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NEWS05 June 2001 Singapore upholds Janet Jackson ban Officials in Singapore have thrown out an appeal against a ban on Janet Jackson's album, ‘All For You’. The Publications Appeal Committee, a panel of academics and professionals, decided that the lyrics of the album, particularly one song, Would You Mind, were "not acceptable to our society". The record was initially outlawed because of its "sexually explicit lyrics". The song lyrics include "I just wanna touch you, tease you, lick you, please you, love you, make love to you." Story from BBC Related reading Iran: Women & music censorship Background material on women in the performing arts in post-revolutionary Iran 20 January 2004 Iran: Setar master openly critised ban on women vocalists Musician Mohammad-Reza Lotfi said at a press conference that he wishes to eliminate Iran’s prohibition on solo vocal performances by women 28 April 2008 Sweden: Explicit lyrics cause heated debate about women’s sexuality After being banned on two regional radio stations, the lyrics of a song by Frida Muranius are debated in newspapers, radio, web forums and court yards all over Sweden 11 July 2007 Iran: Gissoo Shakeri - “Voice of women who cannot sing" Singer Gissoo Shakeri's works are banned in Iran, but her songs can be listened to on the internet. Interview excerpt from Revolution, and lyrics from one of her banned songs 06 April 2006 The music industry from the perspective of women About the music industry from the perspective of women, based on interviews with Myriam, a Senegalese rapper from the group ALIF and the singer Ajah Sy 27 May 2005 Explicit Lyrics & Parental Advisory Tipper Gore, the PMRC, and the infamous black-and-white logo: Background material and news articles 01 February 2004 Europe / USA: Pressure on Muslim women to stay out of music When a woman tries to break into the growing scene for Islamic hip-hop in United Kingdom she is often intimidated, or even threatened, reported the New Statesman 18 August 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 Iran: About 230 people arrested during a ‘satanistic’ music event As part of an annual summer crackdown on “immoral behavior” about 230 people were arrested during a police raid on an underground rap and rock concert 07 August 2007 3rd Freemuse World Conference on Music and Censorship 200 professional musicians, scholars, and composers from 22 countries met at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference on 25-26 November 2006 in Istanbul, Turkey 18 December 2006 Syria: 'Silenced voices' In Syria, music is a mirror which shows the soul of the listener. A few young musicians perceive a magic language of sound which can touch the heart and make new thoughts spark. And this is exacly where their problems start... 07 November 2006 India: American singer censored on tv Paris Hilton’s music video ‘Stars Are Blind’ has been banned because of “sexual connotations”. 24 August 2006 Women and Music Censorship - Past to Present Examples from all over the world of the censorship of female music during the centuries 25 April 2005 Postscript to report on censorship in Zimbabwe "Playing with Fire: Fear and Self-Censorship in Zimbabwean Music". Extensive Freemuse report, including case studies on Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi. Read abstract and full report (PDF) 05 January 2005 Googoosh: Iran's Daughter Googoosh was Iran's most famous and beloved pop diva, until she was silenced following the 1979 Islamic revolution. The award winning documentary on Googoosh is now out on DVD 14 December 2004 Zimbabwean gospel diva Fungisai Zvakavapano denied UK visa A London-based Zimbabwe news website quoted a British Embassy official as citing fear that she might not return to Zimbabwe after her tour as a reason for refusing her a visa 02 November 2004 Iranian rapper talks a fine line Chart-topping Shahkar Binesh-Pajouh targets unemployment, poverty and westernised Iranian girls in his new album, which the culture ministry took four years to approve. The ministry passed it only after he deleted six songs from his original ten 04 September 2004 Taiwan star silenced by China row Taiwanese pop singer Chang Hui-mei, better known as A-mei, had to cancel a concert in China after a protest accusing her of supporting independence for the island 13 June 2004 Shoot the Singer! Book "Shoot the Singer! Music Censorship Today". The first worldwide presentation of contemporary cases of music censorship, with cases from i.a. Burma, Mexico, Middle East, France, Algeria, Zimbabwe, USA, South Africa, Turkey. Edited by Freemuse director Marie Korpe, published by Zed Books, May 2004. 25 May 2004 Najwa Karam banned by the Lebanese Censorship Committee In March 2004, the Lebanese Surete Generale censored a video clip entitled "Why are You Emigrating?" by Najwa Karam, a well known singer. 02 April 2004