Præsentation af Freemuse på danskPresentacíon de FreemusePrésentation de FreemusePresentation in Arabic
Click here to go to start page Click here to go to start page
Search Sort content by country/region Sort content by artist Sort content by subject
About music censorship
Artists on censorship
About Freemuse
Publications
Study room
Activities
News
News 2007
News 2006
News 2005
News 2004
News 2003
News 2002
News 2001
Links
Press room

NEWS
15 January 2008

Norway:
Singer's brother under police protection

Dancer Adil Thathaal received death threats from religious people with Pakistani background because he defended his sister, the singer Deeyah, in a recent magazine interview.

24-year-old Adil Thathaal is an actor and breakdancer, a well-known face in Norway, ever since he won a dance competition on a tv show called 'Dansefeber'.

In a magazine interview Adil Thathaal critized those in the Pakistani society in Norway who 12 years ago had threatened and harassed his sister, Deeyah, because she published a music video in which she showed some bare skin of her back. Deeyah – who was 18 at the time – was made to feel so unsafe in Norway that she moved to London, and later to the US.

Deeyah (real name Deepika Thathaal) recently published her third solo album – her first album under the name Deeyah. The album's title is 'Ataraxis', and she sings in Urdu, Punjabi and Pashto language.






Adil Thathaal

Sources (in Norwegian language)

Det Nye – 3 December 2007:

'Digger drømmende damer'

VG Net – 20 December 2007:

'Vinneren av «Dansefeber» drapstruet'

Klassekampen – 20 December 2007:

'Danse-Adil drapstruet'


Deeyah's story
Read our in-depth interview with Deeyah here...

Freemuse – 9 August 2006:

'Deeyah speaks out about the unspeakable'

Deeyah's MySpace profile:

myspace.com/deeyahmusic











Click to read more about Deeyah


Go to top
Related reading on freemuse.org

Bahrain: Parliament's attempt to ban singer failed
Bahrain's Islamist parliament members wanted to ban the Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe from performing in the country because of her sexy looks. They were not successful
05 May 2008
Somalia: Dilemmas facing Somali music and musicians
Somali musicians struggle with financial hardships and self-censorship issues, and some are dying of hunger and diseases in Somalia
23 April 2008
Afghanistan: New media restrictions according to Sharia law
A letter from the Ministry of Culture and Information stated that "everything which is against the Sharia laws should not be printed, broadcasted, audio/video telecasted"
21 April 2008
Nigeria: Actor jailed for releasing an uncensored music video
The actor Adam A. Zango was imprisoned for producing and releasing an uncensored hip-hop video. The incident was a result of restrictions within the kannywood film industry
09 April 2008
Afghanistan: Restrictions on music discussed in parliament
A commission for cultural and religious affairs in Afghanistan's lower house of parliament suggested to impose new restrictions on music and dance performance
02 April 2008
Maldives: 22 religious scholars declare music is forbidden in Islam
A video presentation showed the scholars against a backdrop showing a symbol of crossed-out musical notes, each saying in turn that they believe music is forbidden
25 March 2008
Afghanistan: Young singer becomes icon in struggle for freedom of music
18-year-old Lima Sahar has placed herself in the middle of Afghanistan's continous gender and music struggle. She could become the winner of the tv show 'Afghan Star'
13 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
Afghanistan - special report: The cage is singing
Freemuse Special Report, 'The cage is singing', is an in-depth report with ten video interviews and a book about music censorship in Afghanistan - past and present
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
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
Pakistan: Music and militancy in the frontier (radio report)
This radio report tells about religious militants' attacks on music centres, and the reactions from the owners of the music business in Swat Valley of North-West Pakistan.
25 February 2008
The Middle East: New restrictions on satellite tv
Freedom of expression in the Middle East suffered a major setback on 12 February 2008 when 21 information ministers of the Arab League agreed on a new satellite tv charter
20 February 2008
Yemen: Concert became courageous manifestation against terrorism
Syrian singer Assala Nasry defied death threats by al-Qaida members in Yemen before her concert in Aden. The concert became a huge success.
19 February 2008
Afghanistan / UK: Film festival celebrates banned music
A film festival in Edingburgh entitled 'Reel Afghanistan' celebrates the Afghan art form which was banned by the Taliban: music
18 February 2008
Yemen: Singer threatened to be killed if festival is allowed
A new fatwa (religious edict) bans music concerts in Yemen and the Syrian singer Assala Nasry has been threatened she will be killed if she performs in the country
13 February 2008
Malaysia: Singer banned for showing bare chest
On 13 January 2008, singer Faizal Tahir courted controversy by removing his shirts to his bare chest and also his belt live on television
29 January 2008
Afghanistan: Female musicians put their lives in danger
A report from a music school in Kabul is a story about the kind of difficulties and dangers female musicians face in present day Afghanistan. They must work in secret
15 January 2008
Norway: Singer's brother under police protection
Dancer Adil Thathaal received death threats from religious people with Pakistani background because he defended his sister, the singer Deeyah, in a recent interview
15 January 2008