About music censorship Artists on censorship About Freemuse Publications Study room Activities News Links Press room

MINORITIES Kurds struggle to find voice in Turkey As death threats and angry slogans greet a recent performance in Kurdish by one of Turkey’s most popular singers, many human rights advocates in Turkey feel Ankara still has a long way to go to meet European Union standards on minorities 28 December 2003 Finland / Sweden / Norway: The destruction of a minority's music culture Ethnomusicologist Ilpo Saastamoinen shares his insight and personal experiences with the oppression of Sámi music culture 21 April 2008 Mari Boine Video interview with Norwegian and Sámi singer Mari Boine about her personal experiences with the religious ban of joik music 31 March 2008 UK: Brighton first city to outlaw 'hate music' The British seaside town Brighton has become the first place in the UK to ban music that "incites hatred towards minorites" 06 December 2007 Denmark: Reggae concert under close surveillance 200 activitsts demonstrated against Jamaican rapper and DJ Elephant Man in Copenhagen on 21 May 2007 because he has incited to violence against homosexuals in his songs 23 May 2007 Fermin Muguruza Video interview with musician Fermin Muguruza about his experiences with music censorship in Spain: Its mechanisms, its impact on the artist, and the fear of music 04 April 2007 East Turkistan: Uyghur composer died in exile From his exile in Sweden the Uyghur composer, musician and poet Kurash Sultan was like an ambassador to the Uyghurs in north-western China. He died in Sweden on 29 October 2006. 06 November 2006 Sivan Perwer Video interview with the famous Kurdish folk musician Sivan Perwer who has had numerous songs banned in Turkey. About the political role of the artist and the "Power of Music" 30 October 2006 USA: Controversial reggae star's show called off A Los Angeles nightclub has canceled a performance by reggae star Buju Banton because of his lyrics against homosexuality 26 September 2006 Denmark: Calling to cancel Jamaican reggae star concert Buju Banton was met with demonstrations and callings to cancel his concert when he played at The Rock in Copenhagen on July 11 2006 26 July 2006 France: Jamaican reggae star’s concerts cancelled Six French music venues have axed scheduled performances of Jamaican reggae singer Capleton because of his lyrics against homosexuality 09 June 2005 Pride and prejudice: 'anti-gay' stars refuse to apologise Their gigs have been cancelled all over the world and their names withdrawn from awards. But Jamaica's dancehall stars refuse to apologise for - or even stop singing - songs that encourage the murder of gay people. Extensive article from The Guardian 10 December 2004 Turkey: Ferhat Tunç case postponed Ferhat Tunç's hearing on the 2nd of December is postponed to 9th of March 2005, for the purpose of gathering additional documents 08 December 2004 The Hot Sound of Hate Hundreds of bands in America and Europe produce Hate Music. In September Panzerfaust Records launched Project Schoolyard, a plan to snag kids 13 to 19 by distributing 100,000 free CDs of such bands as Day of the Sword, H8 Machine and Final War. 29 November 2004 City demands 'anti-gay' music ban Brighton will be the first UK city to demand that retailers ban albums with "anti-gay" lyrics. The City Council voted unanimously to write to the managing directors of Virgin Megastore, HMV and MVC condemning the music. The council do not have the power to force the stores not to sell the music 27 November 2004 No apology from 'anti-gay' singer Reggae star Sizzla has refused to apologise for his lyrics advocating violence against gay men, despite his UK tour being cancelled after protests. Sizzla is not allowed into the UK while the Home Secretary examines concerns raised by gay rights group OutRage! 25 November 2004 City seeks 'anti-gay' album ban The first UK city-wide boycott of albums with "anti-gay" lyrics is being considered in Brighton. Councillors want music retailers like HMV, Virgin Megastore and MVC to stop selling albums with homophobic lyrics in its Brighton branches 23 November 2004 Reggae stars 'help to spread HIV' International Development Minister Gareth Thomas fears that discrimination against homosexuals is deterring people from being tested for HIV. "A number of artistes are effectively contributing to the spread of HIV by producing reggae and rap songs actually encouraging discrimination" 22 November 2004 Censor and be damned? The link between violent music and violent behaviour "The UK Home Office has decided that Sizzla cannot come to the UK to play at this time." Scotland on Sunday about the current debate on homophobic lyrics 14 November 2004 'Anti-gay' lyrics inquiry starts The government is considering banning reggae star Sizzla from the UK. Meanwhile detectives are investigating claims that lyrics penned by eight leading reggae artists incite violence against homosexuals and are therefore illegal. 03 November 2004 Turkey: Ferhat Tunç again to appear before court Ferhat Tunç will be tried due to article 159 of the (former Turkish Penal Code) because of using the phrase “deep judiciary” in an article he wrote. The first hearing will be held on December 2nd, 2004. Proposed sentence is imprisonment of 1 to 3 years 20 October 2004 Meet the banned! Freemuse conference abstract (WOMEX 2004) Read abstract from the Freemuse conference session at WOMEX 2004, featuring Ferhat Tunc 19 October 2004 Meet the banned! Freemuse conference abstract (WOMEX 2004) Read abstract from the Freemuse conference session at WOMEX 2004, featuring Ferhat Tunc 19 October 2004 Kurash Sultan Interview with exiled Chinese musician on music censorship in East Turkistan / Xinjiang. Interview in Chinese, Swedish and Uyghur. Transcription in English 19 October 2004 WOMEX 2004 This year Freemuse presented two conference sessions: "Meet the banned! Music censorship in Turkey" featured Turkish musician Ferhat Tunç, while "9/11 – The world's all out of tune" presented a new book on freedom of musical expression after 9/11 19 October 2004 Turkey: Testimony - the trials and arrests of Ferhat Tunç "1986: Arrested for political reasons. One week of interrogations, degradations and torture in the notorious prison camp DAL." Read the personal testimony of Turkish singer and human rights activist Ferhat Tunç 19 October 2004 Turkey: Censorship Past and Present A historical approach to the nature of censorship. Article. 01 October 2004 Algeria: Matoub Lounès - Berber Guerilla of Pop The story of the legendary Algerian singer who was assassinated in 1998. Chapter from 'Shoot the Singer! Music Censorship Today' (May 2004) 01 October 2004 United Kingdom: Reggae concert banned over lyrics Jamaican singer Buju Banton has been banned from playing a concert in Manchester after protests over his allegedly homophobic lyrics. Greater Manchester Police cancelled the gig as previous performances "suggest a likelihood of public disorder" 23 September 2004 Reggae stars dropped because of 'homophobic' lyrics A collection of articles and background information on Hate Music and the current debate, where Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel, the two controversial reggae acts accused of inciting violence against homosexuals, have been dropped from the UK Mobo Awards show 08 September 2004 Freedom of Expression Awards 2004 The Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards 2004 took place on 22 March. The Music Award went to Daniel Barenboim & Edward Said. The other nominees were Gorki Luis Águila Carrasco (Cuba), Junoon (Pakistan), and Ferhat Tunc (Turkey) 24 March 2004 Veil lifts off once-forbidden Kurdish folklore music The fall of Saddam Hussein's regime has allowed the once-forbidden Kurdish music to spread throughout the country 18 March 2004 Spain: Basque singer suffers from concert prohibitions The Basque rock singer Fermin Muguruza suffers from concert bans in Spain. Threats from neo-fascist groups was said to be the reason for the cancellations of his concerts 28 January 2004 Spain: Censorship of Basque musicians Over the past two years censorship of Basque musicians in Spain has steadily increased 28 January 2004 Spain: Manu Chao cancels show over political flap Musician Manu Chao refuses to exclude Basque band member Fermin Muguruza because of his alleged 'ETA roots' 09 November 2003 Turkey: Singer Ferhat Tunç arrested Singer and human rights activist Ferhat Tunç, jailed for alleged separatist incitement, said that he still faces charges even though he was earlier released from jail. 17 July 2003 Mehdi Haddab Interview with Mehdi Haddab (France/Algeria). Censorship of music in Algeria 25 November 2002 Turkish reforms music to Kurds ears The Kurdish hills are alive with the sound of music now that key changes in Turkey have enabled Kurdish musicians to come out of the closet 22 October 2002 Kurdish musician plays for freedom Kurdish singer, Newroz, explains the impact that censorship has on his career 11 October 2002 Heavy sentence for singing in Kurdish The National Security Court (DGM) of Istanbul has given between 3-9 years prison sentence to the band Koma Denge Asiti for performing in Kurdish. The band had been charged with "aiding and abetting the PKK" 04 June 2002 Turkey: New media law heavily criticised The Turkish parliament has approved a controversial bill that critics charge will further curtail press freedoms and strengthen media monopolies 16 May 2002 The dangerous music The adventures of Sulhattin Onen, a minibus driver who, by playing a Kurdish music cassette, had "aided and abetted the PKK". Onen was sentenced to 3 years in prison for playing Kurdish Music 10 April 2002 Local TV censored A 200-year-old Kurdish song caused the closure last week of a television station operating in southeastern Turkey, home to the country's Kurdish population. Gun-TV was taken off air on Friday for one month after broadcasting the song 29 March 2002 Ngawang Choephel: For love of music The story of Ngawang Choephel - a Tibetan musician, ethnomusicologist and filmmaker, who was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment by the Chinese authorities 20 January 2002 Freemuse report on censorship in Romania: "A Little Bit Special" Censorship and the Gypsy Musicians of Romania. Fremuse report 02/2001 25 October 2001 Ismail Türüt facing trial Ismail Türüt, Turkish folk singer, is accused of "praising an act which is considered a crime" in a song that he had prepared for the election campaign of Sevki Yilmaz, an MP linked to the now banned Welfare Party 22 February 2001 Appeal from Intl. PEN: Kurdish performers banned The international arts community is concerned by a disturbing number of cases involving the banning of songs and plays performed in the Kurdish language in Turkey 01 February 2001 Kurdish songs banned Kurdish music groups harrassed by local authorities (December 2000) 10 January 2001