One song — three years imprisonment. Global award to the singer that the president of Cameroon fears for voicing peoples frustrations.
Imprisoned musician Lapiro de Mbango is the 2009-winner of the ‘Freedom to Create’ Imprisoned Artist Prize.
Nominated by Freemuse, Lapiro de Mbanga – described as an “unceremonial sheriff of the backyards” – was selected “in recognition of his courage and outstanding artwork” by a distinguished panel including world famous conductor Daniel Barenboim and Geoffrey Robertson, one of the world’s foremost human rights lawyers.
The news was conveyed to Lapiro in his prison cell in Cameroon a few hours before the prize ceremony took place Wednesday evening at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum in attendance of international luminaries such as the celebrated Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Time Out founder Tony Elliot and Human rights activist Bianca Jagger.
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Freemuse press contact Ole Reitov, tel: +45 2323 2765
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High resolution photos of Lapiro
These photos are for free use in printed media under condition of stating the source: Freemuse, and photographer's name
Lapiro de Mbanga, in prison, November 2009. Photo by Jen Bell.
Size 17 x 22 cm in 300 d.p.i. - 2.4 MB
Lapiro de Mbanga in court room on 25 June 2009. Photo by Jen Bell
Size 22 x 16 cm in 300 d.p.i. - 2.0 MB
Lapiro de Mbanga being escorted by the major of Njombé Penja, Mr. Kingué. on 24 July 2008. Photo courtesy by Issa Nyaphaga
Size 13 x 10 cm in 300 d.p.i. - 1.9 MB
Radio broadcasters: MP3 audio file with the banned song
Contact Freemuse and we can quickly email you Lapiro's song 'Constitution Constipée' in MP3 format for broadcast
Lapiro de Mbanga, imprisoned since 2008 retaliates at Minister of Communication who on 30 July 2010 announced that Cameroon did not host any political prisoners
Danish politicians demand investigation of financial support to company accused of inhuman working conditions and co-responsibility for the imprisonment of singer Lapiro
On 16 June 2010, the international legal team for singer Lapiro de Mbanga filed an urgent action petition with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Freedom Now, a US-based lawyers’ advocacy organisation urges secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, to request that President Biya releases Lapiro de Mbanga
A.P. Moller - Maersk Group, the worldwide conglomerate operating in around 130 countries, is accused for being partly responsible for the imprisonment of singer Lapiro
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN has launched a new protest campaign for the continuing imprisonment of singer-songwriter Lapiro de Mbanga
