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
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.
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.
Last week, MUSE/IQUE's The UnAmericans brought the Hollywood Blacklist era to life through a powerful multimedia performance at The Huntington. Blending music, narrative, and history, the show explored the silencing of artists during the Red Scare and underscored the ongoing fight for creative freedom. With performances honoring blacklisted legends like Lena Horne and Harry Belafonte, it reminded audiences of the high cost of censorship and the value of artistic expression.
Inside Mumbai’s Liberty Cinema, Grover’s KISS turns a single kiss into a symbol of India’s enduring battle over censorship and creative freedom. Set entirely in a preview theatre, the film sharply critiques the societal and institutional forces shaping Indian cinema. Drawing from colonial-era laws to modern controversies, KISS uses satire to expose the absurdities of what’s considered “acceptable” on screen—revealing the constant push and pull between tradition and expression.
Tanzania’s creative sector is under pressure as government authorities intensify censorship. The National Arts Council (BASATA) now wields broad powers to ban or fine music, art, and online content deemed against “morals” or “public order.” High-profile cases—like those of Nay Wa Mitego, Roma Mkatoliki, and Zuchu—reveal a growing crackdown on dissent. As fear fuels self-censorship, artists and critics warn that the soul of Tanzanian creativity is at stake.
Argentina’s artistic community faces systematic repression under Javier Milei’s government, which merges far-right libertarianism with state-driven censorship. From canceling concerts at memorial sites to dismantling cultural institutions and smearing dissenting artists, the regime weaponizes bureaucracy against creative freedom. Yet from guerrilla performances to encrypted livestreams, artists are resisting with powerful acts of defiance—turning cultural repression into a spark for resurgence.
"Glances of Resistance" began as a covert Berlin exhibition by exiled Nicaraguan artists, documenting authoritarian violence through defiant art. As Nicaragua's regime intensified repression—banning performances, exiling creators, and dismantling civil society—art became both target and weapon. From torn-down “Trees of Life” to underground collectives, this resistance preserves truth where the state enforces silence. Global solidarity is now vital to protect Nicaragua’s vanishing creative voice.
“Echoes of War,” a play by Butere Girls High School, was censored despite winning regionals in Kenya's national drama festival. A court ruling ordered its reinstatement, but police blocked performances, detained playwright Cleophas Malala, and harassed students. On April 10, the cast protested by walking out in costume, singing the national anthem. The incident sparked national outcry, exposing tensions between youth expression and state control.
Since 2016, SUSMA24 (Speak Up Platform) has fought against rising censorship in Turkey’s cultural sector. Formed under P24 by journalists and civil rights advocates, the initiative unites 120+ institutions to document suppression, support artists, and engage international bodies. From legal victories to global advocacy and banned art exhibitions, SUSMA24 showcases how grassroots resilience and transnational solidarity protect artistic freedom.
