universe is being described in invisible ink,” Toni Morrison wrote of the prospect of censorship.

Most banned books of 2018

The top 11 most often banned books of 2018 reveal what kinds of ideas our culture wants to censor — and what audiences are the most likely to be limited because of censorship. All of the books on this list  were catered toward young people, and many were censored for containing themes of LGBT+ acceptance. During Banned Books Week we celebrate our ability to consume a diversity of narratives, at all stages of life.

The Testaments launch parties

Inspired by our friends Book-ish in Crickhowell, Index on Censorship and Vintage are coordinating a nationwide series of publication-day celebrations and midnight openings at independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland as part of Banned Books Week UK to celebrate the publication of Margaret Atwood’s highly anticipated The Testaments (sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale) on 10 September.

A short history of comic book censorship in America

Nothing defined 20th-century American culture quite like the comic book. Soon after comics’ meteoric rise in popularity, the industry drew criticism: Because of the gore and sexual content of early comics, the parents of devoted teenage comics readers began to worry about the effect of the comic book on children.

Banned Books Week / 22-28 Sept 2019

Banned Books Week UK is a nationwide campaign for radical readers and rebellious readers of all ages celebrate the freedom to read. Between 22 – 28 September 2019, bookshops, libraries, schools, literary festivals and publishers will be hosting events and making noise about some of the most sordid, subversive, sensational and taboo-busting books around.

Save the date
28 Sept: 1984 at 70 – How has Orwell’s vision aged?
26 Sept: Truly Uncensored? LGBTQ+ Young Adult Literature
23 Sept: John Osborne’s Under Plain Covers
23 Sept: Walled In: Writers consider walls in literature and in our lives
More events to be added soon

7 Sept / Symposium
The paradox of creative constraints

This public event will reflect on the paradox of creative constraints in contemporary cinema from the Middle East – a day of film screenings and panel discussions with filmmakers, funders and programmers, including some of the most innovative rising talents as well as established experts.

The symposium will offer new insights into filmmaking from the region, revitalising debates on cinematic creativity in sites of conflict and crisis in the Middle East and beyond.

Full details