Religious Opposition Forces Cancellation of Concert in Basra After Successful Nasiriyah Performance

Iraqi singer Mohammed Abdel Jabbar successfully performed in Nasiriyah on November 15, 2025, despite opposition from religious figures who condemned the concert as incompatible with the city's religious identity. However, just over a week later, concerts scheduled in Basra were cancelled after the organizing company received threats. The cancellation followed protests by clerics denouncing entertainment events, continuing a pattern of pressure against cultural activities in southern Iraq since 2019.

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AuthorLitangen
CategoriesCensorship in Arts, Censorship MENA, Censorship SWANA, Middle East, Traditional Values
TagsIraq, Basra, Nasiriyah, Mohammed Abdel Jabbar, Southern Iraq, Wisteria Music

When Clerical Pressure Becomes Institutional Policy

Iraq’s 2025 Husseini Chant Festival shows how religious authority can curb cultural policy without legal bans. After the Ministry of Culture introduced instrumental music into Arbaeen rituals, a clerical backlash led by Ali Al‑Talqani sparked online outrage and institutional hesitation, revealing how informal pressure and fear of controversy drive self‑censorship in Iraq’s cultural sector.

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AuthorLitangen
CategoriesCensorship in Arts, Censorship SWANA, Censorship MENA, Middle East, Traditional Values
TagsHusseini Chant Festival, Iraq, Arbaeen, Ali Al-Talqani
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Iraq: Moral Censorship Under the Guise of Tradition

Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education has banned mixed-gender events at universities, including student marathons, citing “moral and cultural values.” The directive, issued under political and religious pressure, institutionalizes gender segregation and deepens a broader crackdown on student freedoms, women’s visibility, and youth-led cultural expression within academic spaces .

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AuthorLitangen
CategoriesMiddle East, Traditional Values
TagsIraq, Iraq's Ministry of Higher Education, gender, banning mixed-gender events in universities, Basra marathon

A contested breakthrough for girls’ sports

Karbala’s first girls’ school athletics championship in December 2025, organized with an all‑female refereeing team, quickly turned into a test of the city’s “sanctity” politics. A local religious initiative condemned the event as indecent, while rights advocates and social‑media users defended it as a legitimate step for girls’ education, health and visibility in Iraqi public life.

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AuthorLitangen
CategoriesMiddle East, Traditional Values
TagsSanctity of Karbala, track and field championship for girls, Iraq, Karbala, gender, Al‑Aalem, women’s rights