FREEMUSE – FREEDOM OF MUSICAL EXPRESSION

Newsletter 3 — 2012

World Conference on Artistic Freedom of Expression

Freemuse and Fritt Ord co-organise the first ever World Conference on Artistic Freedom of Expression in Oslo 25-26 October 2012. World famous conductor Adam Fischer, Burmese artists Win Maw and Zarganar, Zimbabwe’s Outspoken and many other artists will be on stage performing and talking about freedom of expression.      

Read more: www.artsfreedom.org

Freemuse: Grounds pass to the United Nations

The United Nations has granted Freemuse ‚Special Consultative Status‘ recognising Freemuse as the world’s leading organisation in its field.        

Read more: www.freemuse.org/sw48569.asp

Russia: Pussy Riot on everyone’s lips

Pussy Riot’s court case in Moscow suddenly placed musical freedom of expression high on the agenda of the Western media during July and August 2012. Freemuse supported Pussy Riot since March 2012 and was among the speakers at a protetst march in Copenhagen on 17 August. The three women’s conviction to two years in prison has been appealed but their lawyer has little hope the verdict will be overturned.        

Read more: www.freemuse.org/sw48737.asp  

Artists must stand for each other

The music industry professionals need to adopt a universal code of conduct together. Commentary by Mark LeVine, inspired by the high profile court case of Pussy Riot.        

Read more: www.freemuse.org/sw48554.asp  

Manu Chao supports Freemuse campaign

«Freedom of expression is important to anyone and we must fight for it. I am supporting the work of Freemuse and I’m here to help,» says singer Manu Chao in a comment to the current Freemuse campaigns for persecuted and imprisoned musicians and composers worldwide.        

Read more and see video clip: www.freemuse.org/sw48694.asp

CAMPAIGNS AND SUPPORT TO MUSICIANS  

Iran:  Arya Aramnejad Released in April 2012 but was sentenced to one more year in prison. 

Russia:  Pussy Riot Three members of the punk band were each sentenced to two years in prison.  

Turkey:  Ferhat Tunç Sentenced to two years in prison. Still on trial. 

Morocco:  El Haked Sentenced in May 2012 to one year in prison. 

Iran / Germany:  Shahin Najafi Sentenced to death in absentia by religious authorities in Iran.    

NEWS STORIES ON FREEMUSE.ORG

Mali: Report from Bamako: Can musical Mali play on? Islamism is on the march and threatening to wipe out the country’s cultural heritage, wrote freelance journalist Rose Skelton in British newspaper The Independent

China: Increased control on music publishing in Tibet New measures by Chinese authorities involve significantly increased controls in the Tibetan music publishing, reported Human Rights Watch

Morocco: Rapper El Haked’s sentence upheld in court of appeal On 27 July 2012, the Casablanca court of appeal upheld the one year prison sentence given to the rapper El Haked in May for a song which is ‚detrimental to public servants‘

Iran: Cancellation of several pop concerts A new wave of concert cancellations started from Tehran and has spread throughout the country, reported Small Media from London  

VIDEO-CLIPS: MUSICIANS ON CENSORSHIP  

What do Ramy Essam, Marie Boine, Marcel Khalife and Ferhat Tunc have in common with Kris Kristofferson and El General? They have all talked to Freemuse about music censorship.

The website freemuse.org contains interviews with artists from 25 countries. Many of the interviews are available on YouTube.com where, til now, more than 200’000 people have viewed them.        

Watch the video interviews on:      

freemuse.org/sw2348.asp      

and      

youtube.com/user/freemuseorg  

Find more information and news on freemuse.org – the world’s largest knowledge base on music censorship.  

Connect and interact with Freemuse 

• twitter.com/Free_Muse • facebook.com/freemusesec • youtube.com/user/freemuseorg • myspace.com/musiccensorship