Myanmar’s artists, musicians and performers have become voices in resisting the junta’s rule, both inside the country and in exile. Through satire, underground music scenes and documentary projects, they document abuses, support mutual‑aid networks and challenge propaganda. Despite arrests, executions, citizenship revocations and harsh new laws, these creative communities continue to carve out rare spaces for honest expression and solidarity.
Kazakhstan is tightening legal pressure on artists, comedians and satirists, using “petty hooliganism,” “incitement of hatred” and new “LGBTI propaganda” provisions to police creative work. Recent cases against a rapper, stand‑up comics, a choreographer and a satirical blogger have turned social media into an early‑warning system, as artists frame each arrest as part of a broader crackdown.
Bangladesh: A youth-led “March for Justice” set out from Dhaka’s Shahbagh on 6 January, demanding accountability for the killing of activist, writer and teacher Sharif Osman Hadi. Led by Inqilab Mancha, the march tied Hadi’s assassination to wider struggles over democracy, Indian hegemony and “cultural fascism,” as protesters vowed to escalate their campaign unless planners, collaborators and cross‑border protectors of his killers are brought to justice
During the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests, Iranian artists became cultural icons—over 100 arrested or prosecuted for their activism. Today, with leaked government documents exposing a secret "Celebrity Task Force" and systematic work bans, prominent creatives have gone underground. The December 2025–January 2026 uprising shows artists participating through encrypted channels and anonymous work rather than public visibility. Yet the cultural infrastructure they built—from the Grammy-winning anthem "Baraye" to protest imagery—remains the emotional backbone of resistance, while the fates of 2022's imprisoned and exiled figures continue to shape how the movement unfolds.
Kurdish violinist Nima Mandoumi, 23, was seized by Iranian intelligence in Alborz province on 9 December 2025 and has since disappeared into incommunicado detention. His arrest reportedly followed an international concert in Armenia involving Israeli musicians, underscoring how Iran’s security apparatus is criminalising cross‑border artistic collaboration and using enforced disappearance to silence Kurdish cultural voices
When Pomme d’amour, a satirical short film by Fares Naanaa, was re-released online in 2025, it ignited a wave of outrage over alleged blasphemy. Yet behind the public uproar lay a deeper story , one of political distraction, fear-driven self-censorship, and the rapid erosion of Tunisia’s post-revolutionary creative freedoms.
When journalist Naouel Bizid invited trans activist and performer Khookha McQueer to mark the 100th episode of Deep Confessions Podcast, a show about mental health became a flashpoint for Tunisia’s culture war over queer visibility and freedom of expression.
On 15 December 2025, a Moscow court designated feminist punk collective Pussy Riot an “extremist organisation,” banning all its activities across Russia after a closed-door hearing. The ruling vastly expands criminal liability for referencing the group, sharing its music or displaying its symbols. Human rights groups warn the decision marks a new stage in Russia’s use of extremism laws to erase artistic dissent, cultural memory and political opposition.
Poet and opposition leader Chaima Issa has become a central symbol of Tunisia’s shrinking civic space. Arrested on 29 November while joining a women’s rights protest in Tunis, she is now serving a 20‑year sentence in the politically driven “Conspiracy Case” and has launched a hunger strike from Manouba Prison, turning her body into a final form of protest against President Kais Saied’s escalating repression.
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A new report has brought grim clarity to Sudan’s ongoing war, confirming that more than fifty-five artists have been killed since fighting erupted in 2023. The African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) released the findings in its November 26 publication, "Tears of Guitars", marking the first verified account of cultural casualties in the conflict. It paints a devastating portrait of how Sudan’s artistic community, once a cornerstone of civic identity and resilience, has become a deliberate target in a war shaped by fragmentation, impunity, and the battle for national memory.
As Uganda heads toward the 2026 elections, opposition‑aligned musicians are being drawn into an intensifying crackdown marked by arbitrary arrests, house‑arrest‑style sieges and shootings at rallies. From repeated cordons around Bobi Wine’s home to the arrest of Nubian Li and the shooting of Omukunja Atasera, the state is treating music as a security threat rather than a space for artistic expression
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Palestinian documentary filmmaker Abdallah Motan has been held in Israeli administrative detention since January 2025 without charges or trial. Known for his internationally recognized work, including Deferred Reclaim, Motan’s detention highlights the suppression of Palestinian cultural voices. Despite international calls for his release and solidarity screenings of his films, his status remains unconfirmed, raising urgent questions about freedom of expression and the rights of artists under occupation
Renowned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, 65, has been sentenced in absentia by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court to one year in prison, a two‑year travel ban and a ban on political and social group membership for alleged “propaganda activities against the system.” The ruling comes as his Cannes‑winning film “It Was Just an Accident” garners major international awards and renews focus on Iran’s assault on artistic freedom.
Screenshot from Hengaw.net
Iranian security forces arrested young Kurdish singer and cultural activist Asmar Hamidi during a raid on her family home in North Khorasan, transferring her to an undisclosed location without charges. Authorities later blocked her social media accounts, erasing her artistic platform. Her case reflects escalating pressure on women artists, Kurdish identity, and all who use culture for peaceful expression. Following the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, musicians face intimidation and prosecution under vague security charges.
The arrest of veteran Algerian journalist Saad Bouakba has reignited debate over shrinking space for free expression in Algeria. Detained after remarks on alleged historical financial misconduct linked to the FLN, Bouakba now faces charges of defamation and insulting state symbols. His case highlights the growing criminalization of dissent, the fragility of historical debate, and the mounting risks faced by journalists, artists, and commentators who challenge official narratives.
Traditional musician Abbas Peymani was arrested by Iran’s IRGC Intelligence in Shahriar after criticizing political and economic conditions on social media. Taken to an undisclosed location with no public charges, his fate remains unknown, raising fears of enforced disappearance. Rights monitors say the case reflects a wider crackdown on artists, where peaceful expression is treated as a security threat and cultural voices are silenced.
Iraqi singer Hussein Al-Turki says he was tricked into joining the Russian army after traveling to Moscow for what he believed was a performance contract. Regional outlets report he was moved far from the city, had his phone confiscated, and was pressured to sign documents he couldn’t read. While his account remains unverified, it reflects a broader pattern of foreign nationals being misled into military service.
Turkish film producer Çiğdem Mater remains in prison, convicted for the “intention” to create a documentary on the 2013 Gezi Park protests—a film never made. Her sentence highlights the rise of artistic repression in Turkey, turning creative planning into a crime. Ongoing global advocacy efforts push for her release as her case becomes a global symbol in the fight for artistic and civic freedoms
In August 2025, Korean-born violinist John Shin was detained by ICE while on a work assignment in Colorado, despite decades of life and artistic work in Utah. His case sparked an unprecedented mobilization from Utah’s music community, exposing how aggressive immigration enforcement can abruptly disrupt the lives and livelihoods of non-citizen artists
Moroccan rapper Hamza Raid became a central figure in the Gen Z protests that swept Morocco in September 2025, demanding education and healthcare reforms. Raid was detained and charged with unauthorized assembly and incitement to protest, drawing wide attention from youth and rights groups. His case highlights the risks artist-activists face and Morocco's tense climate for artistic freedom while authorities pledge order and due process.
