Iran’s repression of artists in ongoing assault on freedom of expression
At the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva on 1 July, the Islamic Republic of Iran came before members of the Human Rights Council to defend its human rights record under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the Council’s mechanism that requires each member state to undergo a peer review of its human rights every 4.5 years.[1] The review had been carried out in January 2025, and the report on the UPR outcome was presented for approval of the Council. In its oral statement, the Islamic Republic of Iran gave an orchestrated display of defiance towards human rights, as it refused to support over half of the 346 recommendations for improvements that had been made by over 100 UN states. It’s worth noting that only 16 recommendations related to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, issues of special concern to Freemuse, of these just three were supported.[2] The Israeli military attack on Iran and the 12-day war between Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran from 13 to 25 June 2025—marked by missile exchanges and intense airstrikes—escalated the longstanding hostility between the two countries from proxy wars to direct war. Iran asserted this aggression threatens its ability to implement human rights obligations under the UPR. This confrontation, which involved large-scale attacks by both sides and resulted in significant casualties and damage, further complicated the situation for freedom of expression and art in Iran. Restricted internet access, bans on citizens taking photos and videos, arrests for these actions, and charges of espionage have narrowed the space for cultural activity. Under the pretext of insecurity and with an emphasis on national security, strict control, a war atmosphere prevailed in the cities, and the judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran has intensified the atmosphere of repression in the war atmosphere that has emerged. The law has expanded the definition of espionage and intensified the legal prosecution of individuals, groups, religious and ethnic minorities. 12 Day War escalates attack on freedom of expression and the arts During the same 12-day war, Reza Daryakenari, a designer, graphic artist, and artistic photographer, was arrested on June 22 in a café in Tehran. So far, no information about his condition or whereabouts has been provided to his family. According to security officials, over the 12 days of war, more than 700 people have been arrested in Iran on charges of collaborating with Israel. Among the consequences of war are increased self-censorship and a shrinking space for freedom of art, expression, and activity. The war has not only weakened Iran’s international standing, but has also deepened the suppression of artistic freedom of expression within the country such as seen with the ongoing trial of rapper Toomaj Salehi who has faced renewed prosecution after being released from prison. He appeared before the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan July 1st, charged with “inciting people to war and killing each other with the aim of undermining the country’s security, propaganda against the system, and insulting sanctities.” The reason for these charges is the release of a critical music track called Typhus. During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, he was also detained for several hours. The cases of Toomaj Salehi, Maryam Moghadam, Behtash Sanaiha, and Zara Esmaili, among others, demonstrate violations of artists’ rights, freedom of expression, and art. Despite international protests against the sentencing of Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghadam, the directors of the film My Favourite Cake, and Gholamreza Mousavi, the film’s producer, their sentences were upheld unchanged in the appeals court. In the initial trial, they were collectively sentenced to five years and four months in prison, along with fines. The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to intensify its suppression of artistic freedom of expression, targeting musicians, filmmakers, and visual artists who challenge official narratives or address sensitive social and political issues by using a wide array of tactics to silence dissenting artistic voices, including arbitrary arrests, harsh prison sentences, torture, travel bans, asset confiscation, and forced confessions. These measures are often justified with vague charges such as “propaganda against the system,” “spreading lies,” or “insulting Islamic values.” The targeting of artists is part of a broader crackdown on civil society that intensified after the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests. These protests, sparked by the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini by the morality police, gave rise to an unprecedented uprising against compulsory hijab and state control over women’s bodies, as well as other restrictive laws, with many artists joining and emerging from within this movement. Besides participating in the debate of July 1, NGOs could submit written statements to the UPR system, which are included in a report published by the UN Human Rights Council. The Islamic Republic´s proxy groups took advantage of this process to flood the review with a wave of false information. Almost half of all the statements submitted came from government-organized NGOs (GONGOs) based in Iran and controlled by the regime, and their misleading claims are now part of the UN’s summary report. The unwillingness of the Islamic Republic of Iran to reflect upon the recommendations at the UPR and its suppression of artistic freedom of expression and nowadays—post 12-day war—arbitrary arrests on charges of collaborating with Israel, is yet another display of their classic “3D’s” of avoiding accountability: to deny, deflect and diffuse from the human rights abuses. By Parvin Ardalan, Researcher on Iran at Freemuse [1] For details of the UN UPR process visit: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-home [2] A state may ‘support’ a recommendation, indicating its agreement to consider the suggested improvements. Otherwise, it will ‘note’ the recommendation—effectively a refusal to consider its content.
Kenyan creatives rally around UN Review amid mounting threats to artistic freedom
Kenya’s artistic freedom faces significant threats, including censorship, suppression of dissent, and the targeting of LGBTI expressions, a situation that has become more critical with the current unrest and violent police suppression of protests.
Mexico: What is so forbidden about corridos? The war on corridos and free expression
Authorities across Mexico have moved to ban narcocorridos, corridos tumbados and corridos bélicos all sub-genres of the popular Mexican genre know as corridos, in public spaces and heavy fines, arguing they glorify criminal behaviour. Corridos are a form of traditional folk music, telling stories of battles and love, and, more recently, highlighting crime, poverty, and defiance of authority. Critics warn that efforts to ban these songs not only threaten artistic freedom but also divert attention from the social issues these songs highlight—poverty, systemic violence, and state neglect. In her article for Cartel Urbano, Diana Arévalo, Freemuse Regional Researcher on Latin America, refers to cultural experts who reject the idea that corridos promote crime. Instead, they see these musical expressions as responses to structural injustice—of communities grappling with exclusion and inequality. With corridos dominating Mexican streaming platforms and generating major economic value, attempts to silence them may backfire—further boosting their popularity and symbolic power. Diana Arévalo explores this tension between suppression and expression, and why banning music may do more harm than good in the fight for social justice. Read the full article in English here. The original article in Spanish can be found here: https://cartelurbano.com/bulla/que-tienen-los-corridos-de-prohibido
Türkiye: Zehra Ömeroğlu and the Price of Humour
On 26 June 2025, the 14th hearing of the trial against cartoonist Zehra Ömeroğlu will take place in Istanbul. Accused of ‘obscenity’ she faces up to three years in prison.
Freemuse Releases State of Artistic Freedom 2025: ‘Art Is the Opposite of War’
Freemuse’s State of Artistic Freedom 2025 report documents yet another difficult year for artists around the world. In 2024, global conflicts, political instability, and tightening restrictions on freedom of expression created increasingly hostile environments for artistic voices. Freemuse launched the report on 2 May in Kristiansand, Norway as part of Democracy Week, which is organized in connection with the European Conference on Democracy and Human Rights. “Artistic freedom is increasingly under threat around the world. We cannot accept that artists and cultural institutions are pressured by politicians simply because they disagree with the content or form of the work,” says Sverre Pedersen, Executive Director of Freemuse. “Free artistic expression is essential for fostering critical thinking and an informed public; it is, at its core, an investment in democracy. Culture must be free, built on personal passion and voluntary engagement.” The report highlights artistic suppression across Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America, as well as intensifying crackdowns in countries like Iran, Türkiye, and China, where political tensions and censorship continue to erode artistic freedom. Around the world, artists have faced arrest, violence, and institutional pressure, while cultural programming is increasingly influenced by political agendas. In many cases, the threat of retaliation has led to widespread self-censorship which has become a survival mechanism for artists in oppressive environments. The report identifies key global trends that shaped the artistic landscape in 2024: – The expanded use of “foreign agent” laws to silence dissenting voices. – Political influence over public arts institutions, curbing independent programming. – Religious and moral-based restrictions that disproportionately affected women, LGBTQ+ artists, and minority communities. – Artistic expression related to Gaza has faced growing censorship, particularly in Germany and the USA. – In areas plagued by criminal violence, especially in parts of Latin America and Africa, musicians and performers were especially vulnerable. “The report captures a year marked by escalating global conflicts, where artists faced censorship, arrest, and violence. Even in democratic societies, self-censorship became widespread, as many feared reprisals for speaking out; particularly on sensitive topics like the war in Gaza,” says Sara Whyatt, Research Director at Freemuse. She adds: “Yet, even in the face of destruction and repression, artists refused to be silenced. ‘Art is the opposite of war,’ says ceramicist Nathalie Khayat, capturing the spirit of resilience that threads through the year’s events. Her words, ‘I will look for beauty, poetry, and raw emotions through my absurd reality… I need to create while the world around me is being destroyed’, echo the determination of many who continued to create, resist, and speak truth to power under the harshest of conditions.” The report also highlights the impact of national elections and protest movements. In 2024, a record number of elections took place worldwide, many marked by unrest. Artists who participated in or supported protest movements were often singled out for retaliation. From muralists in Nicaragua, to musicians in South Sudan, to a protest anthem in Hong Kong, creative voices were both central to these movements, and subject to their consequences. Despite mounting pressures, the global artistic community remains resilient. Whether working publicly or underground, artists continue to engage audiences, document lived experiences, and challenge power through creative expression. As this year’s report underscores, supporting artistic freedom is not a privilege; it is a necessity, particularly in times of political and social uncertainty. Art, Rights, and Resistance: Freemuse Gathers Voices for Global Dialogue The Freemuse report launch was followed by a two-day artistic freedom workshop on 3–4 May, organized in collaboration with Agder County Council and the University of Agder. The workshop was led by Sverre Pedersen and Sara Whyatt.The workshop brought together sixteen artists, human rights advocates, and academics from Norway and beyond, ensuring a meaningful exchange of perspectives from the ground up. Discussions focused on artists’ rights under international conventions, the threats to artistic freedom in an increasingly polarised world, and how collaboration can help strengthen global freedom of expression.
State of Artistic Freedom 2025 press kit
State of Artistic Freedom 2025 press kit The State of Artistic Freedom 2025 small size The State of Artistic Freedom 2025 big size Press photo Sara Whyatt, Research Director Press photo Sverre Pedersen, Executive Director Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Freemuse Report Reveals Global Pressures on Artistic Freedom in 2024 Kristiansand, 2 May 2025 – Freemuse’s State of Artistic Freedom 2025 report documents yet another difficult year for artists around the world. In 2024, global conflicts, political instability, and tightening restrictions on freedom of expression created increasingly hostile environments for artistic voices. “Artistic freedom is increasingly under threat around the world. We cannot accept that artists and cultural institutions are pressured by politicians simply because they disagree with the content or form of the work,” says Sverre Pedersen, Executive Director of Freemuse. “Free artistic expression is essential for fostering critical thinking and an informed public; it is, at its core, an investment in democracy. Culture must be free, built on personal passion and voluntary engagement.” The report highlights artistic suppression across Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America, as well as intensifying crackdowns in countries like Iran, Türkiye, and China, where political tensions and censorship continue to erode artistic freedom. Around the world, artists have faced arrest, violence, and institutional pressure, while cultural programming is increasingly influenced by political agendas. In many cases, the threat of retaliation has led to widespread self-censorship which has become a survival mechanism for artists in oppressive environments. The report identifies key global trends that shaped the artistic landscape in 2024: – The expanded use of “foreign agent” laws to silence dissenting voices. – Political influence over public arts institutions, curbing independent programming. – Religious and moral-based restrictions that disproportionately affected women, LGBTQ+ artists, and minority communities. – Artistic expression related to Gaza has faced growing censorship, particularly in Germany and the USA. – In areas plagued by criminal violence, especially in parts of Latin America and Africa, musicians and performers were especially vulnerable. “The report captures a year marked by escalating global conflicts, where artists faced censorship, arrest, and violence. Even in democratic societies, self-censorship became widespread, as many feared reprisals for speaking out; particularly on sensitive topics like the war in Gaza,” says Sara Whyatt, Research Director at Freemuse. She adds: “Yet, even in the face of destruction and repression, artists refused to be silenced. ‘Art is the opposite of war,’ says ceramicist Nathalie Khayat, capturing the spirit of resilience that threads through the year’s events. Her words, ‘I will look for beauty, poetry, and raw emotions through my absurd reality… I need to create while the world around me is being destroyed’, echo the determination of many who continued to create, resist, and speak truth to power under the harshest of conditions.” The report also highlights the impact of national elections and protest movements. In 2024, a record number of elections took place worldwide, many marked by unrest. Artists who participated in or supported protest movements were often singled out for retaliation. From muralists in Nicaragua, to musicians in South Sudan, to a protest anthem in Hong Kong, creative voices were both central to these movements, and subject to their consequences. Despite mounting pressures, the global artistic community remains resilient. Whether working publicly or underground, artists continue to engage audiences, document lived experiences, and challenge power through creative expression. As this year’s report underscores, supporting artistic freedom is not a privilege; it is a necessity, particularly in times of political and social uncertainty. Notes to Editors Freemuse is an independent international organization advocating for freedom of artistic expression since 1998. Freemuse’s State of Artistic Freedom report is an annual publication that documents and analyses global violations of artistic expression. Press Contacts Sverre Pedersen, Executive Director, Freemuse sverre.pedersen@freemuse.org Sara Whyatt, Research Director, Freemuse sara.whyatt@freemuse.org
