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POSITIVE NEWS STORIES Articles and news stories with positive news concerning music and censorship issues  (most recent first): USA / UK: Norwegian singer Deeyah wins Freedom Award Deeyah, the exiled Norwegian singer and activist, was awarded with an ArtVenture 'Freedom to Create Prize' at a ceremony in London on 26 November 2008 27 November 2008 Canada: Country rock band defies "unofficial ban" from radio The Canadian country rock band Dry County feel they've been "unofficially banned" from the music industry. Freemuse asked the band's manager to elaborate 18 August 2008 Singapore / United Kingdom: Launch of award for repressed artists Article 19 and ArtVenture are seeking to “find light in darkness and courage in truth” with a newly established 100,000 US dollars Freedom to Create Prize 18 June 2008 North Korea: Three years in prison for simply singing a wrong song Because she had sung a South Korean folk song and taught it to four others in 1992, North Korean Ji Hae Nam (Hae-Nam Ji) was imprisoned for three years and tortured 09 June 2008 Saudi Arabia: Interview with founder of thrash metal band Faisal Al-Alamy is founder of the Saudi Arabian thrash metal band Octum. They released a demo entitled 'Fighting For Freedom' in January 2008 04 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 Pakistan: Music breaks chains in North West Pakistan The melody of Pashto music that has been in chains for the last five years has now found a way to bless the hearts of its lovers with a renewed zeal and life 21 May 2008 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 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 Afghanistan: Singer becomes symbol in the struggle for music freedom 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 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 Belarus: Bans cultivate opposition, says musician Musician Ljavon Volski of the rock band N.R.M. have was asked if it is true that bans stimulate development of rock music 29 January 2008 Denmark: Exiled Kurdish singer awarded On 29 November 2007 the Danish Refugee Council awarded Mizgin, a Kurdish refugee musician based in Denmark, with an 'Artist Award' and 5,000 US dollars 05 December 2007 Belarus: Musicians removed from 2004-blacklist After a meeting between in Minsk on 21 November 2007, the musicians who were blacklisted in 2004 are now allowed to perform live and to be played on air in the radio 29 November 2007 Taiwan: Ban on Tibetan rapper promoted sales of his album A religious group in Taiwan managed to get the government to ban the singer Singa Rinpoche from entering the country for one year. The ban only increased his popularity 30 October 2007 Turkey: Singer Ferhat Tunç acquitted The Turkish-Kurdish singer Ferhat Tunc could leave Izmir High Criminal Court as a free man on 4 October 2007. The Freemuse delegation succeeded it's mission 04 October 2007 China: Once banned Taiwanese singer regains popularity Beijing officials who seven years ago banned the music of Taiwan's pop star A-Mei now use her name to improve political ties between mainland China and Taiwan 17 September 2007 Cuba: Imprisonment made Gorki stronger Gorki Aguila is back full force. The Cuban music rebel was praised for his courage in a report on the American news network CNN on 23 April 2007 01 May 2007 USA: Dixie Chicks' triumph over censorship: Five Grammys It was a victory over censorship and death threats when Dixie Chicks 'swept' the most prestigious honours in the global music calendar, the Grammy Awards 12 February 2007 UNESCO-study in support of freedom of musical expression New study for UNESCO underlines the importance of freedom of musical expression while listing examples of suppression and censorship of music in numerous countries around the world 10 November 2006 Mauritius Islands: Ras Natty Baby free at last One of the most popular artists of the Indian Ocean was released from prison on 21 September 2006 - the man who invented ‘seggae music’: Ras Natty Baby 28 September 2006 Afghanistan: Fewer music prohibitions on religious grounds Excerpts from a report on the situation in Afghanistan by U.S. Department of State, entitled “International Religious Freedom Report 2006”, released on 15 September 2006 28 September 2006 UK: Previously forbidden opera performed in Glasgow On 21 May 2006, Cecilia Bartoli performs in Glasgow, UK, with a programme that bears the same title as her latest album: ‘Opera Proibito’ - "forbidden opera". 15 May 2006 Afghanistan: First female music performance in a decade As the first female singer to take to the stage in Afghanistan in more than a decade, Tajik singer Maniza Daulat performed for 1,500 male fans in Kabul 25 January 2006 Afghan Children CD: 'Alocha' A CD by and for Afghan children has received massive coverage through Afghan and international media. 15 songs recorded with Hadia Rastagar and a childrens choir 14 December 2005 Afghanistan: Tolo TV wins Reporters Without Borders' yearly prize Afghanistan's main privately-owned TV station, Tolo TV, wins the ‘2005 Reporters Without Borders - Fondation de France Prize’ 12 December 2005 Syria: Music censorship film wins award Film director Mohamad Malas' movie 'Bab El Makam' tells the story of a young woman, who struggles against a society which does not accept her love for singing 28 November 2005 China: Ease of restrictions against mainland rock-father Cui Jian A concert for an audience of 10,000 people marks the end of a decade of censorship against Cui Jian's angry rap-inflected rock 27 September 2005 Pakistan: Two South Indian dance teachers stand up to ban For the past 53 years, Indu and Tehreema Mitha have been doing the impossible in Pakistan: teaching South Indian dance to Muslim girls in a country where Islamic clergymen will not allow girls to dance 05 December 2004 Freemuse nominated 'best music web site' at Webby Awards The Webby Awards, the leading international honours for web sites, nominated Freemuse.org for a Webby Award in the category 'Best Music Web Site of 2002'. 01 May 2002 U.S. Funding Effort to Preserve Afghan Music US preservation grant launched a project to record the music of Afghan musicians now residing in Pakistani refugee camps 11 January 2002