NEWSLETTER 3 — 2008

Dark spot in China: Imprisonment of Tibetan musicians
As the Olympic Games in Beijing make news headlines around the world, stories of musicians being oppressed and silenced reach Freemuse from the country's 'back garden' behind the mountain plateau of Tibet. Tibetan singers Drolmakyi and Jamyang Kyi, and the musician Lhundrup have been arrested and held in custody without charges by Chinese authorities.
Read more:
www.freemuse.org/sw28531.asp

 
African singer receives Freemuse Award in Dublin
Tiken Jah Fakoly will receive the first ever Freemuse Award in connection with his Ireland debut concert in Dublin on Saturday 23 August. Working tirelessly to denounce political corruption in Africa, Tiken Jah has already given away half the award money to imprisoned African journalist Moussa Kaka. Tiken Jah will play at Dublin's Festival of World Cultures. A press meeting will be organised on the day prior to his concert and the award ceremony.
Read more:
www.freemuse.org/sw25454.asp
 
Freemuse seminar in Somalia
A Freemuse seminar about music censorship and attacks on musicians in Somalia was held in the capital Mogadishu in the beginning of July. Organised by the Somali Pen on behalf of Freemuse, the seminar witnessed testimonies of intimidation, targeted killings and general deprivation of musicians and composers rights to work and express themselves. It is the first time ever this topic has been discussed at a fora consisting of journalists, artists and scholars. A report will soon be available at freemuse.org.
Read more:
'Musician gunned down by militiamen'
'University students obstructed music event'
 
Musicians' visa issues highlighted
at Womex and Creole Festival
The 'Visa Initiative' concerning the difficulties that organisers in Europe face when inviting artists from Asia, Africa and Latin America was initiated at the Womex trade fair last year.
Freemuse will present the conclusions of a forthcoming 'white paper' on visa issues at the Womex 08 in October - and also at the Dortmund Creole NRW which is a world music event in Germany including concerts and seminars.
Read more:
womex.com
creole-weltmusik.de
 
Other recent arrests of and trials against musicians

• Singer Lapiro de Mbanga: on trial in Cameroon.

• Reggae singer Teddy Afro: on trial - allegedly framed by authorities - in Ethiopia. On 4 August the case took a strange twist.

• Performer Fadh al-Qarni: convicted to 18 months imprisonment in Yemen.

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It makes it easy for you and your readers to keep track, and in this way you can also assist Freemuse in spreading our news-flow to more readers.
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Become a member of Freemuse
By becoming a member of Freemuse, you support our work, and what is even more important, you become part of our network - signalling that we are a number of people who are seriously concerned about music censorship. There are two different kinds of membership: Paying Member and Supporting Member.
Read more:
www.freemuse.org/sw8107.asp
 

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Find more information on freemuse.org

Freemuse.org features new articles and background documents on music censorship every week.
 
 
Recent news stories

• China: Authorities stricter on foreign performers

• Russia: Government plan to ban emo and goth music

• Chile: New evidence lead to reopening of Victor Jara's murder case

• Sudan: Censored singer tries to reform 'hate singers'

 
Recent interviews and feature stories
 
• Turkey: 'I escaped and cannot return'
Interview with exiled Turkish baglama-player and singer Fuat Talay who speaks about how the Turkish authorities kept him in a police station's cellar for 23 days, and later on convicted him to 12 years in prison.
 
• Burma / Myanmar: 'Nobody will know you anymore'
Interview with musician Mun Awng who left Burma to be able to make music free of censorship and in hope of improving the political situation in his country.
 
• Saudi Arabia: 'Stay safe, play smart'
Interview with Faisal Al-Alamy, founder of Saudi Arabian thrash metal band Octum. They released a demo entitled 'Fighting For Freedom' in January 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
 

 
New book
 
• 'Heavy Metal Islam – Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam'
American author and historian Mark LeVine is presently writing a report for Freemuse on heavy metal in the Middle East. In July, he published a book about the special role of Heavy Metal music in the Middle East and its relationship with Islam.
 

 
Connect with Freemuse on Web 2.0
 
• www.myspace.com/musiccensorship

• www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1260628251






 

Kind regards,

Freemuse - The World Forum on Music and Censorship 
Nytorv 17, 3rd floor
1450 Copenhagen K    
Denmark
Tel  +45 33 32 10 27
www.freemuse.org

Freemuse (FREEdom of MUSical Expression) is an international human rights organisation advocating freedom of expression for musicians and composers worldwide.