The arrest of journalist Mzia Amaglobeli has crystallised Georgia’s struggle over independent expression. Detained on 12 January 2025 during protests in Batumi after she slapped the local police chief, Amaglobeli was later convicted and sentenced to two years in prison — a move rights groups say fits a broader assault on media freedom. As she received the 2025 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, thousands of protesters took to the streets demanding her release, underscoring how cultural and journalistic voices have become frontline defenders in Georgia’s democratic crisis.
The Belgrade International Theatre Festival (BITEF), long considered Serbia’s gateway to global avant-garde performance, is facing unprecedented turmoil. The rejection of Swiss director Milo Rau’s project The Pelicot Trial triggered resignations, accusations of political pressure, and heated public debate. As institutions tighten control and artists speak out, BITEF 2025 has become a powerful symbol of Serbia’s struggle over artistic autonomy and cultural freedom..
Since 2021, China’s cultural authorities have tightened control over artistic expression through CAPA’s “Performance-sector norms,” blacklists, and prosecutions that enforce ideological loyalty. Artist Gao Zhen’s detention and the suppression of politically sensitive art abroad highlight a widening campaign to align creativity with Party doctrine. NGOs warn this system, now extending beyond China’s borders, has produced a chilling effect on global artistic freedom.
Since 2021, President Nayib Bukele has tightened control over El Salvador’s cultural sphere, reshaping it into a vehicle for state propaganda. Mass firings, restrictive laws, and new bureaucracies such as the RAEX registry have silenced dissenting artists and organizations. What began as a modernization drive has evolved into a system where art serves authority—and creative freedom depends on political loyalty
Visa For Music 2025 returns to Rabat, Morocco, from November 19–22, celebrating its 12th edition as a premier music market and festival for Africa and the Middle East. Over four days, artists, producers, and industry professionals will connect through live showcases, electro-night performances, and professional forums, fostering collaboration, discovery, and innovation while spotlighting underrepresented talent on a global stage.
Across the Arab world, governments are rapidly tightening rules on social media, influencers, and online expression. From Saudi Arabia’s 2025 media code to Egypt’s cybercrime prosecutions and Bahrain’s high-profile influencer arrests, these measures claim to protect morals and national identity—but also sharply limit free expression. The region is entering a decisive phase of digital governance, reshaping youth culture, journalism, and creative industries.
Saudi Arabia's newly enforced 2025 Media Rules, introduced by the General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM), impose stringent guidelines on digital content. These regulations, targeting both citizens and foreigners, prohibit vulgar language, ostentatious displays of wealth, exposure of family disputes, non-consensual filming, and divisive content. Violations can lead to penalties ranging from fines to account suspension, significantly impacting influencers, brands, and individual content creators.
As Uganda prepares for the 2026 presidential election, opposition leader Bobi Wine faces off once again against long-serving President Yoweri Museveni in a battle that could redefine the nation’s future. With a campaign rooted in youth empowerment, democracy, and justice, Bobi Wine’s movement fuses music, activism, and political defiance—pitting generational change against entrenched power in one of Africa’s longest-running regimes.
Artistic freedom in Venezuela is under siege. Since the disputed 2024 election, artists, curators, and cultural workers have faced escalating censorship, detentions, and intimidation. Musicians are banned, exhibitions shut down, and human rights advocates criminalized under vague “anti-hate” laws. As the government tightens control, Venezuela’s creative community continues to resist, documenting truth and dissent despite fear and exile.
Morocco’s Gen Z protests, ignited on September 27, 2025, have become the country’s largest youth-led uprising since the Arab Spring. Sparked by deaths linked to hospital failures, thousands have taken to the streets demanding healthcare, education, and job reforms. Facing violent crackdowns and arrests, young Moroccans are joined by artists and activists, turning creativity into resistance and calling for a new social contract.
In September and October 2025, Madagascar’s youth ignited a historic uprising blending art, activism, and digital mobilization. Known as the Gen Z Madagascar movement, it united online creativity with civic resistance against corruption, inequality, and state repression. Through memes, music, and visual art, young protesters turned cultural expression into a force for democratic transformation.
Mohamed Tadjadit, known as “the poet of the Hirak,” became a symbol of Algeria’s 2019 pro-democracy movement. From the Casbah of Algiers, his poetry in darija reached millions, echoing calls for dignity and justice. Yet his words have come at a cost—censorship, arrests, and harassment by authorities. This article explores Tadjadit’s story, the repression of artistic freedom, and what it reveals about free expression in today’s Algeria.
By Khalid Albaih
Sudanese artist and political cartoonist Khalid Albaih, known as “Khartoon,” merges art and activism to challenge injustice and amplify silenced voices. From his 2025 exhibition Refresh at Kunstnernes Hus to digital platforms like KhartoonMag.com, Albaih turns creative expression into resistance. His installations Shahid and Bahar confront global indifference to conflict and displacement, redefining what it means to witness through art in a connected yet divided world.
A new UN report (A/80/278) warns that digitalization and AI can both amplify censorship and empower free expression. Civsy—created by Mimeta—directly answers this challenge. By training local researchers and deploying an AI-powered platform, Civsy systematically documents violations of artistic freedom, especially in underserved regions. This evidence fuels advocacy, policy reform, and accountability, turning data into a powerful tool for protecting cultural rights worldwide
From October 5–11, 2025, Banned Books Week unites readers, libraries, and advocates worldwide to defend the freedom to read. Led by honorary chairs George Takei and youth advocate Iris Mogul, this international campaign highlights the urgency of protecting intellectual freedom and creative expression from censorship. Join by reading challenged books, attending events, and amplifying authors’ voices.
More than 150 cultural institutions across the United States have issued a joint appeal against mounting political interference and censorship, warning that artistic and intellectual freedom are at risk. Led by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the Vera List Center, the statement calls for solidarity and courage as funding cuts and government intervention threaten the independence of museums, theatres, and cultural organizations nationwide.
One year after surviving attempts at censorship, Alipato at Muog has emerged victorious, winning Best Picture and Best Director at the 73rd FAMAS Awards. The documentary chronicles the Burgos family’s decades-long search for Jonas Burgos, a disappeared activist, and stands as both a landmark of Philippine independent cinema and a defiant reminder that truth-telling and artistic freedom cannot be silenced.
In August 2025, the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre faced unprecedented pressure from Chinese officials to censor artworks critical of Beijing’s policies toward Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Hong Kong. The exhibition, exploring global authoritarian cooperation, was forced to remove or obscure names, flags, and political references—ironically becoming an example of the very repression it sought to expose.
On June 25, 2025, Kenyan streets became vibrant arenas of protest and creativity as artists and arts organisations took center stage in the Gen Z-led movement. From digital art and graffiti to music and animation, creatives transformed public dissent into a cultural revolution. Amidst censorship and police brutality, their work gave voice to the voiceless, preserved memory, and pushed boundaries. This fusion of resistance and art marked a powerful shift in Kenya's civic landscape.
The tragic death of Albert Ojwang, a digital activist and teacher, while in police custody has ignited nationwide protests in Kenya. Ojwang, known for his bold critiques of corruption and police abuse, died under suspicious circumstances after his arrest. A damning autopsy contradicted official accounts, sparking public outrage. His story has become a flashpoint in Kenya’s ongoing battle against police brutality and for freedom of expression.
